WEDNESDAY, JULY 13TH Today's Events • Children’s Day - 4H Family Night. “Kids Ride Special $5 Wrist Bands 12-3pm

• All Day Matt Episcopo (Roving the Fairgrounds)
• 9am - 4H Goat Show (Show Ring)
• 10am - 4H Poultry Show (Merton Building)
• 11am - Exhibit Halls & Buildings Open
• 12pm-3pm - Midway Opens for Special Kid’s Day $5 Ride Wrist Bands (Amusement Area)
• 12pm - Children’s Activities (Exhibition Building)
• 1:30pm - 4H Breeding Sheep Show (Show Ring)
• 2-4pm -  Balloon Animal Demonstration (Exhibition Building)
• 2-8pm - Mr. Scribbles (Entertainment Tent)
• 3pm - Small Fry Tractor Pull (Exhibition Building)
• 4:30pm - 4H Goat & Sheep Costume Contest (Show Ring
• 5pm - Car Show (W. of Ent. Tent)
• 5-10pm - Midway Re-opens (Amusement Area)
• 6pm - 4H Open Swine Breeds & Showmanship (Show Ring)
• 6pm - North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series & Draft Farm Class (Horse Arena)
• 6:30pm - 4H Rabbit Show (Merton Building)
• 7pm - Fair Queen Crowning (Entertainment Tent Stage)
• 10pm - Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close.

This schedule is tentative and is subject to change at any time.

A 2006 Honda Civic, color gray, reportedly hit a utility pole in the Village of Corfu and then fled the scene.

Deputies are responding.

See the people walking around town staring at their phones? You may have seen more of them these past few days. It's easy to assume they're checking a social media account or texting. That assumption is likely incorrect in each and every case.

Actually, nearly every one of those people you see, usually in twos or threes, with noses down, eyes locked on their smartphone screens, are playing a game, a game that gets people off the couch, out of the house, onto the street and doing something Luddites often complain people don't do in the always-connect age: talking with each other.

The game is Pokemon Go, a version of the iconic Pokemon game updated for the era of smartphones.

What all these people are looking at is a virtual world superimposed on the real world, a world you can't see unless you download the app and create an account. They are seeing a world populated by the likes of wartortles, butterfrees and caterpie, hunting for pokespots and gyms, building their strength and resources for their team to battle for control of those gyms.

"I've had it since Friday night," said Michael Snyder, of Batavia. "I saw my brother running to get a Pokemon over by Kelsey Road and he said, 'you gotta get this game.' He said, 'It's so much fun,' and it is. It motivates me to get outside and it's so much fun."

Pokemon started in the 1990s as a card game and players traded cards much like baseball cards. In 2006, the first video game was made for GameBoy and the Pokemon franchise has been one of Nintendo's most popular games every since, but Nintendo had largely ignored the mobile market until the release of Pokemon Go.

Since then, Pokemon Go is the most downloaded app (more than 7.5 million downloads) in both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. Nintendo's stock has gained $7.5 billion in market value in two days. Even though the game is a free download, in-app purchases have reportedly generated more than $14 million in revenue (Google and Nintendo reportedly invested $30 million in developing the game).

The game uses technology first built for another social playing game developed by a former Google employee and leverages data from Google Earth. 

When you download the game, you design your avatar and then see your avatar standing on a map of your real-life community. The location of your avatar corresponds with your actual physical location. If you're at home, your avatar is on the map where your house should be (buildings are not shown). If you get out and walk about, then your avatar walks along the street and turns as you turn.

If you happen upon a Pokemon, then you try to flick a white and red ball at it to capture it. Sometimes you miss, sometimes you snare it and then it escapes, and sometimes you get to keep it.

The first goal of Pokemon is to "catch 'em all." (Link: How to play Pokemon Go.)

The more you capture the more you can do with the game. You move up levels, your Pokemon can evolve and you incubate the eggs you acquire pokestops so you get more Pokemon. At level five, you can join a team. The teams are Instinct (yellow), Mystic (blue) and Valor (red). Once you're on a team, you can capture a gym for your team and train in a gym and defend your gym. The stronger and more evolved your Pokemon, the better your chances of capturing a gym and holding a gym from attacks by other teams.

"I've been playing Pokemon since I was a kid," said Luis Ortiz, of Batavia. "Even as a kid, you would wish something like this would come out and it finally has."

The game is popular, people say because it gets you outside and you meet people and make new friends.

