(Submitted photos.)

We'll cut to the chase and tell you: Sam Tambe popped the question to Christina Strang after the ARC 5K race in Elba on Saturday and she accepted his proposal of marriage.

"I was hot and sweaty and she was hot and sweaty, and I couldn't tell if I took her breath away or she was just out of breath," Tambe said this afternoon, with the comedic delivery of a vaudevillian.

At any rate, he thought the venue was apropos.

"We met a year and a half ago at a running club in Oakfield and it grew from there," Tambe said. "I thought it would be appropriate to propose after a race."

He also liked the element of surprise afforded by the 12th annual Genesee ARC Friends & Family race, which raises money for its Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship. 

So after crossing the finish line, on bended knee with ring at the ready, he gallantly asked for Christina's hand and she gasped and covered her mouth in shock, letting the moment sink in a second, before answering in the affirmative.

Onlookers seemed delighted by the turn of events. Many clapped and voiced hearty approvals.

The couple plans to have a long engagement. They currently are without firm plans about the kind of wedding they want to have and when they want to have it.

Meanwhile, the 46-year-old fiance and his 41-year-old fiancee run together practically every day and both live in Oakfield, where she owns a home and he rents an apartment. (Strang was three children ages 14, 17 and 20 from a previous marriage. Tambe was also previously married.)

Matrimony will come in its own time.

"I wanted her to know I am serious about my intentions," Tambe said.

Lily, who likes to chase bubbles, has her life on the line.

In May, Judge Durin Rogers declared Lily a vicious dog and ordered her destroyed within 30 days.

Lily has had a stay of execution, so to speak, as volunteers and others have taken up Lily's cause, and the cause of her previous owner, Duty Caswell, to try and save her life.

Caswell has already surrendered ownership of Lily, and the Kramer Foundation, which specializes in rehabilitating dogs deemed vicious, has written to Rogers and confirmed an interest in obtaining Lily.

Lily's fate may rest on a hearing in City Court tomorrow (Thursday) on an appeal of Caswell's conviction of harboring a vicious dog.

The appeal was written by Public Defender Jerry Ader who stepped in after Caswell's conviction.

Ader's appeal rests on two primary points:

• Caswell was not represented by counsel. He was not granted assigned counsel and did not hire his own attorney.
• Caswell was convicted under Batavia's Municipal Law. A case in 2010 overturned a similar conviction because that local law, in Nassau County, was deemed void by conflicting with state law. Under state law, Lily would not be considered a candidate for euthanasia. 

Lily was taken into Animal Control custody on March 7 after she bit a 13-year-old boy on Hutchins Place while keeping a frightened woman pinned down as she screamed and Lily circled her.

At Caswell's hearing, the prosecution called three witnesses and Caswell produced no witnesses or testimony on his behalf. Rogers issued his decision after a short recess.

At some point, K-9 Deputy Chris Erion was called in to evaluate Lily. Lily bit him.

Erion confirmed he was bitten (his duty pants have a small tear, but he wasn't hurt) and said that Lily, with her current behavior, wouldn't be a good candidate as a family dog or a police dog. 

Volunteers with Volunteers for Animals believe that with proper training and socialization, she is redeemable. She is high energy and can't be trusted unsupervised, but they said she's fine when given a job to do, such as chase bubbles.

"Having a young, high-strung dog is difficult for anybody," said one volunteer. "Give her something to do and she's fine."

Another person at the shelter said, "With proper exercise and mental stimulation she is fine."

Erion, among others, said it was later learned that Lily may have given birth to a puppy prior to the March 7 incident, and her puppy was taken away from her. That would typically cause behavioral issues, both folks at the shelter and Erion said.

The hearing is tomorrow at 1:15 p.m.

File photo from March 7. The gentleman with Lily is a friend of Caswell's.

Press release:

An FBI Special Agent will address issues of cybersecurity at a free public forum Thursday, Oct. 6, at Genesee Community College.

