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Paul Dibble, above, with Chief Randy McIntire, was named Firefighter of the Year for the Town of Batavia at the department's annual awards and installation dinner tonight.

Robert Mullen, top picture below, was honored for 233 calls in 2011, the most of any member of the department.

In all, the department responded to 294 calls (98 were false alarms).

Department members completed 2,738 training hours, and in all members gave the department 5,419 hours for calls and training. At the average $50 an hour of a paid personnel department, the town saved $270,000 over what it might have spent, McIntire said.

Line officers for 2012 are Chief McIntire, Deputy Chief Paul Barrett, First Assistant Chief Daniel Coffey, Second Assistant Chief Nathan Fix, Captain Christopher Long, Lieutenant Robert Tripp, Safety Officer Robert Hunt.

Corporate officers: President John Fitzsimmons, VP Dustin Holman, Secretary Ryan Palmer, Treasurer Donald Koziol, and directors are Robert Mullen, Daniel Jacques, Jeremy Hunt, Tim Yaeger and Steve Coburn.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley served as master of ceremonies.

Justice Mike Cleveland conducted the installation of officers.

Highway Superintendent Tom Lichtenthal spoke briefly about the department's master plan.

McIntire with the plaque that displays the names of department members with the most training hours and calls.

One of the annual features of the Ramble Music and Arts Festival in Batavia is the community ramble story -- it's built one paragraph at a time by whomever wants to jot down a few words.

The story has no clear plot and nobody knows how it's going to end.

At the 2011 Ramble, Ken and Jeannie Veltz realized maybe it was time to write there own ramble tale. With nothing holding them down or holding them back, they decided to sell nearly everything and hit the road with no way to make a buck except to find places to play their music.

"There was no one really who depended on us having a house or having anything, so we just said, 'let's roll the dice,' " Jeannie said.

The journey has carried them from their former home in Cold Spring to NYC, and through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, D.C., and even Batavia and Medina.

"It's been 278 days and literally we don't know what's next," Ken said.

One thing they lack that traveling musicians need to supplement their income is a CD to sell.

To help them get a CD recorded, properly mastered and pressed, the singer-songwriting duo figures they need to raise $7,500.

To accomplish that, they're working through a site called Kickstarter, which exists to help artists find funding for projects by soliciting donations from friends, fans and strangers intrigued by the project.

Kickstarters are all or nothing efforts -- if an artist can't get enough people to pledge the bankroll, the site collects nothing from the potential donors and the project isn't funded.

So far, the Veltz project has 17 backers and has raised 22 percent of its goal, which Ken said is generally considered a pretty good start. (To check out the Veltz Kickstarter project, click here.)

The musical journey for Ken Veltz began in Batavia.

Name Batavia musicians from the 1960s, from Bill McDonald to Jim Palumbo, and Veltz knew them or played with them.

"I coined the phrase that you can't throw a pizza across Main Street without hitting a musician, or visa versa," Ken said. "We had so many of both."

In the mid-1960s, Veltz was a member of the Squires, but when he graduated from high school all he wanted of Batavia was its skyline in his rear view mirror.

He moved to New York City and started a music career, and typical of musicians of the 1970s, there was plenty of drugs and booze to go with the gigs and good times.

It wasn't long before a major record label took an interest in his music, and Ken figured he had it made.

"People told me I was a good songwriter," Ken said. "I thought I was a good songwriter. I was respected there and I know I have a gift. What I didn't count on was the many setbacks that have come along the way."

Veltz said drugs and alcohol and just screwed-up living killed his first shot at a major label contract, and record label politics would dampen future opportunities.

He moved back to Western New York, joining the house band at the Murray Hotel, where Veltz also tended bar.

Some friends introduced him to a Literature major at SUNY Brockport, Jeannie Eagan.

Ken remembers her as shy and quiet, delicate and refined.

Nothing much happened between them until somebody told him Jeannie had written a song for a mutual friend's wedding, but she needed help finishing it.