Ortiz was at the Peace Garden Tuesday afternoon, as were about a dozen other people. That used to never happen on a typical  day, even one as sunny and pleasant as Tuesday, but that crowd was nothing like the one several people said was there on Monday night (or we witnessed on Tuesday night). As many as 30 people were in the garden at one time.

The garden has become Batavia's Pokemon hotspot because it contains two pokespots and there is a gym at the Holland Land Office Museum.

Pokespots are locations where you can fill your satchel with balls to capture Pokemon with, perhaps get eggs, and they are also places where you will find lots of Pokemon to a capture. The pokespots act as lures for Pokemon.

"The game gets people closer," Ortiz said. "We came out here last night another were about 25 to 30 people here walking up and down, saying, ‘Hi', so it’s really cool. It gets you outside and you get to do stuff."

Maximus Mantrow, from Greece, was driving his girlfriend past the garden this afternoon and she had her app open. They spotted the pokespots, the gym and several people in the garden, so they decided to stop.

"It’s cool," Mantrow said. "You meet a lot of cool people, you start talking, you make friends. It's fun."

Montrow said he's always been a fan of Pokemon, but he wasn't planning on downloading the game until he did and now he's hooked.

"I was like 'I don’t know about this', but I was playing a little more and it’s got that addictive nature to it, you know," Montrow said. "You get this one and then you’re like, ‘oh, I can catch that one, too, and I can catch that’ and after that, you can evolve it into something else. It’s just a lot of fun."

Sarah and Sophie Matlow drove from Le Roy to Batavia this afternoon and were walking through Downtown (they didn't even know about the Peace Garden treasures yet) because there isn't that much Pokemon activity in Le Roy.

“I like Pokemon too much for a 17-year-old girl," said Sophie, a student at Le Roy High School, and Sarah, a student at Alfred State College, added, “and I just wanted to play it with her."

As we talked, a young man walked by and said, yes, he was playing, too, and added, "I just captured that gym," which is on East Main Street.

"Everyone is playing this game right now," Sarah said. "It’s crazy."

App user stats bear out the sense that Pokemon Go is wildly popular already. Besides being number one in the app stores, the average daily use of those who download it already exceeds all other social media, including Facebook and Twitter.

Besides the social benefits of Pokemon Go, users say they love the idea of going outside and actually walking around to play a video game. They recognize health benefits.

"I've read about people getting leg cramps because they’ve been playing Pokemon Go so much; so people, like, hate on it so much because it actually makes you move, but it’s great," Sophie said.

More of the story and more photos after the jump (click the headline or "read more" below):

Walking is integral to the game. It's hard to get enough points to advance to the next level without walking (move too fast and the game suspects you're driving or riding in motorized transportation). You also need to walk to incubate your eggs to hatch new Pokemon.

Interestingly, the State of New York, of course, issued a warning to avoid driving while playing Pokemon Go, but also warned against walking while playing.

Not only is it safer to capture Pokemon while walking, it's also easier, which is one reason why the Peace Garden is so popular, but there are also plenty of other places around Batavia to go for Pokemon action. There are pokespots at the sundial at City Hall, the City Fire Station, the Cary Mansion historical marker, Richmond Memorial LIbrary, the Harvester Center, the Morgan Monument, Rotary Park, Batavia Downs, two at St. Joe's and two at DeWitt Recreation Area.  There are gyms at the Upton Monument, on the northeast corner of Centennial Park, at the Pok-A-Dot, a block further south on Ellicott Street, the Methodist Church in Batavia and the War Memorial on Harvester Avenue. Drive out on West Main Street Road and you'll find as-yet-barely-used Poke hunting ground. There is a gym at Dave's Ice Cream and two nearby pokespots.

This is some of what we've found so far:

Most pokespots are at monument and marker locations. Churches are also another frequent location for pokespots and even gyms. When you arrive at the spot, the game not only confers benefits for getting there but also serves up a little historical information about the game.

That is one part of the game that pleases Jeffrey Fischer, director of the Holland Land Office Museum. He thinks it's great that people are learning about HLOM, local history, and the Peace Garden. He would like to find a way to get more trainers into the museum itself and maybe take a little tour (hint: there are in fact Pokemon inside the building).

"I was pleasantly surprised when I download the game," Fischer said. "I saw immediately that the museum was a gym and I was very happy that Google (which supplied the mapping and market info to the game makers) was able to incorporate local landmarks into its system like that.