It will be held from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Conable Technology Building / Room T102, located at 1 College Road, Batavia.

In an age of online convenience, security threats are always a looming possibility. Through Internet shopping, banking, social networking and mobile apps, we all have a cyber presence that needs to be protected.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives to raise awareness about cybersecurity, provide tools and resources needed to stay safe online, and increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. 

The Criminal Justice Club of Genesee Community College and members of the College's Computer Services Department, Computer Repair Club and GUSTO (Genesee Unites to Support Team Opportunities) are hosting this special guest speaker, a Supervisory Special Agent of the Buffalo Division's Cyber Squad. It brings together local, state and federal intelligence community experts to combat computer intrusions, viruses and other cyber threats.

A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

The FBI leads the national effort to investigate high-tech crimes, including cyber-based terrorism and espionage, computer and network intrusions, and major cyber fraud and identity theft. To stay in front of current and emerging trends, the FBI gathers and shares information and intelligence with public and private-sector partners worldwide.

It's taken 26 years for sludge to build up to about a three-foot depth in one of the processing ponds at the Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant, but that buildup has reduced the pond's capacity by about 50 percent, so it's time to have it removed.

A removal project is now underway that costs about $1.3 million and is being conducted by contractors who specialize in sludge removal.

The process involves pumping the water-logged sludge out of the pond, screening it for large objects -- shoes, bottles, rocks -- and then sending it through one of two centrifuges, which use gravitational force and a polymer to separate the sludge from the water. The water is pumped back into the pond and the sludge is sent up a conveyor belt and dumped into a truck before it is hauled to a landfill.

Initially, the original estimate for the project was eight weeks, but a second centrifuge was added and now the contractor is processing a truckful of sludge every 90 minutes, to fill at least eight trucks a day, reducing the project timeframe to about four weeks.

Jim Ficarella, superintendent of water & wastewater for the City of Batavia, provided a tour of the project yesterday.

The water that has been squeezed from the sludge just before being piped back to the pond.

There will be about 2,100 dry tons of sludge removed from the pond.

One of the two centrifuges being used.

The pipelines that draw sludge from the pond and return water to the pond.

The screening process for removing large items that have inadvertently fallen into the pond.

The pond with sludge that has floated to the surface and been pushed by the wind to the eastern shoreline.

Ficarella said they know they won't get 100 percent of the sludge out of the pond, but they'll get most of it.

This pond is the second stage of the process. By this point, the wastewater has been at the plant for about three months. The whole process, which includes passing the wastewater through several ponds and a series of wetlands ponds, takes about a year. The clean water is pumped into Tonawanda Creek. 

See our previous story: Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant, one of city's hidden treasures

The plant remains a birder's paradise, with birders traveling, literally, from all over the world, to visit the plant.

Holden W. Byer, 25, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with: unlawful possession of marijuana; second-degree obstruction of government administration; resisting arrest; and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. He was arrested at 8:42 p.m. on Sept. 10 on East Main Street in Batavia following a "check-the-welfare" complaint. While being interviewed by police, Byer allegedly attempted to run from police and resisted arrest by pushing and punching police while thrashing about. He was taken to UMMC for a medical evaluation and while in the emergency room he allegedly caused damage to a wall by punching, kicking and slamming furniture into it. He was jailed on $1,000 bail and was due in City Court on Sept. 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officers Jason Ivison, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Christopher J. Rockefeller, 35, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous instrument. He allegedly struck a female in the face with a fan at 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 17 on North Spruce Street. He was arrested, arraigned in City Court and jailed without bail. He was due in court Monday (Sept. 19). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Cirlio Martinez-Jose, 29, of Federal Road, Piffard, is charged with second-degree harassment and criminal obstruction of breathing or circulation. He was arrested at midnight on Sept. 18 following a domestic incident at an apartment on Maple Street in Batavia wherein he allegedly pushed and grabbed the victim by the neck and obstructed her breath. He was jailed on $2,500 cash bail or bond. He was due in City Court on Sept. 19. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk

