A person reportedly became trapped between two railroad cars at the railroad crossing at Fargo Road, Darien.

The person is reportedly conscious and alert. It's unknown if he's still entrapped.

Darien fire, Darien ambulance and Mercy EMS responding.

A chief requests that dispatchers check on the availability of Mercy Flight.

Corfu to stand by in quarters.

UPDATE 8:35 p.m.: Deputy on scene reports an oncoming train from the other tracks. Responding units advised to use caution.

UPDATE 8:42 p.m.: The original call from CSX said the subject was trapped between the last and second-to-last car. When firefighters arrived at that location, there was no person at that location. Further conversation with CSX indicates the original information received from CSX was incorrect. The person was never trapped. The train jolted and he was knocked down. The subject may now be in the locomotive's engine compartment. All personnel are accounted for at the engine. The subject is not injured and does not need any medical attention.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today touted his support for volunteer and paid firefighters and emphasized the crucial role they play in communities across New York State. Hawley’s comments come after it was recently reported that volunteer firefighter groups save New York’s communities more than $3 billion statewide annually.

“Volunteer firefighters are one of the most necessary groups for preserving public safety in our communities,” Hawley said. “Their sacrifices and willingness to put themselves in dangerous situations at a moment’s notice is matched by very few. Running into a burning building when common sense tells you to run away speaks to their unbridled bravery and commitment to saving lives, no matter the cost.”

Hawley also spoke about ways to help support local fire departments, opportunities for citizens to become involved and serve their community, and his plans moving forward.

“With volunteer numbers decreasing as of late, we have an obligation to bolster local fire departments as much as possible and make the profession  attractive to young people. I’ve always been a supporter of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) and its tuition reimbursement opportunities, which allow young men and women to serve as volunteer firefighters in exchange for help paying for education. I will continue to support New York’s firefighter network and champion their causes in this year’s budget negotiations.”

The City will host an informational meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, regarding the planned sewer reconstruction on Washington Avenue.

The project will go from Jefferson to Ross Street and include a small section on State Street north of Lewis Place. The project is scheduled for this summer and will replace the sewer line and include replacement of some water services. 

The "open house" meeting will be held in the Council Boardroom on the second floor at Batavia City Hall.

City staff will be available to review plans, discuss the project, listen to concerns and answer any questions you may have.

Press release from Matt Worth, director of the City's Department of Public Works:

The City has begun tree removal work on Summit Street in advance of the reconstruction project to be completed this summer.

This work will result in the removal of approximately 30 tree on Summit Street, which need to be removed as they conflict with new utilities, sidewalks or curb lines to be installed, or they are in a deteriorated condition.

This work may result in some short-term delays to the traveling public on Summit Street until the removals are complete, which is expected to take a couple of weeks.

The reconstruction of Summit Street includes the installation of approximately 60 new trees as part of the landscaping work to be completed as part of this project.

Press release:

Genesee County STOP-DWI coordinator Matt Landers announced today that Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy Police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on Friday, Feb. 5^th, and will end on Monday, Feb. 8^th. The Super Bowl is America’s most watched national sporting event and Super Bowl Weekend is historically a deadly period for impaired driving.

New York State Police, County Sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

Undersheriff William Sheron reminds us: “that unlike a football game, life has no instant replay. A bad decision made while intoxicated cannot be challenged, can’t be reviewed and can’t be reversed.”

You can help to make a difference by Having a Plan! Download our new mobile app – “Have a Plan” and you will always be able to find a safe ride home www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp

Impaired driving is completely preventable. All it takes is a little planning. If you’re hosting a Super Bowl 50 party, designate a responsible driver before the game begins. We want fans to remember that it’s a choice. So root for your favorite team; enjoy your friends and family and remember “DON’T DRIVE, GET A RIDE!"

The STOP-DWI Super Bowl Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association. The Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign also targets St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, 4^th of July, Labor Day Weekend, Halloween, and the national Holiday Season in December.

Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

Press release:

If you enjoy movies and watching the upcoming Academy Awards, why not learn what it takes to be a screenwriter? Or understand how the weather is predicted? Or acquire the latest tricks of the digital photography trade? You can learn all of these things and more with late-start, 12-week courses at GCC. Register now for the session which begins Feb. 16.

Students over the age of 60 can audit a course for free with space availability.

Among the dozens of GCC classes available online or onsite during the 12-week session include: (Online courses are indicated.)