Then he chuckled and added, "I would love to eventually get my training level up high enough to be the gym leader here. We'll see."

HLOM Assistant Director Katie Sergel was curious Monday night about how the game was going over in Batavia, so at about 10:30 she went for a drive.

"I drove by the Cary Manson marker and saw eight people there," she said, "and I thought 'that’s not a normal hangout spot, so they’ve got to be playing Pokemon', so I said, ‘let’s drive by the museum’ and the parking lot is full and at least 25 or 30 people out there."

That much traffic naturally raises a little concern that people be respectful of the grounds and museum, so Sergel was working on signs today asking trainers to please be cautious and careful.

Fischer was curious what the police might think of seeing all these people out late at night, walking around in groups, staring at their phones, when normally the streets would be quiet.

Sgt. Chris Camp, normally the swing shift commander for Batavia PD, said it didn't take long for him and the officers on his shift to catch onto what was going on. There have been no trouble reports, he said, and so far, everybody just seems to be having a good time.

"Obviously, we can look into it and see what are they up to, but like I said, a lot of times, they’re jovial," Camp said. "They’re laughing and you can tell that they’re engaged in a fun activity and not anything malicious, and they’ve all got their phones up to their face, so it’s not hard to tell what they’re doing."

Tuesday evening, two officers responded to a report of a group of people wandering on Central Avenue and acting suspicious. When officers arrived, the group was gone, but one of the officers said, yes, she was expecting to find Pokemon Go players.  

The officers said there are players out everywhere they go these days.

"We're seeing people out we never see out," one of the officers said.

The players are easy to spot, one officer said, because they're looking at their phone differently than if they were texting.

The area around Pringle Avenue is fertile Pokemon hunting grounds because there is a pokespot in Pringle Park.

The officers did say are concerned about people's safety. 

One officer said he saw a young man run across a street and almost get hit by a truck, "chasing a spot in the road."  

The game warns people on its startup screen that they need be cautious, be alert, and be aware of their surroundings.

There has been a report of one player elsewhere being hit by a car, and also a report of three people lying in wait at a pokespot in Missouri so they could rob them. 

One of the most interesting Pokemon Go stories making the rounds in social media comes from the first night of the game. A man who can't sleep heads out for a walk in a nearby park. After walking awhile, he hears, "yo, my man." 

There's two men sitting  on a bench and one says, "My man, check over by the blue truck over there we got an onyx earlier."

He captures an onyx and goes back and starts chatting with the two men. Then a cop shows up.

"So it turns out two twentysomething black dudes and a 40-year-old white guy chilling in the park at 3 a.m. looks strange," the man said. "It took a bit of talking to convince the cop we weren't doing a drug deal, and a bit longer to explain the game."

The cop downloaded the game and asked for instructions on how to get started. (Link: Post on Reddit (language warning))

That's the essence of the game, making new friends and building bridges, which something several trainers we talked to said was refreshing about the game, especially coming on the heels of a pretty difficult week in the United States.

"You meet nice people," said Jeff Hall, a Batavia resident we met in the Peace Garden. "It brings everyone together. No one is hating on each other. Right now, with what's going on everywhere, you know, the world, and the U.S. especially with Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter, we're not seeing it. Everyone is interacting, being friendly, so it's nice."

Which is why more people should jump in and play, Sarah and Sophie said.

"If you’re not playing, play it," Sarah said.

Sophie quickly added, "Tell everyone to play this game. It gives a common ground to people."

Top photo: Maximus Mantrow, left, Michallena Root and Jeff Hall.

Maximus Mantrow

Sabastian Rodriquez, Luis Ortiz, Alexandria Ernst and Justin Ortiz.

Jeff Hall

Katie Sergel

Below: Photos from Tuesday night at the Peace Garden, HLOM and St. Joe's (bottom one).

A two-car accident with unknown injuries is reported at South Main and River streets in the city.

City fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 7:31 p.m.: There are no injuries.

A youth basketball player with a head injury is reported in the gymnasium at Pembroke High School. He was unconscious, but is now alert. He is collared and boarded. Mercy Flight is on ground standby for now. Mercy medics are on scene. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are called and will be establishing a landing zone.

UPDATE 6:46 p.m.: Mercy Flight is headed to the scene with a 5-minute ETA.

UPDATE 6:51 p.m.: The head-injury victim is a 13-year-old male. Another victim, a person with a knee injury who collided with the other patient, may need ambulance transport. Mercy Flight is to land on the grass at the northwest corner of school property.

UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: The knee-injury patient will have his leg splinted and be transported to a hospital via private vehicle.

Exciting news! Fenton's Produce U-Pick Blueberries is open this week! That's a whole lot of deliciousness in the palm of your hand.

Our U-Pick field will open up this Wednesday, July 13th at 8 a.m. Our location is 998 Main Road, Corfu -- which is not far from the intersection of Route 77 -- Main Road is Route 5.

Here is the blueberry hotline: 585-345-1591. The messageis updated daily letting you know the hours and the picking conditions.
It is not going to be a very long season so DON'T WAIT -- the earlier you pick the better the picking is! Like us on Facebook and stay up-to-date with Fenton's!

Mug shots of Darren Annovi.

A 42-year-old man who lives in 400 Towers on East Main Street in the city is charged with aggravated animal cruelty for allegedly killing his cat by putting the live animal in a burning hot oven last night.

Darren Annovi, of Apt. #630, was arrested after firefighters responded to a reported smoke-fire alarm activation call. Upon arrival at 9:08 p.m. on Monday, firefighters found the apartment filled with light smoke. "Further investigation revealed the cause of the smoke to be a deceased cat, located in the oven," says the police report.

"We interviewed the individual in reference to what had taken place and determined he was the one who caused the cat to die," said Batavia PD spokesman Det. Eric Hill. "Our investigation indicates the cat was alive when it was placed in the oven."

Hill said he could not discuss how police made that determination or what Annovi's motive may have been. The cat's age is unknown.

Batavia Police interviewed Annovi then arrested him. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court before Judge Balbick and put in Genesee County Jail without bail. Annovi is to reappear in Batavia City Court at 10 a.m. Wednesdsay. Batavia PD is working closely with the management at Batavia Housing Authority in reference to the case.

Three young men were arrested late last night after Sheriff's deputies investigated a traffic offense complaint in which a person allegedly fired a 20-gauge shotgun in the direction of a vehicle that was following the vehicle that the alleged shooter was riding in. The incident occurred at 11:35 p.m. July 11 at an unspecified location in the Town of Stafford.

Michael T. Leubner, 18, of Linwood Avenue, Pavilion, is accused of firing the shotgun and he is charged with first degree reckless endangerment. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond. Leubner is due in Town of Stafford Court at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 14.

Austin J. Yockel, 19, of Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanor. Yockel was issued a traffic summons for allegedly driving a motor vehicle which unreasonably endangered users of the public highway while following the vehicle occupied by Leubner and others. Yockel is due in Town of Stafford Court at a later date to answer the charge.

Jason A. Armstrong Jr., 19, of Sweetland Road, Stafford, who was also a passenger in the vehicle Leubner was riding in, was allegedly found in possession of marijuana (a violation). He was issued an appearance ticket for City of Batavia Court at a later date. 

The case was investigated by Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Young, assisted by: Investigator Joseph Graff, Sgt. John Baiocco, Deputy Eric Meyer, Batavia PD and NYS Police.

A fast-moving field fire is reported in the area of Byron Holly Road and North Bergen Road, Byron.

There is reportedly fire equipment and a propane tank in the field.

Byron and South Byron dispatched.

Elba requested to the scene. Clarendon requested to the scene.

UPDATE 12:38 p.m.: The propane tank doesn't appear to be in any danger now.

UPDATE 12:59 p.m.: Stafford's brush truck was requested and just arrived at the scene.

UPDATE 1:02 p.m.: Command reports the "fire is under control and out."

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: Overhauling underway. Mercy rig called to firefighters' rehab area, 6332 Byron Holley Road. One lane of traffic is closed by law enforcement.

UPDATE 2:54 p.m.: The assignment is back in service; all remaining units returning to quarters.

An animal control officer has been dispatched to Sunrise Parkway in Oakfield, where a caller reports a cat may have been shot by a BB gun.

The caller does not have the cat.

No suspect information available.

UPDATE 11:53 a.m.: The animal control officer has spoken with the caller and provided advice on how to catch the cat. The officer had been unable to catch the cat to determine its injuries, if any.

Press release:

The Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) will consider projects for Freightliner & Western Star of Batavia, LLC, and CH4 Biogas (Genesee Biogas) at its July 14 board meeting.

Freightliner & Western Star of Batavia, LLC, is submitting an application in order to expand its operations, building a second location on State Street Road in the Town of Batavia. The project will include construction of a 30,000-square-foot warehouse and service center. The company will make a capital investment of approximately $4.35 million resulting in 30 full-time employees.

