Multiple law enforcement units, along with a helicopter and a K-9, are searching the Seven Springs Road area for a reported missing person.

We'll provide more information if it becomes available.

UPDATE 10:11 p.m.: The focus of the search, "a vulnerable adult female," has been located and is being returned home. "She is in good spirits and is refusing EMS," says a responder.

UPDATE 6:43 a.m.: The 76-year-old woman who was subject of the search lived on Haven Lane, according to the Sheriff's Office, which is where the search began at 8:15 p.m. The woman was locatec by a Batavia PD officer at 9:58 p.m. at an unspecified location and returned home safely. 

An out-of-control brush fire is reporred at 6925 Transit Road, north of Route 262. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding.

An out-of-control brush fire is reported at 9309 Clipnock Road, Stafford. The location is between Sweetland and Torrey roads. Stafford Fire Department is responding.

This afternoon a Stafford family's chocolate Labrador retriever went missing. "Max" is 3 years old and his best friend is the family's 7-year-old child.

"Our family is devastated and we believe that he may have been stolen because he never leaves the yard ever," says Kevin Wolff. "We would give anything to have our Max back."

The dog is wearing a camouflage-colored collar and a Superman tag with his home address on it -- 5774 Sweetland Road, Stafford.

If you've seen Max or have helpful information, phone Kevin at 409-5599. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

UPDATE 5:14 p.m.: Max has been found and is happily reunited with his family and his little BFF.

A four-wheeler accident in Bergen is reported somewhere near West Shore Trails, west of Route 19. Possible serious injuries. The caller is a "hysterical male" and the victim is a female who is unconscious. Mercy Flight is on ground standby. Bergen fire and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 1:14 p.m.: The location "is believed to be on West Sweden" Road.

UPDATE 1:53 p.m.: The female was conscious by the time medics were on scene. She has some "road rash" and is being taken by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation. A deputy on scene said the call sounded much worse than it turned out to be.

More than 400 people turned out yesterday at Sacred Heart to help raise money to support Michael Tenebruso (above), who beat colon cancer four years ago and is now faced with stage IV lung cancer.

Tenebruso recently became a principal in the Buffalo school district and hasn't been in the job long enough to received extended paid leave, so friends are working to raise enough money to enable him to take time off work for treatments.

Yesterday's fundraiser included food, 130-basket chance auction and a live auction.

Those who wish to make a donation can send a check in Michael Tenebruso's name to Big Pauly's Pizza, 314 Ellicott St, Batavia, NY 14020.

Pictured below, Paul Bernardini, Michael Tenebruso and Jessica Radam. Bernardini and Radam helped organize the event.

Law enforcement is out with an individual at Boyce Road and Route 5, Pembroke, who became the subject of a multi-patrol search after reportedly making attempts to walk on the Thruway.

He was reportedly warned to stay off the Thruway, but was later seen on the Thruway again.

At one point during the search, a trooper reminded all responding units that there were no pending criminal charges, he was just an individual trying to get to New York City.

The individual is being transported to the Pembroke exit by a deputy, who will meet up with troopers from Troop T.

UPDATE 8:54 p.m.: The subject is now in custody of a Troop T trooper and is facing a possible criminal trespass charge.

Top photo, sister and brother Heidi Richmond and Dale Banfield by their unique new sign, made with love in Elba. Above, a sampling of fare offered at a private party Friday at the new restaurant.

Authentic Texas-style barbecue is what you'll find at a new restaurant that officially opens at 11 a.m. Monday at 8282 Park Road in Batavia. If you've never had it, you're in for a treat. If you've had a hankerin' for it based on past experience, here's your chance to enjoy anew.

The Waggin Wheel Restaurant & Lounge is located where the former 10-Cent Millionaire Tavern used to be. (Yes Waggin, not Wagon.) It's been freshly painted throughout, and the kitchen expanded and upgraded with new equipment.

Beef is the key menu item here, not pork. Sliced BBQ beef sandwiches on fresh kaiser rolls, "no Walmart buns." Dry-rubbed ribs. And for steaks, that means Angus beef, a premium, buttery smooth variety cooked over charcoal on specially made outdoor grills (crafted at Tri-County Welding in Batavia).

General Manager Dale Banfield, who runs the new eatery along with his sister, Heidi Richmond, compared Angus vs. regular beef to car buying.

"You can't go out and buy a Scion and think it's a Cadillac," he said. "You can't find Angus beef around here. It's the best there is. They're going to be amazed."

Premium meat properly cooked equals delicious.

"We're going for the quality," Banfield said.

Brisket was among the items sampled Friday at a private party to kick off the "soft opening" next week (starting at 11 a.m. Monday). It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, juicy and flavorful. It was smoked in a large two-door portable smoker on the premises (nothing artificial here).

