About 150 people registered for yesterday's auction of foreclosed properties at Bontrager's on Wortendyke Road.

The county was owed about $310,000 in back taxes for the properties included in the auction. The properties sold for a total of $665,000. Those figures are preliminary, said County Treasurer Scott German.

The city also had a handful of properties up for auction, but those figures are not available at this time.

All of the properties auctioned were seized by either the county or city for failure to pay property taxes for a number of years.

We'll provide more details when they become available.

Bontrager's owner and auctioneer Todd Jantzi.

A successful bidder.

A car is off the road and the driver says he's unable to get out after striking a tree in the area of 8673 North Road, Le Roy.

That's near the county line.

The driver denies any injuries.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 11:56 a.m.: Subject is out of the vehicle. Units still responding can back it down.

Falleti Ice Arena today hosted a fundraiser for the Collin Crane Memorial Fund.

The fund provides scholarships to deserving local hockey players. This was the second year for the fundraiser, which honors the memory of Collin Crane, a Batavia teen killed in an auto accident in December 2012.

The event featured a full day of hockey, including a match involving a team comprised of Crane's teammates, as well as a chance auction.

After their game, members of Crane's team held a pray for their teammate.

Press release:

The board of directors and coaching staff of the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football & Cheer program are excited to announce the open registration dates for their upcoming 4th season. We look forward to welcoming new and returning athletes to the Bulldawg family.   

Registration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the Batavia City Centre (east entrance, near Sunny’s Restaurant). Boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 14, attending Batavia area schools (that are not affiliated with another NOFA team) are eligible to participate, with no weight restrictions. All athletes will be placed in developmentally age appropriate divisions based on the following league age rules: 

Football divisions (NO WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS):
Beginner (ages 6-7; must be 6 by 12/1, can’t turn 8 prior to 12/1)
Mini (ages 8-9; must be 8 by 12/1, can’t turn 10 prior to 12/1)
JV (ages 10-11; must be 10 by 12/1, can’t turn 12 prior to 12/1)
Varsity (ages 12-13; must be 12 by 12/1, can’t turn 14 prior to 12/1)

Cheer divisions:
Beginner (ages 6-7; must be 6 by 12/1)
Mini (ages 8-9; must be 8 by 12/1)
JV (ages 10-11; must be 10 by 12/1)
Varsity (ages 12-14; must be 12 by 12/1, can’t turn 15 prior to 12/1)

Football & Cheer Registration fees can be accepted via credit/debit card, check or cash and includes:

- high-quality, annually certified safety equipment
- full game day uniforms
- practice uniforms
- T-shirt & short apparel set
- accident & liability insurance
- Cheerzone competition
- end of season banquet
- participation trophy

**A multi-athlete family discount is available as well as payment plan options. Scholarships are also available for those who apply. 

The Bulldawgs eagerly anticipate the summertime announcement of our 2014 game schedule with locally affiliated NOFA teams in the surrounding areas of Attica, Alexander, Pembroke, Oakfield/Elba, Akron, Alden, Albion, Medina, Roy-Hart and Newfane. 

All contests will take place on Saturdays from late August through October. Every player will get the opportunity to participate in every game, where we never keep track of individual player statistics, only player participation and team records. USA Football certified coaches, using the Heads-Up Football philosophy to reduce the risk of injury, will coach our athletes. In addition, certified coaches will help to train our current grand-champion cheer squads towards continued great success in the 2014 Cheerzone competition.    

Batavia Bulldawgs Football and Cheer is a family-oriented volunteer, nonprofit organization affiliated with the Niagara Orleans Football Association, established in 1999. Since our inception in 2011, we have been committed to providing a high quality youth football program where we are dedicated to the instruction of football, the philosophy of teamwork, the development of sportsmanship and competition in a safe and respectful environment, while promoting personal responsibility and offering participants an opportunity to enjoy all that is best about youth sports.