• Writing for Stage and Screen (CIN214): Learn the basic techniques of writing for the stage and screen with emphasis on structure, storytelling through dialogue and dramatic action. (Batavia Campus)
• Introduction to Meteorology (MET101): Stop blaming the weatherman and learn for yourself how to read weather maps and charts; how to observe, study and predict storm systems; and how fronts develop, as well as thunderstorms and tornadoes. (Online)
• Introduction to Digital Photography (PHO 118): Learn the fundamentals of digital imaging using cameras, scanners and new media while understanding the subject, form and interpretation of all images. (Online)
• History Courses: From World Civilizations to U.S. History – there are five sections of history classes offered in the 12-week session, online and at Batavia and Warsaw campus locations.

To apply for classes at any of Genesee Community College's seven campus locations, new students should go to http://www.genesee.edu/Admissions or call the Admissions office at 585-345-6800.

GCC is also ready to help new or continuing students with financial aid. Two GCC campus centers are offering FREE financial aid assistance on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Warsaw Campus Center, and Tuesday, March 29, at Dansville Campus Center, from 4 - 8 p.m. at each location. Anyone interested in setting up a personal appointment with GCC's Financial Aid Office in Batavia can also call 585-345-6900. Everyone is also invited to check out GCC at an upcoming Open House or Friday Visit Day at the Batavia Campus:

Batavia Campus Open Houses *

Wed., March 9, 5 - 7 p.m.

Sat., April 23, 9 a.m.- noon

Friday Visit Days

Feb. 26, 9 a.m. – noon

March 4, 9 a.m. – noon

March 11, 9 a.m. – noon

April 8, 9 a.m. – noon

April 29, 9 a.m. – noon

At GCC's Batavia Open Houses, representatives from Admissions, Financial Aid and College Village are all available to answer questions covering everything from scholarships to athletics, testing to Student Support Services, student life to studying abroad. A full Batavia campus tour is available.* Friday Visit Days are less formal but more up-tempo alternatives to Open Houses offering an introduction to admissions, details about applying to GCC and getting financial aid. You can also sit in on a First Year Experience (FYE) college class at any Friday Visit Day.

GCC campus centers are often open evenings to assist students, and welcome visitors for tours. Please check with your local campus center for hours. To contact any of GCC's seven campus locations and or the Online Office:

• Albion: 456 West Avenue / 585-589-4936

• Arcade: 25 Edward Street / 585-492-5265

• Batavia: 1 College Road / 585-345-6800

• Dansville: 31 Clara Barton St. / 585-335-7820

• Lima: 7285 Gale Road (at Route 15A) / 585-582-1226

• Medina: 11470 Maple Ridge Road / 585-798-1688

• Warsaw: 115 Linwood Ave. / 585-786-3010

• Online: www.genesee.edu/offices/online/; Call 585-343-6969; E-mail online@genesee.edu;

A plan hatched by the City, the Batavia Development Corp. and the Genesee County Economic Development Center to redirect some money generated by economic development into brownfield area cleanup received the support Wednesday of the county's Ways and Means Committee.

The committee approval means the proposal will be voted on by the full County Legislature at its next meeting.

The plan, unique in the state, called Batavia Pathway to Prosperity, will create a fund from PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) payments that can be used for environmental clean up on properties within the city's brownfield opportunity area, a 366-acre designation covering the city's core.

A PILOT provides a business undertaking local economic development (creating jobs, increasing the tax base, adding to local economic growth) with a break in taxes for the increase in assessed value on the property being developed. Typically, if a business puts a new building on vacant land or adds onto an existing building, the assessed value of the property will increase, which means higher property taxes paid to the city (town or village), school district and county. A PILOT reduces those taxes in exchange for payments to the taxing jurisdictions. The payments could be in the range of 70 percent of what the increase in taxes would have been without the PILOT. The property owner still pays 100 percent of the taxes on the original assessed value. PILOTs typically run for 10 years on a graduated scale, with property taxes due increasing every two years over the life of the PILOT.

The new program would redirect half of the PILOT payments from projects in the city to an investment fund (a PIF) that would be available to property owners in the future who wish to redevelopment brownfield properties and need assistance with the environmental cleanup.

"This creates a fund that gives the BDC and the EDC working together and providing collective oversight the opportunity to look at broad range investment opportunities," said Steve Hyde, CEO of the GCEDC. "(The projects) still have to be for the public good, but (the property owner) can turn around and maybe do some creative financing type of things to really move some property and get them redeveloped and start to heal the poverty and blight down in our core."

