Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul made a pair of stops in Genesee County today, including a tour of p.w. minor led by owners Andrew Young and Peter Zeliff. 

The shoe manufacturing company recently received a boost from the governor's office to help move 100 jobs from China back to Batavia.

Hochul also spoke this morning at Genesee County Criminal Justice Day at Genesee Community College.

Photos submitted by p.w. minor.

An unknown-type wire fell onto an occupied vehicle at 31 Ganson Ave. in the city. The person remains inside and city fire is responding.

UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: A firefighter on scene says it's a cable line.

A confirmed residential structure fire is reported at 6616 Snyder Road, Elba, located between Lockport and Weatherwax roads. It is a vacant house and the fire was called in from a passerby who said he saw flames inside. All available manpower from Elba fire is called to the scene, along with mutual aid from Oakfield, Byron and Bergen. Town of Batavia is asked to fill in at Elba's fire hall.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/6616+Snyder+Rd,+Oakfield,+NY+14125/@43.0922189,-78.2174804,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89d3f3eeec8511f1:0x8dd3115440501a07

UPDATE 1:17 p.m.: A code enforcement officer from Elba is called to the scene.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m.: The Elba assignment is back in service. Barre also responded.

Photos by Jim Burns.

Photos from Albert Kurek. He isn't sure where the photos were taken. There's a sign that says "Wiard Plows" and a "Le Roy Plows" sign. The men are NYS Troopers and the photos are from 1921, Kurek said.

A structure fire is reported on Alleghany Road at the "Emerson Building," Pembroke, consignment store. It is believed to be electrical in nature. Power is off. National Grid advised. Traffic will be stopped at Route 77 (Alleghany Road) and Phelps Roads, Indian Falls. Fire departments from Pembroke, East Pembroke, Indian Falls, Alabama, Oakfield, Corfu, Darien and Town of Batavia are called to respond.

UPDATE 1:20 a.m.: City of Batavia's first platoon is called to its headquarters. The structure on fire is described as located between a house and a barn and they are "using the consignment store as the address."

UPDATE 1:27 a.m.: The property owner has a generator near the house and is told to come in and shut it down, too. "We've got nothing (firefighting capability) on the backside of this and I need something on the front." The response is they are awaiting "more interiors" (crew) to the scene.

UPDATE 1:29 a.m.: A Crittenden tanker is asked to start to the scene in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 1:38 a.m.: Command asks that the crew from Newstead be told to bring in a thermal imaging camera. Establishing a draft to charge one or more of the water lines appears to be difficult.

UPDATE 1:39 a.m.: Elba is asked to stand by in East Pembroke's fire hall. A 65-gallon drum near the fire scene has caused firefighters some pause, but the owner reports it is empty. However, there IS a full or partially full propane tank inside a building, he reports. Both lines that are charged "are pushing water," says a firefighter. The actual address is given as 7887 Alleghany Road.

UPDATE 1:45 a.m.: "We are having an issue with the hydrant here, and we're changing locations," says a firefighter. Dispatch says the fire is reported to be knocked down (under control).

UPDATE 1:53 a.m.: Google Maps show the location as north of Housekneckt Road, well south of Schafer Potato Farms. "It looks like the main part of the fire is out," a firefighter tells command.

UPDATE 1:56 a.m.: A secondary draft has been established as they continue to squelch the blaze.

UPDATE 2:12 a.m.: They are doing overhaul at the site. There will be no further posts on this incident unless warranted.

A "possible chimney fire" is reported at 5405 Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford. The caller reports she closed the damper but flames can still be seen coming the chimney outside. The location is between West Lake Road and East Lake Road. Stafford fire is responding along with mutual aid from the Town of Batavia.

UPDATE 7:04 p.m.: Fire command calls for a thermal camera to the scene.

UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Problem resolved. Stafford assignment is back in service.

Le Roy First Presbyterian Church, at Main and Clay streets in Le Roy, is having a spaghetti dinner this afternoon from 4 to 6:30. Also going on now and continuing throughout the day is a sale with craft vendors, including the entire yard of the church decorated with metal art from Adam’s Welding and Fabrication. 

