A little rain did nothing to deter fairgoers from enjoying the final day of the Genesee County Fair. As of Saturday morning, approximately 14,000 visitors attended the 175th County Fair in Batavia.

“Overall includes lifetime members, volunteers and 4-H’ers and the 9,500 that paid at the gate and thus far 14,000 people have visited the 175th Genesee County Fair,” said  

Norm Pimm, treasurer for the Agricultural Society.

According to Nick O’Geen of the Agricultural Society, the cooler, nicer weather this year played a part in drawing a crowd. Additionally, the number of vendors and local people that have had displays is greater this year, according to Agricultural Society Secretary Rose Topolski.

“Several local businesses have set up (displays/food stands), so there is a familiarity to them; people recognize local shops,” Topolski said.

Entertainment options have been ramped up to draw families as well as adults. 

“We’ve kept the family entertainment tent but we also added a beer tent with entertainment for the older crowd,” said Agricultural Society Member Alton MacDuffie.

Other additions to the fair included adding the Princess Contest and new sponsors for the Tractor Pull.

“A lot of new 4-H members put forth ideas and carried through on them,” Topolski said. “The young blood brought forth more to the fair -- more grandeur.”

“For a week people become like your family because you see and wave to them every day.” O'Geen said.

A fond farewell to this year’s Genesee County Fair -- the 175th Anniversary celebrations came to a close Saturday night.

“We’d like to thank all the 4-h'ers, volunteers, sponsors, and fair supporters for making the 175th Genesee County Fair a success,” O’Geen said. 

A car versus tractor-trailer accident, unknown injuries, is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 379.4. That's in the area of the Route 19 overpass. Le Roy fire and ambulance responding.

UPDATE 6:13 p.m.: A female victim needs to be extricated.

UPDATE 6:39 p.m.: Byron fire also responded and was put back in service by Le Roy command at 6:28 p.m. State Troopers remain on scene. Le Roy is back in service. Didn't hear the outcome of the patients.

UPDATE 6:35 p.m.: Le Roy ambulance is transporting a 33-year-old female to UMMC who complains of left side body pain.

A motorcycle accident with two people injured is reported at 8971 Creek Road. Two Mercy rigs and Town of Batavia fire are responding. The victims are conscious and alert but bleeding. The location is between Lehigh and Dorman roads.

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: A rescue engine from East Pembroke is on scene. A patient who was pinned down as a result of the accident is free now. The bike is down an enbankment.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight, which was on standby, is cancelled. One person is being transferred to UMMC.

UPDATE 2:57 p.m.: East Pembroke's rescue engine is back in service.

UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: Both patients are going to Strong.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A resident on Alexander Road near Stroh Road reports that a neighbor's dog has killed 36 of his chickens.

A deputy is responding.

Heading back from Le Roy yesterday afternoon, I spotted a sign off Route 5 that said "Model Airplane Show."

Well, that sounded interesting.

I followed the signs to Randall Road and discovered an airfield behind a set of barns and met members of the Radio Controlled Flying Club of Batavia.

They were hosting special guests yesterday, professional flyers from Rochester, Devin McGrath and Kyle Stacy.

McGrath, Stacy and club member Don Lefever.

After 30 years of coaching Le Roy High School football, Andrew Paladino is retiring at the end of the 2014 season.

Paladino was defensive coordinator under Head Coach Brian Moran for 25 years. This season will also be Moran's last, and he and Moran always said they would retire together.

"Also, it's time to go," Paladino said during a party in his honor at the shop of Bill Fox. "We've got three former players on staff now. We're leaving them in good hands. Brian Herdlein is a very capable coach. He'll do fine."

Paladino's Le Roy football career started as a player with junior varsity in 1970. In his junior year, as the only junior on the team, he was the starting center and made the All County Team. The following year he slimmed down and started at full back and line backer and was named to the All Rochester Team, the All State First Team, and was named a Prep All American.

Rather than go to college, Paladino decided to get married, take a job and stay in Le Roy.

His coaching career started a couple of years later when he became a youth football coach (as a kid he couldn't play youth football, he said, because he was too fat).

During the Moran/Paladino years, the Oatkan Knights won a state championship (1995) and more than a dozen sectional titles. 

At the party Saturday was Paladino's high school coach, Don Santini, who joined Paladino for a cigar. Paladino said, "This is the man who started it all right here."

Photo: Santini, Paladino and Ron Plummer.

Big crowd and lots of great community spirit were on display Saturday during the annual Oatka Festival Parade, followed by fun and games at the festival in Trigon Park.