Marianne Clattenberg, now a legislator but a former City Council president, said the city has needed something like this for a long time, but had other problems to solve first before something forward-looking could be brought to the table.

"We knew going in we could never do this by ourselves, that we needed partners and we needed to have everybody on board and engaged to bring the city back to where it needs to be," Clattenberg said. 

County Manager Jay Gsell said a program like this could spark a renaissance in the city.

"The need is unique and this is the kind of structural financing that gives the adroitness necessary to having this kind of money available," Gsell said.

The committee also approved a city plan to provide tax relief on so-called zombie properties. The program would provide a PILOT-like tax abatement on the increase in assessed value of a home that is currently vacant and has been vacant for some time that a person buys, renovates and then lives in. While the abatement isn't available to an investor who buys a zombie house, fixes it up and then rents it out, the abatement could be available to the next owner if that same investor fixes it up and then sells it to an owner-occupant. 

There are 50 to 60 such zombie properties in the city, not all of which can be saved, but some retain some value and could be renovated. The property must be single family, or converted to a single-family residence.

Hyde said the two programs together are the sort of thing that can spur economic development in the city's core and attract the Millennials who will be taking jobs at STAMP (Alabama's Science and Technology Manufacturing Park) to the city.

Genesee County real estate investor meeting to be held at the Clarion Hotel on Park Road in Batavia on Thursday, Feb. 11th. Networking begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by an hour-long informational class at 7 p.m. The class topics will include: "how to analyze properties for real estate investing" and "the five R's of real estate investing." This class is geared toward current or potential landlords and real estate investors, or anyone in the real estate field looking to network. For more information or questions, please call 585-576-5618.

Renovation work on the future home of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau could begin in early spring, said Chamber President Tom Turnbull.

The chamber completed the purchase of the property at 8276 Park Road, Batavia, on Friday.

A request for construction bids on the project should go out in the next couple of weeks.

The chamber anticipates spending $900,000 on the project, which involves totally renovating and reconfiguring the building into office and meeting space suitable to the needs of the chamber and tourism bureau.

The location was selected in a large part because of its proximity to the Batavia exit for the Thruway and the concentration of hotels in the area.

The chamber purchased the building for $275,000.

The cost will be reduced a bit because of significant donation to the project by U.S. Gypsum.

Ray Dunlevy, a Gypsum executive in Oakfield and a member of the Chamber's board, came forward and said Gypsum would donate all of the drywall for renovation.

Nearly every current wall will come down inside the building, and new walls will go up, so it's a significant contribution to the project.

Turnbull really doesn't know the exact value of the donation. He said maybe $4,000 to $6,000.

"Everyone I talk to, and I'm not a contractor, says, 'that's worth thousands of dollars,' " Turnbull said.

The project's architect, Ed Smart, has been in touch with the general manager for Gypsum in Oakfield, Jim Perry, and Turnbull said Perry's message to Smart was, "Just tell us what you need."

The drywall is manufactured in Aliquippa, Pa.

Turnbull said nobody asked Gypsum for a donation. Dunlevy spoke up at a meeting and made the offer.

"It shows what a good community partner they are, just stepping up," Turnbull said. "They volunteered it and it's wonderful. It's going to help the project quite a bit."

File photo.

Jackie Ann Duepenngieser, 32, of Page Road, Perry, is charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, driving without an ignition interlock device, unregistered motor vehicle and unlicensed operator. Duepenngieser was stopped at 6:23 p.m. Wednesday on Griswold Circle, Le Roy, by Deputy Michael Lute. Duepenngieser was allegedly found in possession of a scheduled nartocitc that was not prescribed to her along with a quantity of cocaine and heroin. Duepenngieser was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

James Russell Kosiorek, 23, of Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kosiorek allegedly stole a DVD player from Kmart.

A caller reports that an oxygen tank may have exploded, burning a victim, in an apartment at Le Roy Meadows Apartments, 18 Genesee St., Le Roy.

The fire is reported to be out.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance responding.

UPDATE 5:39 a.m.: Bergen requested to stand by in quarters.

UPATE 5:46 a.m.: Code enforcement requested to the scene.

UPDATE 5:53 a.m.: Bergen can go back in service.