Travis L. Bartz, 21, of Trumbull Parkway, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment and thrid-degree menacing. Bartz was arrested at 5:20 p.m. on Aug. 28 on Trumbull Parkway following a physical altercation in which he allegedly physically menaced and attempted to punch another male. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on Sept. 27. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Keanon S. Williams, 39, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested on Sept. 18 following an investigation into two incidents in Batavia wherein Williams allegedly violated an order of protection by contacting the protected party. The first incident occured at 4:38 p.m. on Sept. 1 on Harvester Avenue. The second incident occured at 2 p.m. on Sept. 7 on West Main Street. He was arraigned in City Court, then jailed in lieu of $2,500 bail. He was due in court Sept. 19. The cases were handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Kamre H. Green, 18, of Elm Street, Batavia, is charged with: driving while intoxicated; reckless driving; unauthorized use of a vehicle; unlicensed operator; and following too closely.  Green was arrested at 1:22 p.m. Sept. 13 on Oak Street after allegedly operating a motor vehicle, which he did not have permission to take or use, while intoxicated. Green struck a motor coach bus which was stopped in traffic after making an unsafe U-turn and traveling at an excessive speed, according to the police report. A small amount of marijuana was also allegedly found in the vehicle. Green was arraigned in City Court and jailed in lieu of $1,000 bail. He was due back in court on Sept. 15. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey. 

Randall James Draper, 30, of Adeline Road, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; unlawful possession of marijuana; operation of a motor vehicle by an unlicensed driver; and operating a motor vehicle with an insufficient exhaust. Draper was arrested at 8:45 p.m. on Route 77 in the Town of Pembroke following a traffic stop. He was arraigned in Town of Pembroke Court and jailed in lieu of $1,500 cash bail. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer.

Bryan D. Bates, 37, of Mill Street, Batavia, was arrested Sept. 19 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for failure to appear. He was arraigned in City Court then released. He is set to return on Sept. 22. The warrant stems from an unspecified incident which occurred at 1:47 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2014. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jamie Givens.

Tyler A. Stoddard, 21, of Meiser Road, Corfu, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested this morning on a warrant out of Batavia City Court. He was issued an appearance ticket for City Court and released. The charge stems from an unspecified incident which occurred at 8:05 p.m. on July 16 at 300 Ellicott St. in Batavia. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Driving back from Bergen this morning, I saw a beautiful clear blue sky and one of my favorite trees on Route 33, Stafford.

An accident with injuries and possible entrapment is reported on South Lake Road (Route 19) and Maple Avenue, Bergen.

Bergen fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 8:44 a.m.: Mercy Flight in Batavia is on ground standby. Two vehicles and three people involved. One male in a truck is unresponsive, hunched over the wheel, and having difficulty breathing. He is the most seriously injured. Another male has facial cuts and abrasions. Another subject has no apparent injuries.

UPDATE 8:51 a.m.: Le Roy fire rescue is called to provide mutual aid to Bergen. Mercy Flight is summoned along with additional fire police. The landing zone will be the church parking lot across from just south of the accident site.

UPDATE 8:58 a.m.: Route 19 is to be shut down "completely."

UPDATE 9:02 a.m.: Mercy Flight has an ETA of less than a minute.

UPDATE 9:23 a.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 9:40 a.m.: A pickup truck was eastbound on Maple Avenue when the driver apparently blew through a stop sign and was T-boned by a small plumbing company van traveling on Route 19. Both vehicles left the roadway as a result of the collision and the pickup truck struck a large tree in the front yard of a residence. A car occupied by a doctor, a nurse and possibly a combat medic happened to be driving by in the immediate aftermath. The car stopped and the occupants provided emergency medical aid until first responders arrived. The pickup truck driver was deemed in serious condition at the time he was airlifted to Strong. A first responder said if he makes it, he'll have the medical assistance provided by the passersby largely to thank for it. The driver and passenger in the plumbing van were taken to Strong by ground ambulance with minor injuries; in fact, the driver was walking around at the scene.

