Shoppers at Batavia Town Center today could get a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.

A motor-vehicle accident with a minor injury is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 392. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

A pedestrian has been struck by a vehicle and is injured at Ellicott and Jackson streets. City fire and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: A car was turning left from Jackson Street onto Ellicott Street. The light was green and two pedestrians were crossing in the crosswalk, but the driver reported he did not see them and "bumped" into them. An adult female was transported to UMMC after being evaluated by a medic. She complained of hip pain. A child who was walking with her was not injured. The driver was cited by a police officer.

Marissa Anne Brennan, 22, of North Byron Road, Byron, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny. She was arrested on Nov. 21 after allegedly stealing property in excess of $1,000 on Nov. 17 on North Byron Road, Byron. She was jailed and bail set at $2,500. The case was handled by Sheriff's deputy Ryan DeLong, assisted by Deputy James Diehl.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Foundation invites the community to enjoy the holiday season at Encore with the theme: "Nature's Bounty: Roots to Bloom."

The annual gala on Tuesday, Dec. 15, features seasonal music from the two-time Grammy Award winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Associate Conductor Stefan Sanders. Encore raises funds for GCC student scholarships and will be chaired this year by Robert ('74) and Lori Bennett of Le Roy. Robert currently serves on the GCC Foundation Board of Directors.

Reservations for Encore: Nature's Bounty: Roots to Bloom are requested by Nov. 30. Questions can be directed to the GCC Foundation at (585) 345-6809 or via e-mail foundation@genesee.edu.

Proceeds from Encore support the GCC Foundation Scholarship Fund. Five Star Bank has again generously signed on to be the event's Benefactor Sponsor. Sponsorship support is available at the following levels:

•    Conductor's Circle - $1,000 entitles donor to six tickets for the event, including a prelude reception at 5 p.m. with BPO Associate Conductor Stefan Sanders;

•    Golden Baton Society - $600 and four tickets, including prelude reception;

•    Inner Circle - $300 and two tickets, including prelude reception;

•    Patron - $100 per ticket.

The event begins with a prelude sponsor reception at 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Stuart Steiner Theatre. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Conductor Sanders, who is making his first appearance at Genesee Community College's Encore Gala, and also artist, curator and collector Gerald Mead.

Guests can explore Mead's exhibition on display in the Roz Steiner Art Gallery which is entitled, "Of Niagara: Works from The Gerald Mead Collection." The exhibit features the work of 62 artists from Niagara County covering all media including an early 20th Century watercolor by Raphael Beck, designer of the seal for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition, and a 2014 digital photograph by Joe Ziolkowski, current instructor of Photography at GCC.

At 6 p.m., guests will move into the William W. Stuart Forum for a dinner reception with sensational food selections and a cash bar. After dinner, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra takes the Stuart Steiner Theatre stage for a holiday pops concert lead by Conductor Sanders beginning at 8 p.m. The evening concludes with an exquisite dessert nightcap at 9:30 to be held in the Wolcott J. Humphrey III Student Union.

Sanders is an imaginative musician, devoted educator and ardent champion of many types of music. He holds the Montante Family Endowed Associate Conductor Chair with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, where he leads performances on the Classical and Popular series, as well as Education and Family concerts. In addition, Sanders is the new music director for the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra.

He has collaborated with an array of distinguished guest artists and orchestras including engagements with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Guayaquil (Ecuador), Virginia Symphony, Symphoria (Syracuse), Naples (Fla.) Philharmonic, and four Texas companies -- San Antonio Symphony, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin Lyric Opera, Corpus Christi Opera, as well as the Round Top International Festival Institute. Sanders makes his European debut with the Filharmonia Warminsko-Mazurska in Olsztyn, Poland, this season.

Prior to his conducting career, Sanders was an internationally renowned trombonist, performing as a soloist in North America, Asia and Europe, and was a member of the BPO's trombone section for seven seasons. He was invited by Sir Elton John to play in the orchestra for his Radio City Music Hall concerts in 2004, which was recorded for the Bravo Television Network.