Ch4 Biogas (Genesee Biogas) plans to design, build and operate a biogas plant to support the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in Batavia, which will convert organic waste produced by agricultural and food processors into renewable energy. The project will include installation of top-of-the-line equipment and technology to help the Finger Lakes Region reach its sustainability goals. The company’s capital investment will total approximately $19.25 million and create six jobs.

The GCEDC Board meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Meetings are held at the Innovation Zone Conference Room at MedTech Centre -- 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia, on the first floor, across from Genesee Community College.

TUESDAY, JULY 12TH • TODAY'S EVENTS • Emergency Responder Night

• All Day -- Matt Episcopo (Roving the Fairgrounds)
• 9 a.m. -- 4H Market Swine Show (Show Ring)
• 10 a.m. -- Open Class Rabbit Show (Merton Building)
• 10 a.m. -- Open Draft Horse Show (Horse Arena)
• 11 a.m. -- Exhibit Halls & Buildings Open
• 12 p.m. -- 4H Market Goat Show (Show Ring)
• 2:30 p.m. -- 4H Market Lamb Show (Show Ring)
• 12-7 p.m. -- Mr. Scribbles (Entertainment Ring)
• 4 p.m. -- 4H Market Beef Show (Show Ring)
• 5-10 p.m. -- Midway Opens (Amusement Area)
• 5:30 p.m. -- Parade Line-up - Genesee Speedway Pits (Fairgrounds)
• 6:30 p.m. -- Genesee Co. Fair Grand Parade through the Fairgrounds
• Immediately Following Parade -- Fair Queen Part 1 (Entertainment Tent)
• Immediately Following Parade -- Cowgirl Couture Barrel Racing Blast to Kick Off Fair (Horse Arena)
• Immediately Following Parade -- Fair Queen Part 1 -- Karaoke (Entertainment Tent)
• 10 p.m. -- Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close.

This schedule is tentative and is subject to change at any time.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported on East Main Street, Batavia, near the McDonald's.

Unknown injuries.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

A first responder says City Fire can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 9:38 p.m.: Engine 11 clearing the scene. 

UPDATE 9:44 p.m.: Patient being transported to UMMC for evaluation.

Batavia City Council took less than 30 minutes Monday night to decide to pursue a state Community Development Block Grant for $50,000 -- and commit another $50,000 in matching city funds -- for a Citywide Stormwater Capital Improvement Plan study, and to approve 10-year cable television franchise agreements with Community Cable Corp. and Empire Video Services Corp., and appoint numerous city residents to a trio of committees.

City Manager Jason Molino said his proposal to Council regarding the CDBG deals with a project that "best aligns" with the city's strategic plan, and follows up on the city's commitment to investiing in its infrastructure, which has resulted in a state-recognized water and sewer capital plan.

"The grant will help us to study the flood plain, which has about 1,400 properties, in an effort to prevent future flooding, and it also will take into account the 'Big Ditch' -- the massive stormwater culvert that runs from Walden Estates on Bank Street to Ken Barrett's (auto dealership, and out to the Tonawanda Creek)," Molino said. "The mapping of it and determining the status of it will be incorporated into part (of the study)."

Molino said the city has previously capitalized on CDBG money in the form of housing rehabilitation, microenterprise (small business) grants and infrastructure funding. He said planning -- in this case, preliminary engineering reports -- is a fourth component of the program administered by the NYS Office of Community Renewal.

He estimated the entire stormwater study would cost about $100,000, which is why he urged Council to include a $50,000 match -- an amount well above the required 5 percent local match. Molino said he believes the increased city contribution would enhance Batavia's chances of getting the grant.

Council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for July 20, as required by law, and also to submit an application for the grant by the July 29 deadline. In order for the city to be eligible to apply for the grant, it has to show that at least 51 percent of the persons who would benefit from implemention of the plan are low- to moderate-income persons.

"Because this is a citywide project that impacts all residents, we would be able to use all the census tracts (thus meeting the criteria)," Molino noted.

He said notification of the grant would come around December.

In other action, Council:

-- Approved cable television franchise contracts with North Penn Video and Empire Video Services of Prattsburg, which in reality is one company with two DBAs (Doing Business As). The resolution stated that the city believes the company has the "financial, legal and technical ability to provide these services" and "can reasonably meet the future cable-related community needs and interests."