Sometimes canvas and an easel just isn’t enough for an artist with a big idea. Sometimes, you need to search out a different medium, something bigger, like a building. Brian Kemp is spearheading an effort to connect commercial business owners with artists of all genres to create the “Batavia City Canvas Art Trail.” Brian envisions this art trail as 20 to 30 works of art painted directly on a building or weatherproof art hung on a building. The art trail will incorporate existing works, such as those in Jackson Square, as well as planned new works.

Brian is asking for volunteer business owners to donate a specific portion of an exterior wall for the art trail. Artists are asked to donate their time and talents for creating these works on the buildings.  Artists interested in participating are asked to submit representative samples of their original works so the building owners can be matched with suitable artists.

Below, Brian readies the side of his building for future paintings by local artists.

Much like the Le Roy Barn Quilts, Brian plans on printing free maps for a self-guided tour. The maps will be available available for the patrons of the establishments that are participating in the Batavia City Canvas Art Trail as either a cash sponsor or donation of wall space. 

Kemp says, “This is a creative project between building owners and local artists. Just a grassroots effort to place art into our community with the goal of making Batavia a more vibrant place to live and work.”

For more information or to participate in the Batavia City Canvas Art Trail please contact Brian Kemp at 585-345-1993 or bataviacitycanvasarttrail@gmail.com

To learn more about the LeRoy Barn Quilts go to: http://www.leroybarnquilt.org

The man federal authorities identified as the owner of the former 420 Emporium that was a source of synthetic drugs in Batavia will serve 30 months in prison and forfeit $771,109 dollars in seized money.

Charles Fitzgerald was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Friday.

He had previously entered a guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

The 420 Emporium, which was located at 400 Ellicott St., was the locus of synthetic drug dealing in Batavia for a period in the summer of 2012. Bath salts and synthetic marijuana appeared to be at the root of bizarre behavior by some users and the cause of seizures and other medical conditions that landed people in the emergency room at UMMC.

In July, 2012, local and federal authorities raided the 420 Emporium as part of a nationwide operation to crack down on synthetic drug trafficking.

The home of Fitzgerald in Greece, which he shared with co-defendant Amber Snover, was also raided, where authorities seized boxes of drugs as well as a bag full of cash.

Snover has also entered a guilty plea and will be sentenced June 23 in U.S. District Court.

Jordan Fluker was named 2015 Mr. Batavia in the third annual competition at Batavia High School on Friday night.

Proceeds from the event -- $3,000 this year, a new record -- goes to the charity of Fluker's choice, which was Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The 11 contestants were Bryce Rogers, Andrew Maniace, Samir Jain, Dylan Beckman, Brandon Smart, Josh Franks, Adam Taylor, Eric DiLaura, Nick Bauer, Jordan Fluker and Ben Demare.

Tuxedos for the event were provided by Charles Men's Shop and Reed Eye Associations donated sunglasses to the 11 young men.

The competition included a talent show, swimsuits, and question-and-answer and the tuxedo walk. 

To purchase prints, click here.

An accident with injuries is reported at 1195 Taylor Road, Pavilion. Pavilion fire is called to respond.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at 7000 Appletree Avenue, Bergen. Bergen fire and fire police requested to the scene along with an ambulance. Law enforcement on scene.

UPDATE 5:28 p.m.: Bergen Ambulance is transporting one patient to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Police officers are sorting things out and trying to determine whether a crime was actually committed earlier today in what was initially reported as a robbery at the Dollar General store on East Main Street, Batavia.

A robbery was reported at 11:20 and police received a description of a suspect and a suspect vehicle. 

Within minutes, the vehicle was stopped and three people inside were detained and questioned and subsequently released.

"The investigation is ongoing," said Sgt. Dan Coffey. "There's no question that these individuals were the ones involved in the incident, if that's what you're asking. They were definitely at the store. They were definitely involved in the incident. We're working to determine whether a crime occured."

Coffey said there were things said in the store and police are trying to determine if anything happened that constitutes a crime.

No merchandise nor money were taken from the store.

A 2-year-old is missing from 7278 Maple Ave. in Bergen. Law enforcement has called for Bergen volunteer firefighters to help locate the tot. They are asked to started their search at Maple Avenue on Route 33.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: Child has been found. The fire department is asked to stand down.