He began his formal conducting studies at the University of Texas at Austin, studying as a fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen under the tutelage of maestros Robert Spano, Larry Rachleff and Hugh Wolff. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the Juilliard School.

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Racing fans may want to take a break from their holiday Black Friday shopping to check out tonight's Batavia Downs live racing program.

The 12-race card features very healthy carryover pools in both the Pick-5 and Pick-6 wagers.

The Pick-5 that runs from race five to race nine begins with a carryover pool of $864. And the elusive Pick-6, that starts with race seven and runs through race 12, has a carryover pool of $2,137.

First race post time is 6:15 tonight. Racing at America’s oldest lighted harness track continues three nights a week through Dec. 12.

Press release from Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble:

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a domestic incident which occured at about 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in the Town of Pembroke.

The incident involved a forcible entrance of the female victim's residence and shots fired by the victim at the male suspect. The pair had previously been in a relationship. The victim suffered minor injuries during the incident.

Sheriff's patrols responded but did not locate the suspect, who fled the area in an unknown vehicle prior to their arrival.

The investigation continued overnight until informaiton was developed that the suspect was at a residence in the Village of Akron. At about 11:25 this morning, deputies assisted by troopers and an Akron Police officer entered the residence where they located the suspect. He had a gunshot wound to his leg. EMS was called and he was transported for medical treatment.

At this stage of the investigation, no names or additional details are being released. A more detailed release will follow.

There is a report of heavy smoking showing from an apartment at 103 W. Main St., Building 1, Apt. #5, Le Roy, the Royal Apartments.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance along with Bergen, Pavilion and Town of Batavia's Fast Team are dispatched.

UPDATE 3:24 p.m.: Second alarm responders can stage in quarters.

Bill Moon came home to his house on Bank Street, City of Batavia, Saturday evening to find a bullet hole in a family room window. A neighbor said he heard the shot ring out between 4 and 5 p.m.

Fortunately, Moon said, nobody was home at the time, but he blames the county's new law allowing long rifles to be used during deer season.

He said Batavia PD, a Sheriff's deputy and a Department of Environmental Conservation officer responded and agreed the shot likely came from a .30-caliber rifle, such as a .30-30 or .30-06.

The bullet passed through the family room and into the kitchen.

A spokesman for Batavia PD confirmed a complaint was filed and law enforcement responded, but said the investigation is being handled by the DEC. We were unable to reach the DEC for further information.

Photo submitted by Bill Moon.

Diana Zinni, second from left, a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter who grew up in Le Roy, returned to her hometown Wednesday night for a performance at Smokin’ Eagle BBQ & Brew.

The show was in support of an Indiegogo fundraising campaign for her debut album (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/diana-zinni-s-debut-album#/). She is pictured before Wednesday’s show with, from left, her mother Cathy Zinni and friends Ken Plossl and Kelly Nichols. They’re being photobombed by Zinni’s father, Rick.

 A mattress that was on fire was pulled outside at 2 Valley View Drive, Batavia, and the fire is now believed to be out and contained. 

 Town of Batavia fire responding.

The Kiwanis Club of Batavia will host its annual free Thanksgiving Day skate at the Falleti Ice Arena starting at 9 a.m.

The event ends at 11 a.m.

Free skate rentals while supplies last, and free hot chocolate.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported in the area 7639 Batavia Stafford Townline, unknown injuries.

Elba fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 10:05 p.m.: A first responder reports no injuries.

Genesee County workers have something to be thankful for this season.

The unemployment rate — and the number of county residents without jobs — are both down, thanks in part, perhaps, to robust job creation in the Buffalo and Rochester regions.

Genesee County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.6 percent to 4.2 percent from October 2014 to October 2015, according to the New York State Department of Labor.

The Labor Department said there were 29,000 people with jobs in Genesee County, an increase of .2 percent from the 28,800 reported in 2014.

A total of 1,300 county residents are without jobs. That represents a decrease of .1 percent, or 100 people, between October 2014 and this year, the Labor Department said.

Jobless numbers were reported down in every county statewide. Unemployment in the Buffalo-Niagara region was 4.8 percent (down from 5.4 percent in October 2014), while the five-county Rochester region rate was 4.5 percent (down from 5.1 percent).