As a result of this action, Empire Video Services now will be competing with Time Warner Cable, another city franchisee, for residents' cable TV business.

-- Appointed the following to city committees/boards -- Youth Board, Page Wasilewski, Councilperson Brooks Hawley; Audit Advisory Board: Marc Staley, Nicholas Harris, David Leone and Councilpersons Adam Tabelski and Paul Viele; Deer Management Committee: Kenneth Alfes, Gus Galliford, Mike Freeman, Dann Neale, Joe Rowbottom, Al Hemer, Ryan Whitcombe and Councilperson Paul Viele.

-- Moved to the Aug. 8 Business meeting a proposal to accept a supplemental agreement, called Marchiselli funding, that would reimburse the city for the cost of the design aspects of the Summit Street Reconstruction Project.

This is a program that offers a 15 percent funding grant to the project through New York State, in addition to the 80 percent funding already approved through the Federal Highway program, Molino said. Public Works Director Matthew Worth said he expects "double digit" numbers of supplemental agreements as the project progresses.

-- Moved to the Aug. 8 Business meeting a request by the city firefighters' union to open a one-year window for entrance into a more lucrative state retirement benefit plan. Molino said the one-time past service cost will be $27,441 and the estimated annual cost for this fiscal year will be $5,485.

Press release:

Batavia Police along with the Batavia Fire Department and the Batavia Lions Club are presenting a bicycle safety program to the City of Batavia Parks programs.

Each Wednesday during the summer the police and fire departments will be visiting a park in the City of Batavia where the Batavia Youth Bureau hosts children recreation programs. Remaining dates are: July 13, 20, 27 and Aug. 3.

Officers will instruct the children on the proper rules of the road for riding a bike and then supervise them through a simulated road course. The fire department inspects bikes and advises the children on the proper care of their bikes.

Along with training, helmets are offered to children who register their bikes or are in need of a helmet. The bike helmets are provided by a grant from the Batavia Lions Club as well as a NYS Grant received by the Batavia Fire Department. The Helmets were purchased by Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, of Batavia, at a reduced rate. Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle has also donated its time to help fit children’s helmets for this program.

To find out times and specific parks and dates call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 345-6421.

City Bureau of Maintenance press release:

Pringle Avenue will be closed on Tuesday, July 12, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. for paving operations. Residents and businesses are not to park on the roadway during paving operations. Please park on neighboring side streets until work is completed.

This street will be closed to all through traffic. Residents and businesses of this street will have limited access to their properties and should expect delays when paving operations are ongoing. If work is postponed by weather, work will be rescheduled for the next calendar work day.

All other traffic is asked to avoid this area and seek alternative routes.

Press release:

Genesee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry will be closing the DeWitt Recreation Area (DeWitt Park) Main Gate all day on Monday, July 11, 2016 and Tuesday, July 12, due to major construction within the park. Pavilion reservations will not be taken for either of the two days.

The main roadway inside the park will not be accessible due to sewer and waterline installations on those days. The walking track in the center of the lawn area will not be available either. Construction vehicles will only be allowed access through the main gate.

The South Entrance parking lot will be available for vehicles to park. Pedestrian access from the South parking lot will be limited to various areas within the park throughout the week due to the construction. The playground will still be accessible throughout the entire construction period.

Construction is anticipated to last the entire week.

For further information, please contact the Parks office at (585) 344-8508 or the Parks Supervisor at posborn@co.genesee.ny.us

On July 4, 1944, 1st Lt. Leonard B. Fuller had written in a letter home: 

Well anyway, as I set here looking at these pictures it sure brings back some swell memories of all the hell raising and work I have done around home there. The picture of Doug by the garage there is o.k.! I sure would like to have my picture taken in that same spot.

It was evident in Leonard Fuller’s letters that he was very homesick, as he wrote about it often. His father would send him pictures of the farm, complete with captions. The photo he was referring to was of his young nephew Dougie Fuller.

On July 7, 1944, his P-51 Mustang was hit by flak over Blankenhain, Germany. The exploding shells shot from the ground forced Fuller to bail out of his aircraft. During his descent, his parachute collapsed when he appeared to be trying to avoid some trees and a barn. Subsequently, he fell to his death and was buried in the Old Cemetery in Blankenhain.

On Sunday afternoon, under an azure sky dotted with large white, fluffy clouds, friends and family gathered at the West Middlebury Cemetery on Koppe Road, East Bethany, to honor Fuller. Just two days prior, a similar event took place in Weimer, Germany. 

