Motorists and walkers were treated to a welcome sight this morning with the reopening of the new River Street bridge that crosses over the Tonawanda Creek between West Main Street and South Main Street.

"It's kind of nice to hear cars going by again and I'm especially happy for the walkers -- those are the ones I'm most happy for," said Nann Zorn, who lives on River Street, a stone's throw from the span's southwest side. "It has had to have been tough for those who walk to Tops and other stores (in the area), back and forth."

Ramsey Constructors Inc. of Lakeville rebuilt the "post-tension" bridge (a specific type of construction, focusing on reinforcement). The project started in early June, taking four and a half months to complete.

"I have no complaints whatsoever (about the workers)," Zorn said. "They have been great. And people that say it took a long time, well, if it was the State of New York doing it, it would have been three years."

The project cost about $2 million, with $1.65 million of it covered by federal aid. New York State funds covered about $300,000, with Genesee County paying a bit more than $100,000.

Zorn, who lives in the house her mother grew up in, noted that the bridge was last replaced in 1975.

"We even have home movies of the bridge that was up before that," she said. "That one went up in the 1930s or '40s, and when they replaced it, they just dropped it in the creek."

Photo by Mike Pettinella.

Sgt. Christopher Green was happy to be reunited with his girlfriend, Kaela McMartin, along with friends and family in Corfu last night, but the real surprise was the fire and police escort from the Buffalo Airport to the Corfu Fire Hall last night.

Green, originally from Elba, has been away from home for a year and just finished an eight-month deployment in Afghanistan.

A member of the National Guard, Green is part of Bravo Company 3126 out of Rochester.  He was a gunner on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

"We were with a bunch of great people," Green said. "Basically, we supported the ground troops in Nangarhar province, supporting ground troops, defeating the enemy, basically ISIS and Taliban that were there, just flying around having a great time."

The job, he said, is one of the best jobs he's had.

The fire and police escort was a big surprise, said Green, who has been a trooper with the State Police (currently assigned to Amity) for three years, especially the way the escort just started growing, from just two Transient police units at the airport to including State Police, Lancaster Police, Cheektowaga Police, Corfu Police, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, along with fire departments from Corfu, East Pembroke, Darien and Pembroke by the time it reached Countyline Road.

"It was awesome," he said. "It's great to be home. I wasn't expecting anything of this magnitude."

A car has hit a tree on the 490 just west of the Route 33 overpass. 

One occupant. One injury reported. 

Bergen fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched. 

A rollover accident with entrapment is reported in the area of 6690 Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion.

A responder warns of slick roads.

The vehicle is on its side. Minor injuries reported.

Pavilion fire and Mercy EMS responding.

Scott Hetsko, a member of the weather team at our news partner 13WHAM, provided this forecast for Genesee County:

You can expect temperatures to plummet into the lower 20s and even a few upper teens by morning. I expect some squalls to develop off the lake between midnight and 5 a.m. in your area. Expect snow to vary between a coating to 2”. The main concern will be a quick freeze, which will make for icy spots on area roads. Wind gusts overnight will range from 15-35 mph.

Photographer Eian Windham’s exhibit (pictured above with his mother) “Psychedelic Through Life” had its opening Thursday night at GO ART! It was a very well attended affair in the Rotary Room on the second floor of Seymour Place. Quite a few of Eian’s images were purchased within the first hour of the exhibit.

Eian is a 16-year-old Batavia High School student.

When asked how he got started in photography, he said “It just happened. I used to take a lot of pictures with my cell phone. My dad bought me a camera and I realized I could take better pictures with it.”

While he is still developing his style for his images, it is clear nature and family relationships are of interest and important to him. A majority of the images are from a tour of Jamaica that the family took last year.

Eian’s exhibit runs through Nov. 25^th. Go art currently has four exhibits on display. Exhibit hours are by appointment or Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11a.m. to  4 p.m., and every second Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. GO ART! is located at 201 E. Main St., Batavia.

A minor injury accident involving a motorcyclist and pickup truck is reported on Harris Road in Le Roy.

A pickup truck attempted to make a left-hand turn into a driveway on Harris Road, west of Asbury Road, when an oncoming motorcyclist struck it head on.

Le Roy fire, Mercy medics and Sheriff's deputies are on scene. The driver of the pickup was uninjured; the motorcyclist is being evaluated.