The biggest cheers of the parade went up when the Class of 1984 came through and the announcers said among the things the class supports is saving Frost Ridge, and then again when the Save Frost Ridge group itself came through the parade (above).

To purchase prints, click here.

More than 20 volunteers hauled out 180 pounds of garbage from the Tonawanda Creek this morning under the supervision of Boy Scout Alex Hansen.

The cleanup was the culmination of Alex's Eagle Scout project, which he said took a year to plan and execute.

It required the cooperation of Genesee ARC (who hauled away the garbage for free) and Sloat Tire to pick up the tires that were collected, and Alex had to coordinate the volunteers through the Tonawanda Watershed Committee and Troop 6069.

"The creek over the years has become really polluted with trash," Alex said. "People just throw tires and water heaters and even air conditioners right over the bridges in town. All this stuff gets washed to places, such as Kiwanis Park, and so we have people people cleaning because there's trash everywhere."

The 16-year-old scout said volunteers dispersed to Kiwanis Park, Kibbe Park, behind the courthouse and behind Valu Plaza.

"We think this will make a positive difference for the community because people want to enjoy the creek again," Alex said. "We want to make it a better place for people and wildlife."

A person is stuck in the elevator, but not injured, at 400 Towers, 400 E. Main St. in Batavia. City firefighters are responding.

Press release:

Tonight’s game between the Batavia Muckdogs and Connecticut Tigers has been postponed due to rain. This game will be made up as part of a double header on Sunday, July 20th. We will play two seven-inning games, with the first game starting at 1:05 p.m. Gates will open at noon. Any person with tickets to tonight’s game can exchange their tickets for any other regular season game, subject to availability.

Food, fun and bumper cars for adults. Wait, that's not right. Friday night proved to be an excellent day for the Genesee County Fair's annual Demolition Derby. The grandstands were packed and fans got a thrill of cars smashing and mud flinging.

Other events included a Goat Costume contest, 4-H Horse Show, magician Magical John, GPS and Solar Fun Fest and many more exhibits and attractions.

The final day of the fair is today with exhibits and grounds open until midnight.

• All Day - Magical John | Entertainment Tent
• 8:30am - NIOGA Colored Breed Show
• 9am - NIOGA Holstein/Open Class Dairy Show | Show Ring
• 10am - 4-H Horse Gymkhana & Games Classes | Horse Ring
• 11am - FARM STOCK TRACTOR – Bring your tractor! Enhanced Tractor & Garden Pullers | Grandstand
• 11am - EXHIBIT HALLS & BUILDINGS OPEN
• 1pm - MIDWAY OPENS | Amusement Area
• 1-7pm - Mr. Scribbles | Exhibition Bldg.
• 1pm - NCCC Tanzen Dance Team | Entertainment Tent
• 2-4pm - 4-H Vegetable Art Fun Fair Activity | Kennedy Building
• 3-6pm - Rain Date for GPS & Solar Fun Fest | Merton Building
• 6:30 pm Empire State Pullers Tractor Pulls. Immediately following ESP are Semi Trucks & Stock Pick Up Trucks | GRANDSTAND
• 8pm - Beer Tent Opens
• 8pm - 12am - “Savage Cabbage” band | Beer Tent
• 8pm - 4-H Dairy Animals released
• 8:30pm - 4-H Horse released
• 9pm - 4-H Non-market auction animals — Sheep, Beef released
• 10pm - Kennedy, Merton & Exhibition Buildings open for pick up of entries
• 11pm - MIDWAY CLOSES
• 12am - Beer Tent CLOSES

The marsh on Pearl Street Road, just east of Angling Road, Corfu, as seen this morning as I left the fire at Ed Arnold's.

If a horrifying camping trip sounds like your idea of a good time, you're in luck. "Scream Campout Live!" will take place tonight and every Friday and Saturday through Aug. 23 at the PolarWave on Harloff Road, Batavia.

Cost is $50 per person to have the heebie-jeevies scared out of you all night long. Campers can arrive anytime after 7:45 p.m.. The organizers ask "Can you make it 'til morning?"

Forget sleeping peacefully under the summer stars. "Our scare environments, special effects, and interactive scare actors will place you in the nightmare of your life. We will break even the strongest will."

To do that, campers will navigate around a series of "outdoor environments" throughout the night. Stuff like walking through a slaughterhouse, a chainsaw maze, graveyard, etc.

