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APB -- ALL-PETS BULLETIN: "Gambit" the cat is missing from the corner area of Vine Street and East Avenue in the City of Batavia.

The male tabby, 1 1/2 years old, is gray and white, neutered and very friendly. He wears both a pink and a silver collar with a bell, and a name tag with phone number.

If you see Gambit, please call Mike Columbo at (585) 297-0241.

A gambit as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as: a chess opening in which a player risks one or more pawns or a minor piece to gain an advantage in position; a remark intended to start a conversation or make a telling point; and/or a calculated move, a stratagem.

Let us hope this sudden and unexplained disappearance by Gambit is not a "stratagem" of his to have sneaky summer fun at the expense of his poor owner's well-being.

UPDATE (By Billie) Thursday, June 21, 4:42 p.m.: Just spoke with owner Mike Columbo who laments that his cat has still not turned up. He's hopeful and plans to put fliers up in the neighborhood. Please keep your eyes peeled for Gambit, readers; it's a calculated move calculated to bring him home!

UPDATE Sunday, June 24:  This afternoon Gambit's owner wrote to say the cat was located in the backyard of a neighbor late Thursday. The cat is home safe and sound. Mike Columbo wrote:

"...I found my cat Gambit on Thursday night! Someone who lives on Elm Street, a block away from me, called saying they saw him in their backyard!  
I was able to lure him out with some treats and brought him back home! Needless to say I was elated!"

The Batavia Blue Devils Youth Football Camp will be held on Monday and Tuesday, July 16-17, behind Batavia High School, located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia.

Time is 9 to 11:30 a.m. both days.

Cost is $40.

It is for students entering grades one through eight in the fall.

Hosted by Head Coach Brennan Briggs and the BHS Football staff.

Bring shorts, T-shirt, cleats and water bottle.

Register by July 5 to guarantee correct T-shirt size.

Make checks payable to:  Blue Devils Touchdown Club

Mail payment and the following information to Brennan Briggs, 103 Oak St., Batavia  NY 14020 OR  to: Batavia Middle School, 96 Ross St., Batavia NY 14020, ATTEN: Brennan Briggs.

• Name of Camper
• Camper is entering Grade ___
• Emergency Contact Name and Phone Number
• T-shirt Size: ADULT ___ Or  YOUTH ___

The camp will feature: speed challenge; flag football games at the end of each day; current BHS football players, as well as alumni will speak and work with campers; T-shirts distributed and pizza after Tuesday's camp.

Here's the breakdown of what will be taught for each position; all drills will be modified for age groups:

• Quarterbacks -- Hand placement, 3-step, 5-step, footwork drills, throwing mechanics, and ball-handling drills;
• Wide Receivers -- Stance, start, footwork drills, hand drills, route running;
• Running Backs -- Stance, start, footwork drills, run blocking, pass blocking;
• Offensive Line -- Stance, start, run-blocking drills, pass-blocking drills;
• Linebackers -- Stance, start, footwork drills, tackling-form drills, run stopping, pass defending;
• Defensive Backs -- Stance, start, footwork drills, man coverage, zone coverage, pass defending;
• Defensive Line -- Stance, start, 1 v. 1 drills, speed and quickness off the ball.

The Batavia Blue Devils are 3-peat Section V Class B Champions.

First Presbyterian Church of Batavia along with The Visual Truth Theatre Ensemble presents a special literary event called "Good Bread in the Darkness" on Thursday, June 28.

It will be hosted by Lucine Kauffman from the WBTA Radio Show Genesee Life (FM 100.1 and AM 1490) and will feature local and regional writers with a focus on nature, spirituality and community.

The event will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Batavia. It is free and open to the public.

Readers include: Terry Abrams, Sue Briggs, Byron Hoot, Bill Kauffman and Eric Zwieg.

"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water," ~ Rabindranath Tagore.

Good Bread in the Darkness

Thursday, June 28

7- 9 p.m.