UPDATE 9:32 a.m.: Press release from Le Roy PD on the incident:

At Approximately 5:28 a.m., emergency services were called to the Le Roy Meadows Apartments B-11 Apt-C, Le Roy, for an explosion that occurred inside the apartment. It was determined that a small explosion occurred when the occupant attempted to light a cigarette while connected to a supplemental oxygen source. The Le Roy Police Officer on location advised there was no active fire but there was smoke inside the apartment. The 58-year-old occupant suffered burns to his face and possibly abdomen and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester by Le Roy ambulance. There did not appear to be significant damage to the structure.

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County will present a Cheese Tasting and Evaluation workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9. The workshop will take place at the Extension Building, located at 420 E. Main St., Batavia.

The cost to attend the class is $15 per person and class size is limited! Please register by March 2.

If you love cheese, then you won’t want to miss this class! Learn all about the cheese-making process while sampling mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, goat and feta cheeses, which are all made in New York State!

The class will be presented by Carl Moody, dairy processing specialist with Harvest New York. Carl is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and holds a bachelor’s degree in Food Science. Following graduation, he worked at the Friendship Dairy in Friendship and most recently held a position as a quality assurance manager for 13 years with Lactalis American Group, Inc. (Sorrento Cheese) in Buffalo.

For more information about Harvest New York, visit http://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/.

To register and for payment information, please contact Samantha at 585-343-3040, ext. 123 or sls428@cornell.edu.

For more information about CCE Genesee County, visit our Web site at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/.

Press release:

The Board of Trustees of the Association for a Buffalo Presidential Center (APBC) has unanimously voted to add Barber Conable, former Congressman and president of the World Bank, to the group of prominent Western New Yorkers we recognize as key contributors to the presidency and U.S. national affairs.

The Genesee County congressman was born in 1922 in Warsaw, NY. A veteran of World War II and a graduate of Cornell Law School, he reenlisted and fought in the Korean War. He started his law career in Buffalo.

Conable was elected as a Republican to the New York State Senate in 1962 and then to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964. He went on to be reelected to Congress nine more times, and was voted by his colleagues the “most respected” member in Congress. Serving as the ranking minority member of the House Ways and Means Committee he was instrumental in establishing 401 (k) and 403 (b) defined-contribution retirement plans with tax-deferred contributions.

A longtime supporter of Richard Nixon, Conable broke with the president as the facts of the Watergate scandal came to light. The Congressman also collaborated with Senator Patrick Moynihan, a longtime friend and colleague, on the legislation creating Historic Preservation Tax Credits.

Conable retired from Congress in 1984, and in 1986 President Reagan appointed him president of the World Bank. His tenure as the head of that body was notable for his comprehensive reorganization of the Bank’s structure and his focus on projects targeting support for women and children, which was new for the Bank. He retired from that position in 1991, and passed away in 2003 at his winter home in Sarasota, Fla. Charlotte W. Conable, his wife of 51 years and a native of Buffalo, passed in 2013.

The Association’s main focus is on Buffalo’s two presidents, Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland, and on the other presidents associated with Buffalo—William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. But we also explore through programs, collections, and exhibits those Western New Yorkers who have shaped our nation in national government, the judiciary, policymaking, and public affairs.

This circle includes Presidential candidates Belva Lockwood and Shirley Chisolm; Vice Presidential nominees Jack Kemp and William Miller; First Ladies Abigail Fillmore and Frances Folsom Cleveland; “Wild Bill” Donovan, founder of the OSS;  and Supreme Court Justices Robert Jackson and John Roberts. And now Barber Conable adds a distinguished national and international career to this grouping.

For further information contact The Association for a Buffalo Presidential Center www.buffalopresidentialcenter.org

Press release:

Community members of all ages should save the date for Genesee Community College's 35th Annual Fashion Show scheduled for Saturday, April 30. This year's show is entitled "Fashion Is..." and will represent an edgy, reinvented program that features the work, energy and creative endeavors of students in both the Fashion Merchandising Management and the Fashion Design programs at GCC.

The theme, "Fashion Is..." gives students the opportunity to not only express their creativity and own personal styles, but touches on how fashion influences every aspect of our culture -- from clothing designs released on Parisian runways to the latest cars unveiled in Detroit, from today's thematic weddings to presidential campaigns.

GCC students want the people of Western New York to appreciate the significant role fashion plays in our culture and its multibillion dollar impact on business throughout the world. A short slide show video created by GCC sophomore Lauren Countryman illustrates the opportunities and ideas and the endless possibilities of today's fashion industry.

"Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It is movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be," according to the character Blair Waldorf, from "Gossip Girl."