Texans, of course, like their barbecue sauce red. At each table, diners can choose a style of homemade sauce to their liking -- Texas, St. Louis, South Carolina -- which are kept in small squirt bottles.

There will also be fresh Italian sausage smoked over cherrywood for just a touch of sweetness, and pork.

Smoked pork chops are sublime, according to Banfield.

Sides are Southern-style. That means slow-simmered beans, cornbread that tastes like cornbread and not cake, hot macaroni and cheese, and piquant cole slaw: "I don't like a sweet slaw," Banfield said earnestly. Plus, greens, corn on the cob, all as locally sourced as possible.

Fresh-cut Cajun fries, a tuna-macaroni salad, and a creamy potato salad with chunks of red and green bell pepper and onion were also menu items sampled yesterday.

"Y'all come on and line up," Banfield told the hungry crowd. "We're gonna be bringing out some steaks and brisket and wings..."

"Y'all?" someone piped up.

"Yea, y'all," he replied jokingly. "And if y'all don't like it -- there's 'the doh' or as they say in Texas, 'the der.' "

A big grand opening with lots of fanfare will take place sometime in the next couple of weeks.

They plan to offer live entertainment on weekends. Eventually, they want to have live outdoor music on the property, which has a huge open area on one side of the 2,800-square-foot restaurant.

Inside, the 43-foot loooong, curved bar has been redone with raw pallet wood thickly coated in shiny resin. The full-liquor license should be in place anyday now, but until then there's soda pop ("...and the dancin's free..."). Eight large flat-screen TVs hang on the walls. Seating consists of small tables, upholstered fold-up chairs and plastic red-and-white gingham tablecloths.

Kids will feel at home in the family-friendly atmosphere.

Banfield was in the restaurant business in the Lone Star State for years (Dallas) before relocating to the Empire State for a job in 2004; some family members live here, too.

He likes what he does for a living and missed it when he was away from it.

"I like meeting the people and seeing the smiles on their faces from (eating) good food," he said.

Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Dinner 4 to 10 p.m. -- Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Off-site catering is available.

Phone is 201-7680. E-mail:   opbminc@gmail.com

Batavia PD is investigating something, but we can't get any information. We spotted city firefighters atop the roof of the former Santy's Tires building and found Deputy Chris Erion with K-9 Destro doing a search, but Officer Kevin DeFelice said he couldn't release any information. He said there would be a press release later.

There were also patrol vehicles at Jackson Street and Highland Avenue.

State Troopers were handling a separate, unrelated case, at the same time on Liberty Street.

Service dogs play a vital role in helping veterans deal with medical issues, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But when the dogs stay with veterans at the PTSD clinic at the VA Center in Batavia, there hasn't been a place for them to relax, play and run, which service dogs need to do when they're not working.

Until recently, veterans who entered in-patient care at the clinic weren't allowed to bring their dogs, but now that they can; there needs to be facilities to accommodate the canines.

The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association heard about the problem and raised more than $1,400 (mostly from their own members, but the Rotary Club and Home Depot also contributed) to build a dog run behind the clinic.

Today, that fenced-in dog run was built, giving the service dogs a place of their own when they're not working.

The work was made possible through the cooperation of the CVMA, led by Frank Grillo, of Buffalo, and Brian Stiller, Medical Center director for the WNY Medical Healthcare System.

While there have been a lot of complaints nationally about the VA, Grillo noted the VA in WNY seems pretty responsive to veterans and he praised Stiller for his cooperation.

"You hear a lot of people talking a lot of bad stuff about the VA, but then you get a guy who is a veteran himself leading a portion of the VA, and it's kind of inspirational to see somebody who cares actually stepping up and helping us do what we need to do to help our fellow veterans," Grillo said.

Stiller said he could help because the current secretary of the VA has said principles should come before rules.

"We can pull this off by having somebody who has a can-do attitude and this group of veterans," Stiller said. "This is something that has happened real quick and it shows how the community can come together and do a simple, real good thing right on time. It speaks volumes for the commitment and caring that is going on."

Batavia High School held its fourth annual Mr. Batavia Competition Friday evening. Twelve seniors participated in four categories – talent, swimsuit, lip sync and tux walk, with their efforts being scored by a four-member panel of judges.

Contestants were Alex Canty, Ross Chua (pictured above), Adonis Davis, Noah Dobbertin, Dwayne Fonda, Tyler Hale, Michael Hughes, Jake Kasmarek, Josh Kurtz, Zach Lee, Alex Mott and Trevor Sherwood.

Tuxedos provided by Charles Men's Shop, sunglasses by Reed Eye Associates, crew T-shirts by Extreme Streetwear, with additional support from Big Pauly’s Pizza.

The judges are pictured below, from left, are BSCD Board Member Shawna Murphy, Reed Eye Associates Dr. Kim Rosati, Batavia City Police Officer Pete Flanagan and Thompkins Insurance Agency VP Joe Teresi.