Citizens from two different countries, divided by war more than 70 years ago, united to pay their final respects to an American soldier.

Around April 2015, Bernd Schmidt, a historian from Weimer, contacted Donna Bonning. Bonning, who had been working on a project for the Sons of the American Revolution, posted a photo of Fuller’s tombstone on the Findagrave website in 2006. Come to find out, Schmidt had seen the photo she had posted and emailed her. Through several exchanges of emails and after finding a treasure of letters, photos documents, and a few artifacts in Wayne Fuller’s attic, a nephew of Leonard’s, the puzzle pieces of the last days of a local veteran began to form a picture.

“I enjoy photographing tombstones and sharing the photos with others,” Bonning said. “Once in awhile I have come across stones that cause me to stop and take a second look. Leonard's stone was one of those. But my thoughts didn't drift very far beyond those engraved letters and beautiful wings. I never really stopped to think about what he was like as a person. What his life was like. Who his family was. What was the meaning behind those words...Forever Honored. Forever Mourned. 

“I found out what that meant the day I laid eyes on the Missing in Action and Killed in Action telegrams that Wayne told me about. I 'met' Leonard on the day we opened up a box from the attic and saw the black and white photo of him in his dress uniform.”

Leonard apparently had quite a sense of humor as well.

Dec. 20, 1942

Well, I just got my picture in the noon mail so when I get to the post office to get some airmail stamps I will send it home. Get a load of General McArthur in the ruff.

Jan. 1, 1943

I got a letter from Betty yesterday and she said that she received my picture. From what she said about it, I think I better get up there and take care of things. Me, I like to have people tell me nice things like that to my face. I suppose I will have to put up with it because I realize that I am quite naturally good looking. Well, why shouldn't I be good looking? Look at my mom and pop. I should get at least a quarter for that remark.

Not only did Leonard miss his home and family, he was also a very patriotic man. On May 28, 1944 he wrote:

Say, you know I wish a lot of people in the States could see some of these forces that go over into Germany day after day. Boy, it really gives me a thrill to know that I am fighting with an outfit like we have over here. When you can see a thousand bombers in the air along with as many fighters, it really gives a guy the idea that there are others around that are over there for the same reason. Every time I go over there I thank my lucky stars that I am an American all the way around. 

In a witness statement from Air Corps Capt. Leslie D. Minchen of the 357 Fighter Squadron, 355 Fighter Group, Station F-122 dated July 7, 1944, Minchen wrote:

I was leading Custard Squadron when we attacked fifty plus Me 410’s. Lt. Fuller was flying number three in my flight. The F/A led us over a town where we got heavy accurate flak at about 7,000 feet. Capt. Haviland, who was flying my wing saw him jettison his canopy, but did not see him get out. Lt. Fuller called me on the radio and said he was getting out. I answered his call and he said he was okay. I did not see him bail out. Air Corps Capt. Leslie D. Minchen.

In 1949 the pilot’s parents, Buell and Clara Fuller, traveled through the Iron Curtain (via Russia) to visit his gravesite and sprinkled dirt from the family farm on his grave – taking small comfort in the fact that he was resting in at least some American soil.

An excerpt from an article written in the Farm Journal, May 1951, recounts the visit of Buell and Clara and a description of the events which lead to the first lieutenant’s demise:

The cemetery comes into view...The caretaker’s cottage is only a few feet from their son’s grave. Ten “foreign” solders are buried in the little plot: French, Italian and one American – Leonard B. Fuller. 

A wooden framework encloses the Fuller grave, within which a fine-leaved boarder of green, carefully trimmed, sets off a bed of marigolds. Grouped around the white cross are delicate waxen blossoms of tuberous begonias...

...The villagers watched the two planes fighting to a finish. Suddenly the American plane was hit, and from it parachuted the pilot. He seemed to be maneuvering to avoid a clump of trees and a barn, to land in a cleared filed beyond. About 200 feel from the ground, the ‘chute suddenly collapsed and crashed to earth. They rushed to help him, but he had died instantly...

“The passage of time doesn’t make these things easier,” said Genesee County Historian Michael Eula, Ph.D. “His life resonated with me on several levels. I saw, in photos, a man shouldering responsibilities a young man should never have. They rose to meet the challenge of war.

“The conflict was not to be seen as what it was against, but what it was for...Freedom to enjoy liberties...The war was about a daily reality of what one was sure of and familiar: To return home for a meal, their girl, family, and friends. The ultimate tribute would be that maybe someday, the sacrifice of those like Fuller’s would be to avoid the sacrifice of so many of young people. May they never be forgotten.”