UPDATE 9:57 a.m.: One lane is open on Route 19 and fire police are alternating the traffic flow.

The Town of Batavia Planning Board is claiming it was victimized by a “lack of transparency” during discussions with Conifer Realty LLC about the income levels for prospective tenants at the recently opened Big Tree Glen apartment complex at 3727 W. Main Street Road.

In a meeting with a team of Conifer officials Tuesday night, planners said they were led to believe that middle-income individuals and families would be able to rent the 56 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments that were constructed as part of a joint venture by Conifer, a Rochester firm, and United Memorial Medical Center.

“This is not a medium-income (arrangement),” Paul Marchese said. “This is truly a low-income facility.”

Marchese said that planners were concerned over the impact upon the town and the Pembroke Central School District.

“There would be an influx of kids not paying into the tax base, and we were concerned about that. This is not what was portrayed. The transparency was not there and that is what bothered me the most.”

Conifer vice presidents Sandy Gorie and Cheryl Stulpin offered apologies for the miscommunication, but Gorie was quick to add that “this is not market-based housing.”

“We run into this challenge in all the communities we go to,” Gorie said. “It’s all public knowledge; we have to go through the state (Homes and Community Renewal).”

In Phase I of the development, 34 of the 56 units are being occupied by those making 50 percent of the county’s average median income ($64,500 for a family of four) and the other 22 are being rented by those at the 60-percent level.

For Phase II, which could see construction next summer pending funding approvals, half of the proposed 40 apartments would be rented to those at 90 percent of the AMI, while eligibility for the other half would be set at the 60-percent and 50-percent levels, said Paul Marfione, project director.

Gorie said the state is allowing Conifer to use the 90-percent criteria due to higher than anticipated income levels in Genesee County.

The planning board also brought up the fact that a sex offender was allowed to rent an apartment.

Gorie said her company screens 11,0000 applicants each year and this was only the second time that this happened.

“Management did make a mistake, the site staff alerted its supervisor, a termination notice was sent and the resident vacated the property,” she said. “Since then we have revisited our policy and will be submitting (screenings) through our compliance department.”

“It’s important that you know that Conifer is in this for the long haul. We’ve been doing this for 40 years.”

Following the meeting, Planning Board Chairperson Kathy Jasinski said she appreciated Conifer sending people with “such expertise to meet with us and answer all our questions.”

“I am comfortable with the project and look forward to Phase II,” she said.

In other action, the Planning Board:

-- Approved a site plan review for Oakfield Hospitality LLC, a company headed by Ash Patel that is getting ready to build a four-story, 64-room Fairfield Inn & Suites at Gateway I Corporate Park off Route 98 near the Thruway interchange.

“This is the final discretionary approval from the town,” said Sean Hopkins, of Williamsville, attorney for the developer, who also owns a Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn in the same vicinity.

Hopkins said engineers have determined that the hotel’s footprint will have to be moved 18-20 feet to the west to account for an 18-foot easement. This opens the way for a subdivision of the property, which would be subject to another review process.

Town Engineer Steve Mountain said concerns over traffic on Route 98 turning left into the industrial park have been alleviated thanks, in part, to an independent traffic analysis.

Patel said he hopes to have the hotel open next fall. He would not say whether he plans to build another hotel next to the Fairfield Inn, but is keeping his options open for “future development.”

-- Approved a state environmental quality review and site plan review for the 21,000-square-foot (140x150) L&M Specialty Fabrication metal fabrication facility at East Saile Drive and Bank Street in the Town of Batavia, contingent upon the settlement of a few engineering issues.

