Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a motor-vehicle crash that occurred at 7:27 a.m. today at the intersection of Route 33 and West Bergen Road, in the Town of Bergen.

Glen A. Enouen, 52, of Batavia, was operating a 2013 Chevrolet work truck eastbound on Route 33 and traveled over the center of the roadway at the intersection, striking another vehicle head on. That vehicle, a 2014 Chevrolet Impala, was operated by Robert J. Bartz, 66, of Rochester, and it was westbound on Route 33.

Enouen and his passenger were uninjured. Bartz was extricated from the Impala and subsequently flown by Mery Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Alcohol/drugs and speed are not factors in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

Assisting agencies include the Town of Bergen Volunteer Fire Department, Town of Byron Volunteer Fire Department, Churchville Volunteer Fire Department, Mercy EMS and Mercy Flight.

The crash was investigated by Sheriff's deputies Kyle D. Krzemien and Chrisopher A. Parker, assisted by Deputy Matt Butler, Investigator John Dehm and Sgt. James Meier.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia today honored a dozen students from Notre Dame High School today for academic and artistic achievement.

Receiving awards were: Ethan Osborne, Vocal Performance; James Farmer, Instrumental Performance; and Bryan Moscicki, who received the Citizenship Award.

The top academics in the senior class are Luca Charles Zambito, John William Sutherland, Emily J. Sherman, Jessica Lynn Bukowski, Nichol Marie Salvador, Emily Elizabeth Fischer, Joseph Thomas Bergman, Stephanie Lynn Pingrey, Cindy Sophia Skalny and Bryan Alexander Moscicki.

Several parents of the students also attended today's lunch.

Students from Batavia High School will be honored next Thursday.

Le Roy fire is called to a report of a utility pole fire on Lake Street Road at Selden Road.

A chief on scene reports the pole is on fire.

UPDATE 10:22 a.m.: Fire is out.

A minor injury accident is reported at the Flying J Travel Plaza, 8484 Alleghany Road, Corfu. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding. Law enforcement is on scene.

A multi-vehicle accident with possible entrapment is reported at Clinton Street Road and West Bergen Road, Bergen.

Mercy Flight out of Buffalo is on in-air standby.

Bergen fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE(S) 7:35 a.m. (By Billie): Mercy Flight is called to the scene. Serious injuries reported. One person is entrapped. Churchville fire is called for extrication.

UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: Mercy Flight has a five-minute ETA. There is heavy entrapment of a 40-year-old male. "Another 20 minutes of cutting metal" will be required, according to Bergen command, in order to extricate the victim. Eastbound traffic at Old State and West Bergen roads will be shut down by Byron Fire Police.

UPDATE 7:58 a.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 8:19 a.m.: The patient has been extricated. The patient was conscious and alert when law enforcement arrived on scene.

UPDATE 8:32 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne with the extricated patient; the hospital destination is unknown.

UPDATE 9:01 a.m.: According to Sheriff's Sgt. James Meier, a fence company's flatbed truck was eastbound on Clinton Street Road when it came behind a car about to turn left onto West Bergen Road. The truck went around the car, directly into the path of a westbound sedan, which it struck head on. The fence truck driver may have been following the car attempting to turn left too closely and then misjudged the distance of the oncoming sedan when he swerved around the turning vehicle to avoid rear-ending it. A witness said a third vehicle, which like the turning car, did not collide with anything, also went around the fence truck and then drove away from the scene just prior to the collision. Whether that factored into the crash remains is unclear. The accident is under investigation. Meier said he was unsure how many occupants were in the fence truck. But another source at the scene said there were two males, both sign-offs. The 40-year-old driver of the sedan has a severely injured ankle. It is probable, but not certain, that he was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Sen. Michael Ranzerhofer today issued a statement about the lawsuit filed Tuesday by the NY Civil Liberties Union seeking improved rights for farmworkers. The Senator says the suit will have a devastating impact on local jobs and farms.

After the lawsuit was filed against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state in the New York Supreme Court in Albany, the governor made it known that he backed workers' rights and the NYCLU's efforts and that he would not contest the litigation.

Among its aims is to allow farmworkers to unionize and get paid overtime. The NYCLU maintains that existing state law does not provide farmworkers with the protections that other worker groups are afforded. Cuomo noted "inconsistencies" and said workers in any sector should not be exploited.

The increase in the minimum wage approved last month in New York includes farmworkers and the wage will become $12.50 per hour by in end of 2020 in Upstate New York. Farms are expected to get a $30 million subsidy to accommodate the wage increase.

Ranzenhofer issued the following statement this afternoon:

The Genesee County Ag Society will present a Livestock Fitting, Showmanship & Judging Clinic May 20-22 at the Genesee County Fairgrounds. It is located at 5056 E. Main Street Road, Batavia.

