Stories from

I was out in Elba chasing a story that didn't pan out, but I remembered I've long wanted to stop by the Pine Hill Cemetery on a fall day.

Closed, hole-dotted roads, heavy equipment parked in yards, and the smell -- the odor of open sewers -- residents around North Street are getting fed up with the months-long sewer repair project.

When work started in July, the expectation was that the worked would be completed by early September. It's now Nov. 1 and there's seemingly no end in sight.

WBTA's Geoff Redick spoke with Project Manager Mike Amadori of Tom Greenauer Development, who reportedly told Redick the company will "probably be facing litigation" over the delayed project.

The work is being done on North Street, Ross Street, Miller Avenue and Seneca Avenue.

"It's very annoying," Mary Beth Suozzi told WBTA News. She lives at 156 Ross St. "Every morning I take my son to school, and I don't know which way I'm going – and then when I come back, I'm blocked off," she said.

Sometimes, Suozzi's own driveway is obstructed by machines, preventing her from leaving for as much as a half-hour.

"The sewer smell is really bad," she continued, "...it permeates through the whole house."

She also noted that the loud noises often shake her house and that the Greenauer crews were "pretty rude" when they were on scene. (Currently, Greg Post General Services of Batavia is subcontracting, and Suozzi says that crew is more pleasant.)

There's apparently no official explanation for why the project is delayed.

For the complete story, click here.

If you're looking for coverage of the homicide in the parking lot of Walmart in Albion, The Batavian won't be covering the story. We concentrate our limited resources on Genesee County.

However, WBTA has coverage.

While on Harvester Avenue this morning, I took a short walk through the Batavia Cemetery, because it's always possible to find a picture in the Batavia Cemetery on a clear fall day.

What was once the home to a father, mother and their six children on Harvester Avenue was reduced to rubble Tuesday morning.

The house was badly damaged in a fire Sunday afternoon that started after one of the children was reportedly playing with a lighter in a back bedroom.

The family lost almost all of their belongings.

Owner and landlord Andy Young said the structure was insured. He doesn't have plans to rebuild on the property at 23 Harvester Ave.

Press release:

Batavia, NY – The Batavia Muckdogs, Class A affiliate of the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, today announced ticket prices, packages and game times for the seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games that will be played at Dwyer Stadium in 2012.

The Yankees will play at Dwyer Stadium on the following dates and game times:

• Friday, April 20 vs. Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, April 2 vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
• Sunday, April 22 vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
• Monday, April 23 vs. Norfolk at 12:05 p.m.
• Saturday, May 5 vs. Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, May 6 vs. Pawtucket at 1:05 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 12 vs. Louisville (Cincinnati Reds Affiliate) at 11:05 a.m.

Individual game ticket prices for those games will be as follows:

Box Seats                                           $9

General Admission (Adult)                  $8

General Admission (JR/SR)                 $7

The Muckdogs will also be offering a ticket package that will allow fans to see all seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium next season. Those prices are as follows:

Yankees Ticket Package

Box Seats                   $50

General Admission     $43

Current Muckdogs season seat holders will have the opportunity to reserve their seats for the Yankees games at $50 for box seats and $43 for General Admission. Seat holders will have until Jan. 1 to reserve their seats for the Yankees games before they will be released to the general public. Individual seats for Yankees games will go on sale March 5.

Season tickets, coupon books, ticket packages and individual game ticket prices for Muckdogs games will remain unchanged for 2012. Muckdogs coupon books will not be redeemable for the seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium.

All packages are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling 585-343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's been the talk of the town for a couple of months -- a big food processing plant is being planned for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

The plant has been described as "O-AT-KA-sized" and could employ from 200 to 300 people.

Sources tell The Batavian it's now pretty much a done deal and more information should be coming out soon.

This is the second big-win for the GCEDC's agri-business park off of Route 5 in the Town of Batavia.

Last month, Colombia-based Alpina Products broke ground on a yogurt processing plant that will start out employing 50 people.

There's an item on the Town of Batavia's Planning Board agenda tonight that deals with further subdivision of the agri-park. We may find out more at this meeting.

Harvester Avenue is being closed for the time being for a building to be torn down.

That could mean the house involved in a fire on Sunday or another house on the street that is boarded up, or ... 

It seemed like half the kids in Batavia were on Ellicott Avenue tonight for Halloween trick or treat. Most of the homes on the street had treats available. A couple of residents said they prepare for at least 500 children to visit each year.

I fyou can't view the slide show below, click here. 

To purchase photos from this event, click here.

Le Roy Fire Department is responding to a two-car accident on East Main in which at least one person reportedly lost consciousness.

UPDATE 7:42 a.m.: An ALS (advanced life support) and BLS (basic life support) ambulance requested to the scene. Traffic control requested. Chief: "We're going to have to pop a door."

On Saturday, three local law enforcement agencies collected prescription drugs that were no longer needed in order to sure safe destruction of the drugs.

Here's the results of the drop off:

• Batavia PD: 169 vehicles, and a total of 487.5 lbs;
• Le Roy PD:  46 vehicles, and a total of 144.8 lbs;
• Sheriff's Office, in Pembroke: 36 vehicles, and a total of 53.5 lbs.

Aaron J. Wood, 20, of Iroquois Road, Caledonia, is charged with petit larceny. Wood is accused of unwrapping and eating a $3 pizza while in the Tops Market in Le Roy. Wood allegedly tried to leave the store without paying for the pizza.