Contractor David Tufts said it will be a steel-frame building, with the main entrance off East Saile Drive. The owners, Lee Shuknecht and Matt Geissler, have purchased 300 acres and plan to situate the facility 480 feet west of the intersection.

Planners urged Shuknecht to plant some trees and consider landscaping.

“It’s a big project for us,” he replied. “We want to keep it looking nice.”

The manufacturing and repair business received a $200,000 loan from the Growing the Agriculture Industry Now fund to purchase equipment.

-- Approved a site plan review from East Saile Properties LLC to build a 2,936-square-foot addition to an existing tractor-trailer repair shop at 4736 E. Saile Drive in the Town of Batavia.

A SEQR was not needed because the owner produced a letter from the state Department of Environmental Conservation stating that the project would not disturb any nearby wetlands.

While acknowledging the artistic value of a five-panel window mural on the storefront of the Main St. Pizza Company at 206 E. Main St., the Batavia Planning & Development Committee nevertheless ruled on Tuesday night that business owner Vic Marchese will have to remove the one that depicts two young ladies simultaneously taking a bite out of a large pie.

The planners granted a special sign permit that allows Marchese to keep four of the perforated vinyl window coverings despite the fact that the total area of the signs is more than the maximum allowable amount of 25 percent of the window space.

The other renditions show a woman enjoying a plate of spaghetti (which covers two windows), a display of pizzas and a pizza chef flipping dough into the air.

Marchese requested the permit last month, but action was tabled after the board decided to seek an interpretation from the City Zoning Board of Appeals as to whether the coverings constituted a window sign as defined by the Batavia Municipal Code and whether the total coverage area should be based on the percentage of coverage for the individual window pane or all window surfaces combined.

The ZBA ruled that this form of window treatment clearly meets the BMC definition of a window sign, and that the maximum amount of window coverage allowed refers to the individual space in which the sign is located and not all window surfaces combined.

Additionally, the Genesee County Planning Board recommended approval of the special sign permit as long as the 25 percent maximum area standard was met, providing for the transparency needed to "enhance the pedestrian experience."

Planning Board Member Ed Flynn, before making the motion to grant the permit, said he was of the opinion that all of the space at the front of the building should be considered when figuring the percentage.

"I am thinking that it should be 25 percent of the entire frontage," Flynn said. "That's my interpretation."

Flynn, Robert Knipe, Matthew Gray and Chairman Duane Preston agreed that the window murals were "attractive," but stressed that they needed to adhere to the city code.

"I agree that it's not unattractive, and I commend the job you have done with the place, but for us it's a compliance issue," Knipe said in addressing Marchese.

For his part, Marchese pointed out that several other Batavia businesses, citing Batavia Optical, Burger King and Ziebart as examples, have large window signs.

"How can the optical place get away with it?" Marchese asked.

Preston countered his claim, however, stating that those places put up posters, which are meant to be temporary.

Planners, as well as Code Enforcement Officer Doug Randall, suggested to Marchese that he should remove the advertising component of the signs or eliminate two of the coverings.

In the end, Flynn's motion asked that only one of the panels be removed, and the special sign permit was approved by a 4-0 vote.

Following City Manager Jason Molino's lead, the board did not tie its decision to the maximum allowable percentage of available space requirement, but said it would be looking at these situations on a "case by case basis."

Going forward, Randall said that the board would have to treat every business owner making a similar request in the same fashion. 

After the meeting, Marchese said he would remove the panel (Randall noted that it shouldn't have been put up before the permit was issued) but wondered aloud about his rights.

"It's one panel; I'm not going to miss it," he said. "But is it like a First Amendment thing, too? The city makes things so difficult. It's a lot easier to work with the town (of Batavia)."

Continuing, he said he understood that the city has rules, but didn't understand "what the big deal is."

"It's because somebody complained about it," he surmised.