It is intended to be a learning opportunity for young people. All youths age 8 to 19 are particulary welcome and they do NOT have to be members of 4-H or Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Friday, May 20, is Livestock Game Night. Saturday, May 21, is a Livestock Clinic. Sunday, May 22, there will be industry speakers talking about nutrition, genetics and the ag business.

Topics covered during the weekend will include: Nutrition & Care, Basic Training, Showmanship Overview & Practice, Fitting & Hoof Trimming, Livestock Species Knowledge, and Judging & Oral Reasons.

Tickets are $30 per youth, which includes a T-shirt and chicken BBQ. Accompanying adults are $15 (but if they want a T-shirt and chicken BBQ, it's $30).

Camping is available for the weekend. Cost is $25 one night, or $40 for both Friday and Saturday nights.

Early registration is recommended.

Any questions, call Heather Weber 585-297-3032.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 E. Main Street, Batavia NY 14020

Phone: (585) 343-3040 ext. 101 Fax: (585) 343-1275

http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/

It was the Emergency Response Team's turn to train in the house on Ganson Avenue that is scheduled for demolition in a few weeks. The space gave the team a chance to practice on techniques such as clearing a residence room-by-room looking for a potentially hostile subject.

Previously: Photos: City fire rescue training on Ganson Avenue

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today blasted Downstate liberal members of the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee for voting down legislation that would have increased the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award available to prospective college students in New York State.

Instead of expanding college affordability for citizens, the Assembly Majority has instead sided with illegal immigrants and voted to allow them taxpayer-funded college tuition they call “The Dream Act” and Hawley refers to as “The Nightmare Act."

“What kind of message are Downstate politicians sending the struggling families out there working two jobs or overtime to provide their children with a college education,” Hawley said. “Middle-class families deserve a break, and with skyrocketing college costs, we should be doing everything possible to make a college education a reality for our citizens.

"Add this bill to the long list of higher education initiatives blocked by New York City liberals to pump more resources, taxpayer money and freebies into their downstate voting bloc.”

Daniel R. Ruffner, 30, was arrested in Pavilion on May 7 by Troopers and charged with misdemeanor assault, 3rd, and criminal mischief after he allegedly caused a shoulder sprain and broke a victim’s prescription sunglasses during a physical altercation at a residence on Telephone Road. Ruffner was processed at State Police barracks in Batavia and issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Pavilion Court on May 24.

Bradley Hering, 23, was arrested in Alabama on May 7 by Troopers and charged with driving while intoxicated. Hering was located a short time after a call was dispatched reporting his vehicle was off the roadway on Bloomingdale Road in the Town of Alabama. He was administered the standard field sobriety tests which he allegedly failed. Troopers reported detecting the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Hering. He was transported to State Police barracks in Batavia for processing which allegedly revealed a BAC of .14 percent. He was issued a uniform traffic ticket returnable to the Town of Alabama Court on May 24.

Bobby Gary Mullen, 39, of Oak Street, Warsaw, is charged with failure to pay fine/restitution/surcharge. He was arrested on a bench warrant out of Genesee County Court for allegedly failing to pay a fine stemming from an incident July 8. He was turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office by Wyoming County Sheriff's Department after a traffic stop in Warsaw at 11 a.m. on May 10. He was released after his arraignment. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Rachel Diehl.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Forum Players Theatre Company, which is an integral part of the College's Theater program, is planning a weekend dance program to benefit the nonprofit organization. Tara Pocock, adjunct instructor, and student Blake Carter will present several dance performances the weekend of Friday, May 13 through Sunday, May 15, in the Stuart Steiner Theatre on the GCC Batavia Campus.

Carter, a Batavia native, has choreographed a dance called, "Ring Around the Rosie," which tells the horror story of a young boy and his mother who move into a house with a dark past; a house infested with demons who want one thing... the boy. Due to some adult language used in the production, anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

There will be two opportunities to catch the event, 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2016 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14. Tickets are just $6 and all proceeds from the shows benefit GCC's Forum Players Theatre Company.

Then on Sunday, "Spring into Love," an hour-long production will be presented by the dance troupes of Anastasia's Spotlight Dance in Churchville. The performance will be choreographed by Stacy Bechtold, studio owner and director, and Pocock. The performers will be singing and dancing Christian melodies as well as songs brought to Disney by the studio.

A total of 40 students ranging in age from 7-18 years old will take part in the performance that is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15. This event is free, but audiences are encouraged to make generous donations in support of GCC's Forum Players Theatre Company.

The Clarion Hotel on Park Road in Batavia is now the Quality Inn & Suites. Prices are unchanged. But the wireless service, which had problems previously, has been replaced with state-of-the-art Wi-Fi service and the bedding is all new, too.

So says General Manager of the location, Evan Sakeeb.

"We're bringing a lot of new stuff with the new name," Sakeeb said. "We're constantly changing, working to better serve our customers."