Leonard flew 40 missions in the P-51 Mustang and logged in 180 combat hours in a four-month time period.

According to Acepilots.com, North American Aviation originally designed the Mustang in response to a British (England) specification. The first prototype was started in April 1940 and was delivered to England for test flights by the end of 1941.

The first Mustangs were powered by the Allison V-1710 engine. While it was a good engine, it didn’t operate well at high altitudes. 

In April 1942, a British test pilot, Ronald Harker, while impressed with the plane, suggested that it would be a natural fit with the Rolls Royce Merlin 60-series engine – well-suited to high altitudes. The first Merlin-equipped Mustang, the P-51B, flew in November 1942. At 30,000 feet, the plane reached 440 mph, almost 100 mph faster than the Allison-equipped Mustang at that altitude. 

As it worked out, Craig Wadsworth, of the Geneseo War Planes Museum, was instrumental in having not one, but three P-51s do a “flyover” during the memorial ceremony.

“When I spoke with the pilot for Quick Silver at the airshow, Scott 'Scooter' Yoak, said he was going to bring along a few friends,” Bonning said. “Could it be any more amazing than that? In spirit I think of Leonard and two of his fighter pilot friends. One being Francis Eshelman who took the very last picture of Leonard’s P-51 – named MYRT II; and the other being Joe Engelbreit, who wrote a letter home to Leonard’s parent’s a month after his plane was lost. He still had no idea that Leonard was declared KIA (killed in action).

“When I see the one (photo) of Joe I imagine that he is looking to the sky and thinking of his friend and hoping his friend makes it back okay. They all flew in the same missions together.”

In a letter dated July 8, 1944, Air Corps Capt. W. H. Rush sent a “Missing Aircrew Report” to Commanding Officer, 355th Fighter Group, AAF Station F-122, APO No. 637. It stated in part: 

On July 7, 1944, at 0635 hours, Lt. Fuller piloting aircraft OS-E, took off from this field on an operational mission with the 357th Fighter Squadron. His call sign was Custard 82... This office had no radio contact with Lt. Fuller during the flight.

When Lt. Fuller failed to return to this base with the 357th Fighter Squadron, this office immediately notified combat operations.

Every effort was made to contact Lt. Fuller...

Leonard was born in May 1921 in Linden. He attended Linden grade school, graduated from Batavia High School in 1939, and belonged to the Bethany Grange. He enlisted in Air Corps on Oct. 20, 1942 in Buffalo. He trained in San Antonio, Uvalde, San Angelo and Mission, all in Texas.

On Oct. 1, 1943 he was commissioned second lieutenant. On Feb. 29, 1944 he sailed for England and was based at Steeple-Morden Field with the 8th Air Force 357 Squadron, 355 Group, 65 Wing Fighter. 

At the time of his death, he was credited with destroying seven-and-one-half planes and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.

In September 1950, his remains were brought to the United States and buried in the family lot in West Middlebury Cemetery. 

Although Wayne didn’t know his uncle, the loss of the man hit him at the laying of the wreath, and noted, with a slight twinkle in his eye, that part of his plane is buried with him.

In a recent email sent to Bonning, Schmidt wrote:

After 72 years we in Germany also wish to think of the victims of this war because we have these so-called enemies to THANK for our freedom and the ending of the war.

The old and young inhabitants of Blankenhain where Leonard crashed on July 7, 1944 and where he was buried for some years are very interested in information about Leonard. After all, the crash in their town is also a part of their history. And hatred and being enemies are long forgotten.

This past week…on July 8th, residents and guests of Blankenhain held a ceremony of remembrance for American Airman Leonard Fuller at the Old Cemetery in Blankenhain where he was buried for six years. Up until recently he was almost forgotten and unknown. However he now has a name again; we know his story and the suffering of his parents. Leonard is also not forgotten in Germany.

See related: Honoring the sacrifice of a fallen hero

Editor's note: The above two photos were submitted by Donna Bonning.

Photo By Jim Burns.

A barn fire is reported in Stafford at 8225 Prole Road Extension. Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: This was a garage fire next to a barn. Le Roy is requested to send one engine to stand by in Stafford's fire hall.

UPDATE 7:44 p.m.: The address is actually  8219 Prole Road Extension. Stafford firefighters are called to respond to a rekindle of this fire.