The following is a schedule of Veterans Day ceremonies in Genesee County:

Friday, Nov. 10:

• Noon -- Genesee Community College; Located at 1 College Road, Town of Batavia

Saturday, Nov. 11:

• 9 a.m.-- Genesee County Park & Forest (Vietnam Veterans of America); Located at 11095 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany
• 10 a.m. -- Batavia VA Medical Center; Located at 222 Richmond Ave., Batavia
• 10:15 a.m. -- NYS Vets’ Home; Also located at 222 Richmond Ave., Batavia
• 11 a.m. -- Emory Upton Monument; Located at the junction of Main Street and Ellicott Street (the fork in the road) in Downtown Batavia
• 11 a.m. -- Trigon Park, Le Roy; Hosted by Le Roy American Legion, will include remarks by Ret. USN Commander Robert “Bob” Kettle
• 11:30 a.m. -- Jerome Center (UMMC); Located at 16 Bank St., Batavia

Organizations Participating

Genesee County American Legion

Veterans of Foreign Wars of Genesee County

Marine Corps League – Hansen Brothers Detachment

Disabled American Veterans – Chapter #166

Vietnam Veterans of America – Chapter #193

American Legion Botts Fioritto Post #576

Genesee Community College

"Honor, respect and guard your freedom for it comes from the BLOOD of those who gave their life for it."

Press release:

Genesee Community College is accepting applications for Finger Lakes Hired Employment Program. This initiative includes career guidance and job search support, as well as potential funding for tuition and more for eligible applicants.

Applications for this program are due by Nov. 21.

The Finger Lakes Hired Employment Program (FLH), which established the grant, is part of a four-year, federally funded initiative operated in partnership with RochesterWorks! to place long-term unemployed individuals into local high-demand jobs. The FLH program stipulates that applicants must:

• Have been out of work for six months (27 weeks) or more, or must be currently under-employed;
• Be pursuing an academic program in Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, or Information Technology;
• Be on track to graduate the program by May 2018.

There are strict deadlines for training grant applicants. Individuals seeking assistance with non-credit courses must submit application and necessary documentation between now and Jan. 5.

Through The BEST Center, GCC currently offers several certificate programs in the industries the FLH grant targets. In the healthcare arena, the Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate Program, Patient Access & Registration Professional Certificate Program and the Phlebotomy Certificate Program are currently available. In addition, on the job training opportunities are also available for newly hired employees in the areas of IT and Advanced Manufacturing.

There are also training grants opportunities for college credit-bearing courses for returning GCC students to complete their degree by May of 2018. There are more than 15 potentially eligible academic degree programs available through GCC.

For assistance with the training grant application process contact: Andrew Gerber, liaison and case manager at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6002, or by email: algerber@genesee.edu(link sends e-mail), or Emily Cooper, education and employment specialist at 585-397-5807, or by email: ecooper@rochesterworks.org(link sends e-mail).

For online details go The Finger Lakes Hired website: http://www.fingerlakeshired.com/(link is external)

Press release:

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) Local Planning Committee (LPC) will hold a meeting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at City Hall in the Council Board Room, One Batavia City Centre, Batavia.

The City was awarded a $10 million DRI award from the State of New York to advance downtown revitalization and this is the first LPC meeting to introduce the DRI program, LPC members and next steps.

The program is administered by the New York State Department of State in coordination with the New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal.

The meeting is open to public and persons attending will have an opportunity to speak at the end of the meeting.

Genesee Feeds celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a party at Batavia Downs last night sponsored by Purina.

Photo: Joshua Fullmer, Josh Jr., Sunny Rathod, Thomas Winters, Henry Winters, Lee Winters, and Larry Love (representing Purina).

Previously: The Winters now in fourth generation in the feed business

Twenty years ago, Brian and Beth Kemp went into the T-shirt printing business with a shop in the Harvester Center. Over 20 years, the business has grown, moving to bigger locations along the way, from Harvester and Main, to the former Newberry's Building on Main Street, to a large building on Center Street.

The Kemps celebrated the 20th Anniversary of T-Shirt's Etc. last night with an open house. Visitors were treated to hors d'oeuvres, a chance to print the back of their own T-shirt, see beanies embroidered and receive another commemorative T-shirt and glass.

June E. Ellis, 70, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Ellis was allegedly involved in an altercation with another person in the parking lot of Tops at 7:15 p.m., Nov. 2.

Eric J. McGill, 34, of Lewis Place, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. McGill was allegedly involved in a disturbance on Lewis Place at 6:22 p.m., Monday. A 17-year-old was also arrested.

Katty L. Jackson, 21, of Dewey Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Jackson allegedly violated an order of protection at 7 p.m., Nov. 2.