The call center -- or as the folks at Tompkins Insurance call it, the "care center" -- that the Batavia-based financial company opened on the second floor of Main and Center streets now has 27 staff members.

That means in less than six months, Tompkins has hit its three-year projected employment goal for the remodeled office space.

Tompkins purchased the building for $550,000 and has invested nearly $1 million in interior and exterior improvements, from gutting and refitting the entire second floor, putting in a new heating and air conditioning system, painting the outside and hanging new signs.

Investing in Downtown Batavia made good sense said David Boyce, president and CEO of the insurance unit.

"Batavia has been and continues to be a great draw for getting great employees," Boyce said. "Batavia is nicely centered within various counties. When we have an opening we get a lot of attention from people who want to work at a good company."

Prosecutors have 30 days to produce and turn over evidence in the Scott F. Doll murder case that may yield DNA from the Feb. 19, 2009 crime scene, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled in a decision released this afternoon.

Doll's attorney, Timothy P. Murphy, filed a pair of appeals related to Doll's 2010 murder conviction, which has him serving a 15-years-to-life prison sentence.

While Noonan granted the DNA appeal, he ruled against Doll on his motion that he received inadequate trial counsel.

At a hearing earlier this week, ADA William Zickl couldn't confirm for Noonan whether the evidence that might yield DNA still existed.

Noonan ruled the evidence be turned over, "subject to any disagreement as to protocol for the custody and preservation of such evidence, which will then be resolved on application to the Court."

On the representation issue, Murphy argued that attorneys Paul Cambria and Daniel Killelea failed to raise objections to Doll's transport from Pembroke to the Sheriff's Office the morning of the murder based on Fourth Amendment provisions.

Noonan ruled that the defense attorneys did adequately raise objections and that the appeals process had already upheld decisions to allow evidence gathered during that process -- statements by Doll and his clothing -- to be admitted at trial.

Doll was convicted by a jury of beating to death a former business partner and prison guard coworker, Joseph Benaquist.

The defense is seeking further DNA testing to establish whether a third person was at the murder scene, which the defense contends, if the DNA testing had been done prior to trial, could have changed the outcome of the case. The prosecution contends the evidence against Doll is so overwhelming that even if a third person's DNA is found at the scene, Doll would still be found guilty of murder by a jury.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: We asked Sheriff Gary Maha if the evidence still existed and was secured. His one-word answer: "yes."

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Jayson W. Dersham, 31, of Wortendyke Road, Alexander, is charged with attempted arson, 2nd. Dersham was arrested following an investigation into an incident on Maple Street in February. He was jailed on no bail.

Nickolas R. Miller, 23, of State Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant related to an unspecified charge. He turned himself in, was arraigned and jailed on $5,000 bail.

Glenn Homer Quintern, 56, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with exposure of a person. Quintern allegedly exposed his bare bottom at 4:38 p.m. Tuesday while on Central Avenue, in front of an adult and some children.

Kevin A. Cole, 36, of North Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Cole allegedly visited a person at that person's residence where the protected party resides in alleged violation of a stay away order.

Dan M. Carter, 53, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, and unregistered motor vehicle. Carter was stopped at 6:54 p.m. Wednesday on East Main Street for an alleged traffic infraction by Officer Nedim Catovic.

Vicky L. Devie, 57, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with uninspected motor vehicle and parking in city lot over the 15-minute limit. Devie turned herself in on a warrant and posted a $50 police bail.

Shane Zimblis, 44, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd. Zimblis is accused of stabbing another person in the arm with a kitchen fork during an argument.

Maurice A. Glasco, 36, of North Avenue, Medina, is charged with falsely reporting incident and unlawful possession of marijuana. Glasco is accused of falsely reporting an incident at 12:59 a.m. Saturday at 20 Main St., Batavia.

Colleen Frances Walker, 40, of Garfield Street, Rochester, is charged with possession of more than 400 untaxed cigarettes, speeding and unlicensed operator. Walker was stopped at 11:47 a.m., Thursday, on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves. She allegedly possessed 1,200 untaxed cigarettes.

A robbery just occurred at the Dollar General store on East Main Street in the City of Batavia. A heavy-set black male demanded everything inside the cash register from a clerk and left the store. He is said to be wearing jeans and a dark jacket. City police are responding.