Nearly 700 people attended the event and proceeds set a new record high of $4,000. Second place was a tie between Mike Hughes, who donated to Habitat for Humanity, and Dwayne Fonda, who gave to the American Red Cross. They each will give 25 percent to their sponsors. Half (50 percent) goes to Autism Research on behalf of Ross Chua who won the event. All three winners received a $25 Amazon gift card.

For more photos: Steve Ognibene Photography

Jeff Freeman was the high bidder this morning at an auction by the city of a house at 109 Walnut St.

Freeman agreed to pay $33,000, beating out three or four other bidders.

The purchase must be approved by the City Council before it is final.

Freeman said he plans to complete renovations on the house and then provide it as rental.

It is a single-family home and auctioneer Todd Jantzi, of Bontrager's, noted that the city sold the house once before at auction, in 2011. That buyer subsequently sold the property and the new buyer began renovations, and got very far along before abandoning the project for unknown reasons.

The house has been painted upstairs and down, has new carpeting and flooring throughout and a new kitchen, but lacks fixtures.

The city foreclosed on the property to satisfy unpaid taxes.

City staff has proposed using the auction money to fund Vibrant Batavia for another year, but that would require City Council approval first.

Photos by Howard Owens, story by Jeff Donahue, WBTA.

Genesee Justice held its Annual Celebration of Survivors at the Old County Courthouse Friday evening. Genesee County Legislator Marianne Clattenburg presented a Legislative Proclamation to Theresa Asmus-Roth, program coordinator of Genesee Justice.

The keynote speaker was retired Genesee County Court Judge Robert Noonan, who reflected on how victim services have changed over the years.

Noonan also spoke on the many cases he had been involved in over the years, including the Lynden Goodell drunken driving case back in the late 1980s.

Ellen Bachorski, president of the Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden, presented a multicolored ribbon symbolizing the different kinds of abuse suffered by crime victims, which participants carried on their walk from the Old Courthouse to the Peace Garden.

The crime victims Service Award was presented to the members of the Genesee County District Attorney's Office and the Katheryn Seymour Memorial Award was presented to Cynthia Richmond for her courage in identifying a man who attempted to break into her home.

About 50 people contacted the Sheriff's Office dispatch center around 9:36 p.m. to report a loud explosion that in some cases caused houses to rattle, and after an investigation, deputies believed they found the cause.

A group of people on Dodgeson Road reportedly mixed from 14 to 60 pounds of a legal compound called Tannerite.

Tannerite comes in two parts and when mixed properly, is used for small, explosive targets for shooting.

There were no injuries reported.

A group of people were found at the location of the explosion and interviewed. No arrests have been made, but the Sheriff's Office reports that the investigation is continuing. It is being conducted by Deputy Kevin McCarthy. Assisting at the scene was Trooper Chad Bea.

Dispatchers received calls from Fisher Road, Oakfield, Morganville Road, Stafford, Warner Road, Darien as well as from the Village of Le Roy, Alexander and the City of Batavia.

Previously: Callers report loud boom in Wortendyke area

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs at 4 p.m., Sunday, at Elba Central School's auditorium. 

Bryan Eckenrode conducts "American Made," which features nine pieces by American composers, including two local composers, Gary Call Hanley and Ross Chua. Hanley lives in Nashville and his piece, "Plight of the Common Man," has been performed there. Chua is a Batavia High School student and this is the world premier of his work, "Spectacle in Flight."

Also on the program are "Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera" by Don Gillis, the "Paul Bunyan Suite" by William Bergsma, "Blues in 6/8" by Milton Weinstein, three dance episodes from "Rodeo" by Aaron Copland, "Variations on a Theme" by Handel, a piece by Maurice Whitney, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by John Williams and "West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein. 

The Harry Potter piece will be performed with students from the GSO String Workshop.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online (click here).

Callers report hearing a big loud boom that caused houses to shake in the area of Pearl Street Road and Wortendyke Road, Batavia.

Law enforcement dispatched to investigate.

UPDATE 9:53 p.m.: A deputy is checking a residence on Pike Road where apparently there has been a prior complaint, but the residence is quiet. A trooper reports that he was told it sounded like it was further south than Pike Road.

UPDATE 9:56 p.m.: A deputy on Dodgson says, "you can actually smell it."  

UPDATE 9:57 p.m.: A witness has told the trooper he actually saw the explosion.

UPDATE 10:09 p.m.: A deputy tells dispatchers, "We're all set. We've got the individuals responsible." No details shared at this time.

A group of Bernie Sanders supporters are carrying signs and waving flags at the Upton Monument this evening.

Doug Yeomans has once again produced a masterpiece, and once again of the dragon on the Emerald Models property on Transit Road in Pavilion.

This was taken at 5:30, a morning or two ago.