Jessica M. Pfenninger, 35, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Pfenninger is accused of shoplifting from Dollar Tree on West Main Street, Batavia.

Christina A. Cotter, 25, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Cotter is accused of violating a stay away order of protection by sending text messages to the protected person.

Sean M. Haugh, 20, of Covington Road, Perry, is charged with disorderly conduct. Haugh was arrested following a report to police of a disturbance at UMMC.

An 18-year-old man indicted on a charge of attempted murder in a stabbing last month behind a group of businesses on Veterans Memorial Drive entered a not guilty plea in Genseee County Court today.

The attorney for Jeffrey L. Barr, no permanent address, Public Defender Jerry Ader, said he will be filing motions to challenge the Grand Jury indictment.

 A hearing on that motion is set for Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, Barr is held without bail. Ader made no application for a revision in Barr's bail status but told Judge Charles Zambito that his client reserved that right to address his bail status at a later date.

Barr is accused of stabbing a man from Buffalo multiple times, including in the neck and chest, at 9:30 p.m., Friday, behind the mall at 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive, the location of Jagged Edges, Pawn King, Yume Asian Bistro and Peebles. Then the victim stumbled to the parking lot of Batavia Downs where he was located by a person who called 9-1-1 and rendered aid.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) announced that the agency was presented with the Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award at the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT) annual awards ceremony on Oct. 21. The GCEDC was nominated for the award by the Genesee Community College Board of Trustees.

The Edward J. Pawenski Business/Industry Partnership Award is the highest recognition that can be bestowed upon a business or individual and recognizes a partnership and commitment with a community college. Pawenski was one of the founding Trustees at Niagara County Community College.

“The growth and success of Genesee Community College is due in large part to our long-standing collaboration and partnership with the GCEDC,” said GCC President James M. Sunser, Ed.D. “We are training our students to meet the demands of the ever-changing workplace especially in the areas of advanced manufacturing in the agricultural and renewable energy sectors.”

The GCEDC and Genesee Community College have collaborated on programming and curriculum related to agribusiness and advanced manufacturing among others. The goal of the collaboration is to prepare the next generation of workers to fill jobs for businesses operating in the Genesee County Agri-Business Park and the anticipation of businesses opening in the Western New York Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP).

“On behalf of our Board and staff, the GCEDC is honored to be recognized with such a prestigious award,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde. “Our partnership with Genesee Community College is critically important to our efforts to economic development efforts in Genesee County.”

The NYCCT is a voluntary nonprofit association of community college trustees established to strengthen the effectiveness of New York’s community college trustees as an active force in the development and implementation of public policy impacting community colleges. The NYCCT represents the appointed board members who govern the 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

Press release:

Public warning -- IRS phone scam alert

The New York State Police in the Western NY area, including Niagara County Sheriffs Dispatch are receiving IRS phone scams. Recently some of calls have a return number to a New York State Police Barracks. The New York State Police are looking into these incidents.

The IRS does NOT contact the public over the phone to discuss tax payment issues.

Other phone scams include a fictitious police officer calling you over the phone demanding money to help bail out a loved one that just got arrested.

Law enforcement agencies do NOT call family to take bail money or gift cards from a retail store to pay off a bail.

If you have an elderly member in your family, warn them of these phone scams.

If you are a victim of a phone scam, call the appropriate police agency in the area you reside or the State Police at 585-344-6200.

A two-car collision is reported in Elba at South Main and Chapel streets. Elba fire police are called to the scene. No word on injuries.

A car accident with minor injuries is reported at Main and Jackson streets in Downtown Batavia. City fire and Mercy medics are responding. Police are on scene.

At the request of his attorney, a 26-year-old Batavia man accused in attacking a victim in a multi-person assault that led to serious injuries for the victim on East Main Street in July will be given time to consider a plea offer.

Anthony Spencer is one of two defendants identified in the case so far that led to charges against Spencer and JW Hardy of first-degree assault and gang assault.

The offer to Spencer to is to enter a guilty plea to attempted assault in the first degree.

Spencer has until Dec. 4 to make a decision.

Attorney Faris Rumi also asked Judge Charles Zambito for a reduction in bail for his client, noting that while Spencer was never charged with a crime before, he has bail set on other cases, including felony indictment and a charge in City Court, making it hard for him to gain his release.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman objected to a reduction in bail, noting that this issue was addressed before and Spencer is facing serious charges now.

Zambito said he's already reduced the bail from $25,000 to $10,000 and wasn't aware of any change in circumstances, which would warrant another reduction in bail.