Joseph Dennis Vendetta, 30, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, tinted windows and driver's view obstructed. Vendetta was stopped at 2:21 a.m., Saturday, on Richmond Avenue by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Billy Joe Budziszewski, 20, of Alleghany Road, Corfu, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Budziszewski is accused of getting into a dispute with his father Friday morning. During the dispute, Budziszewski allegedly became verbally abusive and punched the kitchen wall and front door, causing some damage during the argument. Budziszewski also allegedly had a pair of metal knuckles in his bedroom dresser.

Luis Geraldo Pacheco, 49, of Webster Avenue, Rochester, is charged with three counts of criminal contempt, 2nd. Pacheco is accused of violating a stay away order on three separate occasions.

Melvin Gaylord Draper, 30, of Webber Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated DWI (BAC of .18 or greater), aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, and improper signal. Draper was stopped at 12:47 a.m., Saturday, on Bank Street Road, Batavia, by Sgt. Brian Frieday.

Gene Robert Schmidt, 44, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 and failure to keep right. Schmidt was stopped at 1:33 a.m., Saturday, on Bowen Road, Alexander, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Trent H. Burgess, 39, of West Avenue Brockport, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 and speeding (89 mph in a 55 mph zone). Burgess was stopped at 12:26 a.m., Sunday, on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Howard Carlson.

Brian James Nelson, 24, of Grove Street, Painted Post, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and driving left of pavement markings in a no-passing zone. Nelson was arrested following the investigation by Deputy Jason Saile into a one-car accident at 6:04 a.m., Sunday, on Route 77 in Darien. 

Daniel L. Cone, 51, of 6380 Clinton St. Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speed not reasonable and prudent, following too closely and moving unsafely from lane. Cone was stopped at 5:55 p.m., Saturday, on East Main Street, Batavia, by Officer Dan Coffey.

Lawrence D. Williams, 51, of 148 Hutchins St., Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Williams was allegedly found in possession of a small quantity of cocaine following a traffic stop.

Scott G. Tooley, 26, of 199 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Tooley is accused of leaving a young child at home without adequate supervision.

A driver was hospitalized Sunday morning after a one-car crash on the Lewiston Road bridge over the Thruway in Batavia.

The driver, Staci L. Casper, 24, of 7599 Lewiston Road, Oakfield, was taken by ambulance to UMMC with minor injuries.

A toddler in the car, Dominic R. Davies, was not injured.

Casper was southbound on Lewiston Road at 7:30 a.m., Sunday, when for an unknown reason she lost control of her 1995 Honda. Her car struck the east side guard rail.

No citations were issued.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Icy conditions are being blamed for a two-car accident at 7 a.m., Friday, that sent one person to the hospital with minor injuries.

The accident occurred on the Route 98 bridge over the Thruway.

Matthew A. Button, 28, of 7703 Lewiston Road, Batavia, was northbound on Route 98 when his 2007 Toyota spun out of control, sliding into the southbound lane and striking a 2005 Jeep driven by William P. Shelhorse, 67, of 23 West Ave., Elba.

Button's car then slide over to the west side guard rail.

Shelhorse was taken by a Mercy EMS ambulance to UMMC.

Button was cited for alleged failure to slow for hazardous conditions.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson.

(Initial Report)

A Le Roy elementary school principal is among the three finalists vying to become superintendent of the Byron-Bergen Central School District.

The school district announced the three finalists -- from a field of eight candidates -- who will go through a series of meetings, tours and interviews at the school this week.

The finalists are Edmund "Casey" Kosiorek, elementary principal in Le Roy; David J. Glover, superintendent, Morristown Central School District; and, Michael J. Davis, elementary principal, Webster Central School District.

In all, 27 people applied for the job.

The school board anticipates making an appointment by mid-November.

Before heading to Rochester for the Elba/Byron-Bergen playoff game, I was able to take advantage of a beautiful morning sky and what's left of fall colors.

The photo above actually began with an idea yesterday. Not satisfied with the shots from yesterday (which I didn't publish), I went back this morning with a different idea of how to get the shot I originally imagined. That involved standing across the street and using a telephoto lens. The funny part was the group of youths who walked by clearly puzzled by what I might be photographing.

The back of the old fire house on Main Street.

This is on Clinton Street Road in Bergen, taken on my way to Rochester. I've driven by this tree many times thinking it could make a great shot in the right circumstances. This is almost it.

It was a great run for Elba/Byron-Bergen in 2011, but in Rochester on Sunday, a good season came to an end at the hands of the Livonia Bulldogs.

It was a close game, but the Bulldogs were just that much better.

"Livonia made the most out of their opportunities," Coach Mike Cintorino said. "We had some opportunities that we didn’t cash in on."

Final score: Livonia 26, Elba 18.

The Lancers fought hard and while opportunities may have been missed, no major mistakes assisted Livonia.

Livonia gained more yards (297 to 244) and held the ball longer (28:51 to 19:09), but Elba/BB was able to move the ball on many of its drives, yet on a couple of drives weren't able to put the ball in the end zone.

Zack DuBois scored two TDs, gaining 161 yards on 21 carries. Matt Ramsey made two catches for 32 yards. 

Cody Taylor also scored a touchdown.

For Livonia, QB Wyatt Struble completed nine passes for 120 yards. Derek Bishop scored two touchdowns and Dustin Ayers and Josh Wester each scored a TD.

The loss clearly upset the Elba/BB players and Cintorino said the emotional reaction demonstrates how hard the players worked and how close they had grown as a team.

"We didn’t want the season to end," Cintorino said. "There’s a lot of teams that break it down in terms of family. When we broke it down to family, it meant something. We worked hard together and we just didn’t want the season to end."

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here.

To purchase photos from this game, click here.

For each Elba/Byron-Bergen score, the Livonia Bulldogs have had an answer, though neither team has had much success with extra point tries. The score is 12-12 in this Section V Class B semifinal game.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m.: Elba/BB loses 26-18.