In other action, the board approved a pair of signs that will be placed on the exterior walls of United Memorial Healthy Living at 164 Washington Ave., and two signs for the exterior of Carter's Restaurant & Bar at 60 Main St.

Mary-Clare Stokes gets a strike of blue hair weaved into her own as part of Spirit Week at Genesee Community College and to honor the college's 50th anniversary.  Kassandra Bowen, of The Mane Attraction Salon & Spa, is performing the weave. Staff from Mane Attraction were in the Student Union this afternoon to provide the weaves to any students who wanted them. It was all Stokes' idea.

Press release from Village of Le Roy Police Department:

A call from an alert citizen Monday morning (Sept.19) assisted police in catching two subjects who allegedly went on a crime spree in the Village, allegedly damaging numerous vehicles.

Robert W. Devos, 28, of 66 Lake St. in Le Roy, and 27-year old Katrina M. Klaich, of 47 Spring St. in Lackawanna, are each charged with one count of felony criminal mischief in the second degree.

It is alleged that Devos and Klaich did damage to the rear windows of three vehicles and damage to the trunk of another vehicle that were parked on village streets.  In addition, Klaich was charged with DWI, DWI -- BAC .08 percent or more, and driving an uninspected vehicle. 

Both subjects were arraigned in the Town of Le Roy Court by the Hon. Darryl Sehm. Klaich was put in Genesee County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail and Devos was  jailed without bail. Both subjects are due back in Court at 1 p.m. on Oct.27^th.

Also assisting with the investigation was the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.

All summer, we've watched the water level drop at the lakes off Cedar Street, including DeWitt Recreation Area, where a land bridge that probably hasn't been seen since the 1970s re-emerged as WNY has suffered through a rare drought.

Yesterday, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told county legislators that the level has been dropping about a third of a foot every two weeks, but this afternoon we learned that trend may be reversing.

Jim Ficarella, superintendent of water & wastewater for the City of Batavia, said he took a new measurement of the aquifer this morning and found it has risen more than a third since his previous measurement.

The aquifer not only supplies some of the city's water, it also replenishes the lakes.

The aquifer level and the lake levels have dropped pretty much in unison, Ficarella said, but there may be a lag in replenishing the lakes as the aquifer comes back.

Of course, it will take more rain, and in the winter, more snow, for the levels to recover to pre-drought levels.

Meanwhile, the city and county have an ample water supply from the Monroe County Water Authority.

The inductees into the 15th annual Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame were announced this afternoon.

They are:

• David Dedman (1989)
• Karen Thomas Dupuis (1982)
• Christopher Kane (1986)
• John McGowan Jr. (1995)
• Frank Pontillo (1991)
• Susan Salvador Tresco (1986)

Biographical information about the honorees has not yet been released.

They will be honored at Terry Hills Restaurant and Banquet Facility in Batavia on Saturday, Oct. 22.

Cost is $30 per person. Social hour begins at 5; dinner is at 6.

Tickets are available at the Athletic Directors Office at Batavia High School.

For more information, call 343-2480, ext. 2003.

This event is sponsored by the Batavia Coaches Association.

Press release:

A free series of five classes on exploring your family history will be offered at Richmond Memorial Library on Tuesdays beginning Oct. 4.

Classes start at 6 p.m. and run weekly through Nov. 1.

Have you ever wondered about your ancestors -- who they were, where they came from, or what you have in common with them?

This is an excellent opportunity to start a geneology search and explore your family history.

Contact the library at 343-9550 to register.

William Glenn Walters, 37, of Wolcott Street, Le Roy, is charged with disobeying a court mandate. Walters was arrested at 6:37 p.m. on Sept. 19 following a domestic incident on Warsaw Road in the Town of Le Roy. Walters allegedly violated a Family Court stay away order of protection. He was released on an appearance ticket returnable to Town of Le Roy Court on Oct. 17. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Michael Lute.