"You will encounter total darkness, strobe lighting, latex, sudden loud noises, live scare actors, and "scent effects" -- all of which are intended to frighten you."

Just for fun, you can play zombie paintball as zombies attack you, watch horror movies, face daring challenges at every turn.

As if to make it more clear, the flier for the "campout" says "This is not your typical campout. You will become part of the live experience. You may be physically chained, hooded, caged, and...let's not go any further. Strong 'verbal content' by scare actors is part of the experience."

"The night is watching you...Don't close your eyes..."

Like we said, this thrill can be yours for 50 bucks. And if you use this promo code, you'll get $10 off:  FOAM716

You must be 18. To get tickets call 585-217-1263 or go to screamcampoutlive.com

Press release:

Over the past 35 years, Ann Watts raised three sons as a single mother, worked as a waitress to pay the bills and thought about going back to college. When her youngest son reached adulthood, she did it. In December, Ann will earn her associates in science degree from Genesee Community College. Her experience at GCC is featured in a new television ad now being aired on cable and network stations. It can also be viewed on YouTube or GCC's new Adult Learner's Web page:

http://www.genesee.edu/home/adult-learners/

"Everyone I have encountered at GCC every step of the way has made me feel like my success matters to them," she says in the commercial. "GCC is so much more than I expected."

The new television commercial complements GCC's recently conducted survey focusing on the needs and interests of adult students.

"After the survey, we asked our faculty if they had any students in their classes who might be interested in helping with our new adult learners' TV ad. Ann was recommended by Dr. Thomas Priester, our professor of Transitional Studies," said Donna Rae Sutherland, associate director of Marketing and Communications said.

"Ann's story personifies the experience of so many of GCC's adult students. We hope she will inspire other adults who've long thought about returning to college and have hesitated for many reasons."

Ann last took a college class at age 17. At that time, she was a high school student in Junction City, Kan., and enrolled in a course through Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.. Her father, retired Major General Ronald Watts, was the commanding officer at Fort Riley Army Base near Junction City.

After high school Ann, now 56, did not pursue further college classwork. She began working as a waitress and started a family. She has three sons, Zach Watts, 29, of Batavia; Taylor Tompkins, 25, of Macon, Ga; and Nicholas Gaudy, 22, of Batavia. She worked for 10 years at Alex's Place Restaurant and now works at Larry's Steakhouse, both in Batavia.

When she returned to school, Ann initially thought she'd pursue a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management as she'd worked in that industry for so many years. A year into the program she changed her mind.

"I went back to school to get OUT of that business," she said.

She's now pursuing a General Studies degree with an emphasis on Human Services and hopes to work with soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

At GCC, Ann ended up in Career Education Planning (CEP) class with her son Zach.

"It was actually pretty fun," she said. "Once everyone knew I was his mom, all the kids in class starting calling me mom, which was a lot of fun for me and made it a lot easier."

Zach is pursuing a business degree and anticipates graduating in May 2015. Ann's dad, now 80, plans to be in the audience at Commencement. Coincidentally, Zach's fiancée, Sarah Sanchez-Anderson is also attending GCC and was in the same CEP class as well. Ironically, the couple's 2-year old son Carson, Ann's grandson, attends GCC's Daycare Center.

"Attending GCC is almost a family affair for Ann! When Dr. Priester welcomed us into his class for the TV photo shoot, it was truly a live, teaching-learning experience," Sutherland added. "But even without family members in the same class, we learned through our survey that the vast majority of our adult students -- 92 percent in fact, are satisfied with their college experience here."

Once she completes her degree, Ann hopes to land a job at Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley. That's not the only reason she wants to move back to Kansas. Three years ago she went to her Junction City High School reunion and reconnected with Hal Wilson, with whom she'd had a close friendship in high school. They've been seeing each other ever since.

"Ann's story proves it's never too late to go back to school and pursue your dreams," Sutherland said. "We're ready and waiting here at GCC to help adult students turn those dreams into a reality."

Information from Batavia Downs:

Wiener dog races return to Batavia Downs on Aug. 24 and sign-ups for the big event started Friday.

If you are interested in racing your Dachshund, call event coordinator Arna Tygart at 585-343-3750, ext. 437. There is an 80-dog limit and an also-eligible list will be started should the need arise. The first 70 dogs entered will receive a canine gift bag courtesy of Genesee Feeds of Batavia.

Of all the promotions presented during the live harness racing meet at Batavia Downs each year, the Dachshund, or “wiener dog” races have become the most popular. Since 2005, thousands of fans have congregated at the fence in front of the grandstand to position themselves for the best view of the starters in each of the carded heats.