Whereas the Clarion was only one of 158 nationwide, the Quality Inn & Suites is a more with familiar brand with many more U.S. locations.

"Quality Inn is more familiar and more popular," he said.

The owner of the Batavia location remains the same, Chan Patel.

More changes/upgrades are planned there soon and will be announced later.

Our news partner WBTA contributed to this report.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today announced he has introduced legislation mandating that counties be reimbursed for the increase in state judges’ and county district attorney salaries set to take place this year.

In December 2015, the New York State Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation recommended a salary increase for all state judges and county district attorneys in 2016 and 2018.

“This is yet another expensive Albany mandate that, if unaddressed, will hit the wallets of taxpayers the hardest,” Hawley said. “Our state judges and district attorneys do a superb job enforcing the law and bringing criminals to justice, but, as a proponent of local control, I contend that bureaucrats should not be telling our counties what they must pay local officials.

"Many Upstate counties’ budgets are already consumed by expensive costs like Medicaid, which, in some instances, comprise at least 90 percent of the county budget. Spending decisions like these should either be covered by the state or left up to local control. Taxpayers should not be forced to pay for Albany’s irresponsible spending epidemic.”

Press release:

A bill to further protect sportsmen’s personal information has passed the New York State Senate by a vote of 54 to 4. The bill, S.2951, would prevent information submitted on hunting, fishing and trapping licenses and permit applications from being disclosed or released outside of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer sponsors the bill in the State Senate.

“At a time of growing concern for identity theft, it is important to strengthen the rights of hunters and trappers to maintain their personal privacy and security. This bill will ensure that DEC may continue to protect sporting license applicants’ just expectation that personal information will be kept private,” Ranzenhofer said.

Existing law does not contain restrictions on the release of information for holders of licenses and permits. The bill would also require the DEC to establish procedures to ensure information is protected from disclosure.

DEC recently installed a new database system to maintain information on sporting licenses and permits. Among the personal details entered into the database include: individual’s first and last name, date of birth, height, eye color, driver’s license number, mailing address, telephone number, and whether the licensee is permanent 40-percent military disabled.

“Clearly, this information contains intimate details related to personal matters, such as medical conditions and physical attributes. The release of any of these details would be an unwarranted intrusion into an individual’s privacy. This bill would diminish the potential for identity theft by enacting further protections for sportsmen,” Ranzenhofer said.

The bill has been sent to the New York State Assembly. Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther has introduced the bill in the State Assembly. If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately.

Press release:

Did you know that chickens make amazing backyard pets? They help control the bug population, eat table scraps, and provide nutrient-rich, great-tasting eggs! Learn how chickens make ideal 4-H projects for youth in rural, suburban, and urban settings by attending Poultry Palooza!

This program, presented by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee and Monroe Counties, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, at the Kennedy Building on the Genesee County Fairgrounds, 5056 E. Main Street Road, Batavia.

This event is open to all Finger Lakes area youth ages 5–19. Youth do not need to be 4-H members to participate. Youth ages 5–8 must have an adult present.

Poultry Palooza will feature two levels of workshops: beginner and advanced. The beginner level workshop is for youth who are new to owning poultry or are thinking of starting a poultry project. The advanced level workshop is for youth who are familiar with poultry and wish to advance their knowledge.

Workshop topics include: proper bird handling, flock management, nutrition, diseases, showmanship and more!

The registration fee is $10 per youth and includes lunch (or youth may bring their own), and a copy of the "4-H Poultry Resource Handbook" courtesy of the New York State 4-H Rice Fund. (One resource guide per family will be provided.)

The registration deadline is May 23. For a complete event brochure and registration form, please visit http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events or contact the Monroe County 4-H Office at 585-753-2568 or monroe4h@cornell.edu.

Press release:

On May 18, the Genesee County United Way will be employing the resources of 350+ voluteers for the 9^th Annual Day of Caring. The United Way Day of Caring provides local businesses with volunteer opportunities throughout Genesee County where their employees can harness their energies to make Genesee County a better place to live.

This year there are more than 35 nonprofit agencies that will benefit from volunteer support to paint, landscape and perform general beautification projects.

The kick-off event at Dwyer Stadium is sponsored by Lawley Genesee. It starts at 8 a.m. and includes breakfast and cheers performed by each volunteer team. There's an official ceremony at 8:30 and a team photo will be taken as is customary before the day's work begins. People fan out to work on various projects and then wrap up by meeting at 3 p.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant and Banquet Facility on Clinton Street Road. Stories will be told, a slide show of the day will be shown and all will have a good time!

It is estimated that a total of more than 3,200 people hours will be contributed throughout the day with an estimated $48,000 in labor costs provided. Perhaps the largest single volunteering day in Genesee County!

For more information you can email UW Regional Director Erik Fix at erik.fix@uwrochester.org or call 585-356-2814.