Unemployment rate figures are not seasonally adjusted, the Labor Department cautioned, meaning they do not reflect hiring related to holidays or the weather. Year-to-year comparisons are considered valid.

Between September and October 2015, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.1 percent to 4.8 percent, its lowest level since 2007.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department on Tuesday said the state’s private sector job count increased by 168,600 from October 2014 to October 2015. The number of private sector jobs in New York state was a record 7,859,000.

The Buffalo-Niagara Falls and Rochester metro areas were among the top five in the state for private sector job growth.

Rochester added 8,400 private sector jobs between October 2015 and October 2014, an increase of 1.9 percent. Buffalo-Niagara falls added 8,700, an increase of 1.8 percent.

At the same time, Genesee County lost 200 private sector and government jobs, according to the Labor Department. That represents a decrease of .9 percent.

New York’s strengthening economy reflects the national outlook. U.S. economic growth during the third quarter was revised up to 2.1 percent, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

The U.S. Commerce Department had previously reported a rate of 1.5 percent, the Times said.

The news pleased economists:

For all of 2015, the rate of economic growth is expected to be about 2.5 percent, not much different from the 2.4 percent rate in 2014.

The tepid pace prompted Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, to call this the “tortoise recovery” in a recent note to clients. But that sobriquet does not mean the economy has been uniformly lackluster.

“While this expansion may go uncelebrated, growth in fact has been good enough to achieve a great deal of cumulative progress in the labor market,” he added. “We now expect that the U.S. economy will reach full employment within the next 12 months — the ‘tortoise recovery’ looks to be approaching the finishing line.”

Tom McGinnis loves Thanksgiving. It’s his favorite day of the year. 

And what’s love if it isn’t shared?

So once again on Thursday, McGinnis will open the doors of the “party barn” on his town of Le Roy property, for a community Thanksgiving dinner.

“Thanksgiving is my favorite day,” McGinnis said. “No matter what goes on for the rest of the year, on one day you take time to be thankful for what you have — or what you’ve been able to keep.

“Even as a kid, I liked Thanksgiving,” he added. “There are no presents to buy, you have friends around and you can help somebody who is less fortunate.”

McGinnis, who owns McGinnis Excavating, has been doing just that for 14 years. His invitation is extended to anyone in the Le Roy and surrounding communities who is in need, or just doesn’t want to sit home alone this year.

Typically, about 40 or 50 people stop in at some point every year.

Service begins about 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

(Rides and deliveries are also available, but reservations are requested by 5 p.m. today. For information McGinnis Excavating at (585) 768-6769.)

“Last year we had some people from Mumford (and) Caledonia,” he said. “And we probably delivered a dozen dinners.

“I never know how many people we’re going to have, but we always have enough food,” McGinnis said.

This year, he’s stocked 50 pounds of turkey, two large hams, a pair of big pork roasts, plenty of squash and all the trimmings.

It’ll be cooked up and served in the “party barn” behind the McGinnis home on Gully Road.

There’s a joke about why so many men love Thanksgiving: They enjoy a feast while the women are stuck doing all the work.

Not so for McGinnis. A few friends always arrive early to pitch in, but he will probably take care of about 90 percent of the preparation and cleanup himself.

“That’s my hobby, cooking,” McGinnis said. “So I share it with people and hope they enjoy.”

A worker is preparing the foundation for a sundial so it can be permanently placed in the plaza in front of Batavia City Hall.

The Batavia Centennial Committee and its Legacy Sponsors are going to present the sundial as a gift to the city.

The sculpture, designed by local architect Ed Smart, is made of steel and teak, with stainless steel lettering, and is said to be virtually maintenance free. It costs $15,000 to $20,000 and is being paid for by the contributions several local businesses made to the Centennial Celebration as "Legacy Sponsors."

There's no expense to the city. The City Council has already approve placement of the sculpture on city property.