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the program, the event continues to offer two complete shows scheduled on April 30 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the William W. Stuart Forum of GCC's Batavia Campus. Tickets for the show are available for $5 in advance or $7 at the door and can be purchased by calling 585-345-6830. Advance tickets are strongly recommended.

Sponsors for the production are currently being solicited and accepted. Business donations of $10 or personal donations of $5 are available. To extend appreciation, the business or personal name will be included in the souvenir program and the fashion show's Web site. If writing a check please make checks payable to GCCA. To schedule a time for pick up or to make special arrangements for your donation, please contact Cheryl Young, 585-345-6830.

Our biggest sale of the year - 50-75% OFF - 4 Hours Only! Suits, sportcoats, slacks, shirts, ties, hats, caps, scarves, gloves, outerwear & more! 

Press release:

Officials from the City of Batavia and the Batavia Development Corporation will make a presentation to the Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) at the agency’s Feb. 4 board meeting. The GCEDC Board of Directors is considering entering into an inter-municipal agreement to assist with the funding of new development projects in the City of Batavia.

The presentation will include an overview of the “Batavia Pathway to Prosperity” (B2P) program and its role in leveraging economic development activity through a PILOT increment financing (PIF) initiative; strategies for redeveloping the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) sites; attracting new employers and jobs; increasing property values; and, exploring key market opportunities in the City of Batavia.

In addition to the presentation, the board will consider the acceptance of an application to set a public hearing for Darien Lake Theme Park Resort’s 2016 Tourism Destination Project. Darien Lake’s new project includes a six-flume waterslide and a new roller coaster train.

The total request for incentives for the Darien Lake project is $189,200 in sales tax exemptions for the construction and equipping of the new rides and enhancements. The total capital investment for both park projects is approximately $2.8 million.

The GCEDC board meeting will take place at 4 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.

A utility pole is reportedly broken and electric wires are hanging low over the roadway in the area 3212 Lockport Road, Oakfield.

A trooper reported the situation and said the wires are likely too low for a truck to pass under and the pole is about ready to fall into the roadway.

Oakfield fire is dispatched.

National Grid requested to the scene.

Lockport Road is being closed in both directions.

Bruce K. Ames, 49, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing, 3rd, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal solicitation and coercion, 1st. Ames was arrested as a result of an investigation into an incident reported at 3:05 a.m. Jan. 24 at 122 Bank St., Batavia. Police report, "A New York SAFE Act compliant rifle was found and held as a result of the investigation." Ames was ordered held without bail.

UPDATE AND CLARIFICATION: We've pulled the court documents on this case and spoke with police. While the original press release states Ames was arrested on a weapons charge and has this reference to the SAFE Act, the SAFE Act is entirely irrelevant to the case. The weapons charge comes from allegedly possessing a weapon with the intent to use it to cause death or injury. Ames allegedly threatened to fire his rifle through the floor of an apartment if his neighbor didn't come up, and kill him. That allegation is the basis of the solicitation, menacing and coercion charges. Ames reportedly possessed a Stag Arms 5.56-MM rifle, and though he claimed to have a 12-round magazine, there was no SAFE Act violation found.

Ryan M. Warner, 38, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Warner allegedly stole several boxes of Crest White Strips from the CVS on West Main Street. Warner was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

Jacqueline Raj Garrett, 36, of Walnut Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to complete community service. Garrett was sentenced for aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Garrett was jailed on $100,000 bail.

Hector L. Gomez, 19, of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with obstructed view, criminal possession of marijuana, 4th, and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd. During a traffic stop on Liberty Street, Batavia, officers reported detecting the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The stop was at 4:43 p.m. Thursday by Officer Chad Richards. Gomez allegedly had marijuana in several different containers in the vehicle.

Jerell J. Jones Sr., 27, of Watson Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd. Jones is accused of using a knife during an altercation at 1:15 a.m. Oct. 11 at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. Jones was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Lamar I. Randall, 30, of South Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with false personation, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, driving without ignition interlock, unlicensed operator, failure to stop at stop sign. Randall was stopped at 1:47 a.m. Saturday on Garfield Avenue, Batavia, by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk. Randall was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Eric John Polle, 45, of Meadow Farms South, North Chili, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Polle was allegedly involved in an incident where he physically harassed another male at a location on Maple Avenue, Oakfield, at 4:18 p.m. on Jan. 27. Children were allegedly present at the time. He was jailed on $500 bail or $1,000 bond.

Douglas James Hanley, 25, of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine. Hanley was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.