Amber Meadows, 25, of Canandaigua, was arrested on Sept. 16 by SP Batavia Troopers on a warrant issued by the Town of Batavia Court for petit larceny. She is accused of stealing $638 worth of merchandise from the Target store in Batavia on Aug. 8. Meadows was arraigned in the Town of Batavia Court and released with a return court date. Troopers then turned Meadows over to the Ontario County Sheriffs Office where she was wanted on another warrant.

Press release:

The New York Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Committee is encouraging high school seniors who have been involved with agriculture and plan on continuing studies in this field to apply for the 2017 New York Farm Bureau Agricultural Youth Scholarship.

Scholarship awards are $1,500 for First Place, $1,200 for Second Place, and $1,000 for Third Place. District winners chosen from the county winners will each receive $100 and a memento. The state awards are sponsored by the New York Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Committee. 

Students applying must have a family Farm Bureau membership or a student Farm Bureau membership. A membership application may be included with scholarship enclosures.

Students are required to complete the application and submit a brief essay answering the question, "What do I feel is the most important challenge facing agriculture in my community and why?”

The application can be downloaded at www.nyfb.org and emailed to sprokop@nyfb.org with all required attachments or mailed to NYFB’s Albany office with attention to Sandie Prokop. 

At the district level, a personal interview and essay presentation may be scheduled at the discretion of the district representative for the Promotion & Education Committee. The county winner will be the applicant scoring the highest for each county. County winners within the district are recognized at the discretion of their county Farm Bureau. The district winner will be the overall highest county winner in each district and will advance to the state competition in January. State judging will be based solely upon the application and attachments.

The application submission deadline is Nov. 16. To request an application, call 1-800-342-4143 or visit www.nyfb.org. The application is a fillable PDF and must be downloaded and completed.

Press release:

This week is National Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 18-24). As part of the campaign, National Safety Check Saturday will be hosted by the City of Batavia Fire Department this Saturday, Sept. 24, at City of Batavia Fire Headquarters, located at 18 Evans St. in Batavia. It begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

Nationally Certified Technicians will be able to ensure your child passenger's seat is installed correctly and answer any questions caregivers may have regarding installation, selection and the use of car seats.

Motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 through 12. Most tweens (8- to 12-year-olds) seriously injured or killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts or were wearing them incorrectly. Tweens are also more likely to get hurt in crashes when riding in the front seat. Many deaths and injuries could be prevented if children were properly secured in an appropriate child restraint.

Many parents and caregivers assume they know how to choose and use the correct child restraints for their children, but sadly these restraints are frequently used incorrectly. In fact, three out of every four children are riding at an increased risk of injury because their car seats are not being used correctly.

As always, technicians are available by calling Fire Headquarters at (585) 345-6375 to schedule an appointment.

The nonprofit legal aid office known as Neighborhood Legal Services Inc. (NLS) is moving. It is currently located at 5073 Clinton Street Road, Batavia, and will be relocating its office downtown to 45 Main St, Batavia.

To accommodate the move, the office will close at 5 p.m. on Friday Sept. 23^rd and will reopen in the new space on Main Street at 9 a.m. on Thursday Sept. 29^th. The new location is west of Jackson Street near Evans Street.

NLS operates three offices in Western New York. The Batavia office serves people in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

Its mission is to provide a full range of free civil legal representation to low income and disabled people in matters involving their financial security and the legal rights which affect the stability of families and individuals. Its goal is to create the greatest access to the justice system for those low-income and disabled people without the means to pursue their rights. It also provides outreach and training services to underprivileged populations and the community agencies which serve them.

Neighborhood Legal Services' phone number is 343-5450.

For more information, visit the NLS website by clicking here.

A caller reports a fight just breaking up on Highland Park, Batavia.

Eight to nine people were reportedly involved.

There is a report of a possible injury.

Police are responding.

One person who ran from the scene has been identified by a witness.

UPDATE 11:18 a.m.: Police transmissions have gone encrypted.