Michael A. Hahn is indicted for the crime of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on Aug. 25, 2014, in the Town of Darien, that Hahn knowingly and unlawfully sold a controlled substance, methamphetamine. In count two, Hahn is accused of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, also a Class D felony, for allegedly knowingly and unlawfully possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell it.

Jequan D. Patterson is accused of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E Felony. It is alleged that on July 8 in Le Roy, Patterson drove a 2015 Kia on I-90 while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a Class E felony, for allegedly having a BAC of .08 percent or more at the time. In count three, he accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony, for having a child age 15 or less as a passenger. In count four, Patterson is accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated for allegedly having a BAC of .08 percent or more while a child age 15 or less was a passenger. In count five, Patterson is accused of the crime of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly knowlingly acting in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 17 years old. Also, Special Information is filed for this indictment by District Attorney. It accuses Patterson of having been convicted of the crime of DWI, as a misdemeanor, on Feb. 27, 2006, in City of Rochester Court and that was within 10 years of the commission of the crimes now alleged.

David M. Heschke is accused of the crime of driving while intoxicated, as a Class E felony. It is alleged that on May 3 in the Town of Pavilion that Heschke drove a 2006 Nissan on Route 20 while intoxicated. In count two, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a Class E felony, for having a BAC of .18 percent or more at the time. In count three, he is accused of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, a Class E felony, for driving while allegedly knowing, or having reason to know, that his driver's license was suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by authorities, and doing so while allegedly intoxicated. Also, Special Information is filed for this indictment by District Attorney. It accuses Heschke of having been convicted of the crime of DWI on Sept. 5, 2012, in Town of Batavia Court and that conviction forms the basis of the revocation referred to in count three of this indictment.

James J. Spivey, 17, of Child Street, Rochester, is charged with burglary, attempted second-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. The youth is accused of entering Batavia High School without permission with the intent to fight a student there. The defendant did allegedly engage in a fight with the student, who is under age 17, and during the fight used a dangerous instrument in an attempt to injure the student.

Erica Michelle Raphael, 30, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Raphael is accused of stealing merchandise from the Rite Aid on West Main Street Road, Batavia.

Tyler Austin Stoddard, 21, of Meiser Road, Corfu, is charged with making graffiti. Stoddard was arrested on a warrant. He is accused of drawing a picture of a penis on the wall of the ATM at the M&T Bank branch in Corfu.

Michael F. Geer, 24, no permanent address, is charged with burglary, 2nd, petit larceny, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief, 4th. Geer allegedly entered a residence on Trumbull Parkway, took the keys to a vehicle that was parked in the driveway, and unlawfully moved the vehicle, striking the back porch. He was jailed on no bail.

Amber N. Wallace, 26, of Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Wallace is accused of drinking a "5-hour ENERGY" drink without paying for it while at work at a business on Jackson Street.

Michael A. Wroten, 48, of Highland Parkway, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. Wroten was located by probation officers and turned over to Batavia PD. He was jailed on $2,500 cash bail.

Nikayla C. Jackson, 18, of Slusser Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment and fourth-degree criminal mischief. Jackson allegedly pushed another person and damaged property while inside that person's apartment at 8:25 p.m., Nov. 9.

Jessica L. Ford, 24, of Perry Road, Le Roy, is charged with violation of probation. Ford was arrested on warrants issued by City Court.

Deborah R. Blatt, 54, of East Main Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant. She was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Chercal A. Smith, 20, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with violation of probation. Smith was observed by Officer James DeFreze, who was aware of a warrant for Smith's arrest, on Court Street. Smith was taken into custody without incident.

Cody N. Proefrock, 23, of West Court Street, Warsaw, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation. Proefrock was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on the listed charges.

Sara A. Weaver, 46, of Watson Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear in court and for aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd. Weaver was arrested following a traffic stop by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Nicholas G. Serret, 19, of 15 Dewain St., Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. The subject was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Corfu Police for speeding on Route 77 at 2:34 p.m. on Nov. 24. The subject was allegedly found to have a plastic baggie containing about three grams of marijuana. The case was investigated by Corfu PD Officer Michael Petritz.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported on the Thruway near mile marker 397.5, eastbound. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.