An informational meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday March 19th in the Batavia Middle School auditorium. Board members and coaches will be available to answer any questions and discuss the upcoming season.

A small number of volunteer football and cheer coaching positions are currently available to interested adults. To learn more about this opportunity, or to answer and questions, please contact John Reigle, league commissioner (716) 228-5787, or bataviabulldawgsfootball@gmail.com.

Arianna Pray, with her mother Vera, needed a break after a couple of hours of a fundraiser for children with special needs at Daphne's Restaurant today.

The fundraiser is an advance of the 52nd annual Variety Kids Telethon on Channel 7, March 30.

The fundraiser continues today until 6 p.m.  The chance auction winners will be announced started at 5 p.m.

Daphne's is located at 241 S. Swan St., Batavia.

Sandy Misiak looking for the right prizes to try and win in the chance auction.

Le Roy Fire Police are told to shut down Munson Street at both ends -- Wolcott and at Gilbert -- so a flooded basement can be pumped out.

UPDATE 2:56 p.m.: The Le Roy assignment is back in service.

There is apparently a recommendation for a small number of Genesee County residents to boil their household water because of a possible manure spill in the area of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road and Lewiston Road.

The announcement came from the NY-Alert system, not from the County Health Department.

The announcement was released just before the health department closed for the weekend, though it contained information to call the health department for further information.

The announcement says, "At this time, the extent of the contamination is unknown and we would therefore recommend that you boil tap water in your home or use bottled water for drinking and cooking. If your well water quality changes as noticed by color and/or smell, immediately stop using it for all household uses other than flushing toilets."

The first version of the announcement was a recommendation for all Genesee County residents to boil water, then a second version said the spill was in the area of Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road and Lewiston Road.

Because the health department is closed, no further information is available at this time.

Three separate investigations by the Local Drug Task Force have led to the arrest of three Batavia residents suspected of dealing crack cocaine in the city.

Arrested where:

• Demetrius W. "G" Richardson, 33, of East Main Street, Batavia, charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd.
• Dajuandrick C. "Omega" Gardner, 37, of East Avenue, Batavia, charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd.
• Diana L. Bloom, 57, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd.

Richardson allegedly sold cocaine to undercover agents Sept. 12 while on Jackson Street and again on Sept. 20 while on Pringle Avenue.

Gardner allegedly sold cocaine to undercover agents Nov. 22 while on State Street, Jan. 2 while on State Street and Jan. 15 while on State Street.

Bloom allegedly sold cocaine to undercover agents while at her residence at 117 State St. on Oct. 30 and again Oct. 31.

All three were arrested on sealed indictments within the past week. Their arrests were announced today.

All three were arraigned in County Court and Richardson was jailed on $50,000, Gardner on $75,000 bail and Bloom was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Assisting in the investigation and arrest were uniformed Batavia PD officers, Genesee County deputies, NYS Parole and the District Attorney's Office.

A car crashed into a pole at Main Road and Lovers Lane Road. Believed to be minor injuries. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments and Mercy medics responding.

This morning contractors working on the former Lowe's location, getting the remaining space ready for new retail stores, apparently forgot to turn the water off to the sprinkler system before deciding to disconnect a pipe. The pipe needed to be relocated to make room for a new entrance to the new store. Workers undid two bolts and whoosh! An explosion of water. Perhaps as much as 1,000 gallons spilled out before the water was shut off. The break caused the water flow alarm to go off resulting in a response from the Town of Batavia Fire Department. Volunteer firefighters grabbed squeegees and brooms and helped clear the water out from inside the building.

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI Program announced today that Genesee County police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on March 15th and will end on March 18th. St. Patrick’s Day week is historically a deadly period for impaired driving. This year St. Patrick’s Day is on a Monday and that will extend the weekend until Tuesday for many people. The New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths during this period.

Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch stated, “The City of Batavia Police Department encourages everyone celebrating to do so safely and have a designated driver. Do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle if you have been drinking. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend.”