This year the wiener dog races will be held on Sunday, Aug. 24, during Family Fun Day at Batavia Downs. Sponsored by Genesee Feeds of Batavia, a total of 10 heats will be contested with eight wiener dogs in each race. The first race will begin after the last live harness race of the day, which will be approximately 4:20 p.m.

For the last three years, a fleet-footed flyer named Gordon (who is owned by Lindsay Ryan-Radzwill of Lancaster, NY) has won this annual event. But his status for defending the crown in 2014 has come into question. The soon-to-be 7-year-old has had a few health issues recently and Radzwill isn't sure if she's going race him this year.

"Gordon just came up lame a few weeks ago. We took him to the vet and he checked out okay and he has been fine ever since. But at this point we're not sure what we're going to do. We may give him a year off; we'll have to see," Ryan-Radzwill said.

Gordon's misfortune could be welcome news for the other doggies who will be storming down the home stretch. With the favorite potentially out of the race, the field becomes ripe for an upset.

The dogs won’t be the only winners here either; each owner will be eligible to receive some nice prizes too if their pet pups prove to be speedy.

The owners of each heat winner (10 in all) will receive $25 in gaming free-play. And the winning, second- and third-place owner in the championship final will receive $100, $75 and $50 in gaming free-play, respectively, along with two complimentary clubhouse buffets each as well.

A 12-race card of afternoon harness racing is scheduled on Family Fun Day with the first post slated for 1:15 p.m. Admission and parking, as always, are free.

Batavia Downs, the oldest lighted harness track in America, will kick off its 68th season of racing next week -- Wednesday, July 23 -- with a new post time of 6:35 p.m.

A fire is reported in the yard at Ed Arnold Scrap Processors, 2210 Angling Road, Corfu. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding. Town of Batavia fire is called to stand by in East Pembroke's hall and a tanker from Indian Falls is requested.

UPDATE 4:37 a.m.: Equipment from Darien and Alexander are also requested to the scene.

UPDATE 4:46 a.m.: Oakfield Fire Police are to shut down traffic at Route 33 and Angling Road; Corfu Fire Police are to shut down traffic at Route 5 and Angling Road. Pembroke and Alabama fire departments are called in.

UPDATE 5:28 a.m.: An engine from Oakfield is requested to fill in at East Pembroke's fire hall. Mutual aid from Newstead is called to stand by in Indian Falls. Mercy medics are responding non-emergency mode to the scene.

UPDATE 5:58 p.m.: An engine from Elba is requested to fill in at East Pembroke's hall.

UPDATE: Reader submitted photo:

Taken this afternoon: Trees and barns at the end of a sweet cornfield on South Street Road, Le Roy.

A 77-year-old resident of Sunny Brook Trailer Park in Oakfield never even left his property today to cut limbs from a tree in his neighbor's yard.

His tree trimming with a chainsaw on a pole resulted, however, in a trespassing charge.

James Herbert Manes, of Sunset Parkway, Oakfield, was arrested by Deputy Chris Parker.

Parker said Manes and his neighbors have a documented history -- at least two prior law enforcement contacts in 2011 and 2012 -- of disputes.

The trespassing charge, Parker said, is the result of that history and the assertion that the park manager told Manes he couldn't cut the tree limbs.

Manes allegedly stood on the roof of his storage shed to cut the limbs.

Parker was dispatched to the scene at 11:30 a.m.

"Obviously, you're allowed to cut tree branches on your side of the property, but he reached over and cut the limbs down to the base," Parker said.

Manes was issued an appearance ticket.

Press release:

This week, Genesee Community College's Board of Trustees elected Diane D. Torcello as chair for the 2014-2015 year. The Board also elected Laura J. Bohm as vice chair and Donna M. Ferry as secretary.

Torcello, of Pavilion, is a Bank of Castile executive. Bohm, of Batavia, is a retired housing administrator. Ferry, of Darien, is secretary/treasurer of S.J.F. Construction, Inc.

In other business, the Board of Trustees:

•    Approved a technical amendment to the College's 2014-2015 operating budget, reducing anticipated sponsor support by $250,000 and increasing fund balance support by the same amount.
•    Welcomed two new members of the Board of Trustees: Robert L. Boyce and Jacalyn F. Whiting, both of Le Roy. Boyce was appointed by the Genesee County Legislature and Whiting was appointed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Both members will serve seven-year terms. The 10-member volunteer Board of Trustees is the governing body of Genesee Community College.