The First Presbyterian Church

300 E. Main St., Batavia

A caller to dispatch is concerned about the well-being of a "dog on a pillow under a tree outside Pandora's Boxxx." The adult products business is located at 4816 Ellicott Street Road in Batavia, near the intersection with Cedar Street. An animal control officer is responding.

A pickup-into-pole accident is reported in Darien in the area of 781 Sumner Road; unknown injuries. Darien Fire Department and medics are responding. A caller reports the pole appears like it's going to fall onto the pickup truck. The driver possibly has a neck injury.

A white sedan left the scene eastbound and may have been involved in this accident.

The accident location is between Fargo and Alleghany roads.

UPDATE 4:48 p.m.: National Grid is being notified about the damaged pole.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: The driver was transported to ECMC.

Press release:

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) will be holding a FREE series of Financial Workshops for the community on Wednesdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for six-weeks, starting July 11.

You can select the topics that appeal to you, and do not have to attend all six.

They will take place at ILGR's primary office, 113 Main St., Suite 5, near Center Street, in Batavia.

Light refreshments will be provided, and participants will receive a small free gift for every class they attend.

THE TOPICS

July 11 -- Learn about checking and savings accounts

July 18 -- Changing your life through better money management

July 25 -- Jump-start saving on a limited budget

Aug. 1 -- Learn to read and clear up your credit report

Aug. 8 -- Financial planning

Aug. 15 - Caring for children with disabilities: the financial side

For more information, and to please RSVP by the day before the workshop you would like to attend, contact Jennifer at 585-815-8501, ext. 412.

Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR) is a member of the Western New York Independent Living Inc. family of agencies that offers an expanding array of services to aid individuals with disabilities to take control of their own lives.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce’s Haunted History Trail of New York State program was recognized at the 2018 Rochester PRism Awards on Thursday, June 14.

The statewide tourism trail earned two recognitions for excellence in marketing and public relations – one first-place PRism Award and one Award of Excellence.

The PRism was awarded for the Trail’s “Spooky” Social Media campaign created and executed by Chamber member Break the Ice Media. Social channels saw growth across the board – nearly 40-percent page growth on Facebook, 22 percent on Twitter, and 90.4-percent engagement growth on Instagram -- with events selling out and new visitors traveling the trail.

The program was also recognized with an award of excellence for the 2018 Haunted History Trail brochure, a beautiful 36-page travel magazine that was designed by Corfu designer Matt Steinberg of The Quackenstein Graphic Design Co., and featured stunning photography from the official trail photographer Steve Shoemaker of Amityphotos.com. Break the Ice Media led the team with copywriting and project management.

The PRism Awards are an annual award show put on by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Rochester Chapter, celebrating the best public relations work -- both elements and campaigns -- from the previous year.

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About the Haunted History Trail of New York State

The Haunted History Trail of New York State is a tourism collaboration spearheaded by the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with 32 county tourism offices that features haunted locations from almost every region of New York State. Haunted dining, tours, and overnights are available on the trail, with many of the locations tying back to New York’s history. For more information, visit: www.hauntedhistorytrail.com.

Submitted photos and press release:

BATAVIA — Northgate Free Methodist Church is ushering in summer with family fun.

The end of the school year coincided with Father’s Day, and Northgate Church celebrated both with a sweet treat. Following Sunday services on June 17, LuGia’s Ice Cream Truck doled out scoops of the cool confection to everyone who attended either the 9:30 or 11 a.m. services at North Campus (8160 Bank Street Road), or 10 a.m. at Arbor House (350 Bank St.).

Northgate will again host its Star-Spangled Celebration, this year on Tuesday, July 3, in the church parking lot. This is the perfect place to enjoy fireworks courtesy of the Batavia Muckdogs, whose Dwyer Stadium is near Northgate’s backyard. A neighborly, family-friendly get-together is planned, with games and food beginning at 7 p.m.

All of these events and activities are free and open to the public.

For more information, call the church office at (585) 343-4011 or visit northgatefmc.com