Genesee County Undersheriff William Sheron stated, “St. Patrick's Day is well known as of day of celebration. Please celebrate responsibly. Avoid tragedy; Don't plan on the luck of the Irish, arrange for a designated driver.

The St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association. The Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign also targets Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day Weekend, Halloween and the national Holiday Season in December.

Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers stated, "Enforcement efforts like these have contributed to the steady decline in DWI accidents since the program was established. Families in Genesee County are safer while traveling the roads with a program like STOP-DWI funding extra patrols by our fine law enforcement professionals."

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

Press release:

“The Assembly’s budget proposal was crafted by the Downstate interests that have wreaked havoc on Upstate New York’s economy for years. The governor’s tax relief proposals, which themselves were not significant, are scaled back even further in the Assembly’s budget.

There is no mandate relief whatsoever, without which property taxes will continue to drive families out of Upstate. In addition, there is no plan to pay back the education cuts from 2011 (Gap Elimination Adjustment), and our local libraries are not properly funded, creating the risk that our children will not have the resources they need to grow and learn.

This is also a bad budget proposal for those who support the Second Amendment of our Constitution, as $3.2 million is devoted to implementing the SAFE Act, and a proposal to legalize crossbows for hunting purposes that the governor included in his budget was omitted here.

“It is also deeply troubling that the Assembly leadership has included controversial issues like college tuition for illegal immigrants, taxpayer funded political campaigns and medical marijuana. Fortunately, this proposal is not the final product. We will have a chance over the next couple of weeks to fight for measures that provide tax relief for middle-class families and bring decent jobs to Upstate New York’s economy.”

Batavia City Schools are among five finalists in the state for a $10,000 prize from the NYS Lottery. The contest is built around the idea of students saying thank you for the support of the lottery. Choirs produced a video for the song "Thank you for being a friend." The prize money would go to the school district's music program.

To vote, click here (you'll be asked to log into your Facebook account).

New York Times: To Keep Teenagers Alert, Schools Let Them Sleep In

Smoke and flames are reportedly coming from the basement of a house at 229 S. Swan St. The residents have been advised to evacuate. City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 5:13 a.m.: City fire on scene with nothing showing.

UPDATE 5:28 a.m.: A code enforcement officer is called in.

UPDATE 5:30 a.m.: Code enforcement ETA is 20 minutes.

"A house fire," with the caller reporting it as a microwave problem, is at 9 Lincoln Ave., near Thomas Avenue. The occupants are out. Ladder 15 and Engine 11 are on scene.

UPDATE 8:17 p.m.: "The fire is out on the stove, checking for extensions."

UPDATE 8:20 p.m.: No extensions. Now ventilating.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: City assignment back in service. 

A stove fire is reported in the kitchen at 97 River St. City fire is responding. The location is between Birchwood Drive and Pearl Street.

UPDATE 7:53 p.m.: Engine 11 is on scene. Dispatch says the caller is now reporting "that she got the fire out."

UPDATE 7:56 p.m.: They are ventilating the structure.

UPDATE 8:08 p.m.: The assignment is back in service.

A few of these signs popped up along downtown streets today. A couple of the business owners who found them in front of their store fronts this morning didn't know who put them out.

They hare the handiwork of Brian Kemp, of T-Shirts Etc.

Kemp took on the project himself -- not through the BID or Vibrant Batavia -- because he thinks local business owners should be encouraged to keep the sidewalks in front of their establishments. The ones who do so should be rewarded.

"They don't realize you've got to be able to see the cement," Kemp said.

He only made a few signs, so he'll rotate them around tomorrow, making sure businesses that haven't received the recognition yet, but deserve it, will.

Bottom photo submitted by Jessica Budzinack. She wrote, "My husband Christopher Budzinack works at The City Church. He was so happy his hard work was recognized during this rough winter.