"'Little Jeannie wrote a song?' I said. 'I didn't even know she could talk.' "

Ken went over to her place, helped her finish the song -- the last one they would write together until just recently -- and a 38-year-long journey together began.

Once married, they moved back to NYC area.

Another record deal came Ken's way, but internal strife at the company sabatoged it.

The Veltz family grew. They had three children -- Andrew, Laura and Allison. As the children grew up, they became musicians. The children formed a band and performed Ken's songs. When Ken and Jeannie joined the band, it became Cecilia, and the band was signed by Atlantic Records.

The deal came just as Atlantic was going through a shake-up following the AOL-Time Warner merger, and the band's career stalled.

There were also some medical issues for the family, so Cecillia stopped touring.

Amidst these life-changing events, Ken was having a bad day, and the weather was terrible. He was sitting outside, looking at the dark, heavy clouds above, and a bit of sunlight and blue sky poked through.

He said he realized, that's life -- the storm clouds are temporary, the blue sky is permanent.

The lyrics flowed from there.

Making peace with a life unraveled
Weightlessness is the way to travel

The song became "Flying," and will be the title track of the CD Ken and Jeannie hope to record through their Kickstarter project.

Jeannie said getting rid of their home and most of their possessions wasn't scary at all, but liberating.

"It's an amazingly free feeling, gathering what is essential and gathering up what means something to you," Jeannie said. "Most of what we sold was stuff that we would go to other people's garage sales and buy, stuff that didn't really mean anything to us."

Part of what enabled Ken and Jeannie to live the life of musical ramblers is that their children have grown and moved onto successful careers of their own. 

Andrew -- whom Ken said is one of the best guitarists he's ever played with -- has two children and is a successful videographer.

Laura and Allison both live in Nashville now and are making waves in Music City.

Allison Veltz got a publishing contract with a divison of Sony Music after her song "Mr. Taxi" (English verson sung by Allison) reached number one in Japan.

Laura Veltz was signed by Warner Records and her songs have been recored by several established country artists (you can listen to several of her songs on her website).

Ken thinks he and Jeannie will be watching their daughters on the Grammy Awards some time soon.

The New York Post did a story about Ken and Jeannie's ramble adventure, Ken said, and the writer made it sound like the duo was still chasing -- at ages 60 and 61 -- the Pop Star Dream, but that isn't right at all, Ken said.

"A lot of people think, what are you thinking, you think there’s going to be a line outside of Tower Records?" Ken said. "No we don’t. That’s not what we’re about at all. We just want to make a living doing what we do."

What Ken doesn't want to do is give up on a career that still has a chance to continue and maybe find new areas of success.

"I just can't stop fighting for it," Ken said. "A lot of people give up their dreams. It’s like escaping from prison. You’re in the tunnel and digging with your fingernails and the dirt looks, taste and smells just as it did when you started digging, just as it does when you’re four inches from freedom. A lot of people let their dreams die in the tunnel."

After another week in Batavia, Ken and Jeannie head to NYC for a month where they will play some shows and try to raise more money for their project.

From there, who knows -- Nashville, maybe Austin, maybe Gatlinburg, Tenn. They'll just ramble until they get to where ever they're going.

"We don’t know exactly what the destination is at this point, but I think we’ll know when we get there," Jeannie said.

Photos: Top and bottom photo by Howard Owens. Bottom inset photo by Howard Owens, taken at the 2011 Ramble. Top inset photo, of the Squires, from the official Ramble Music and Art Fest website.

A white male, who is suspected of shoplifting, has reportedly just run from Tops Market toward Kmart.

He's described as wearing a white shirt and white ball cap.

Batavia PD is responding.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: The suspect reportedly jumped into a white, compact car with a partial license plate of "FCE."

UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: Sounds like the vehicle has been located after police received a tip regarding its location.

Music students from nearly a dozen communities were in Batavia today for a strings workshop sponsored by the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.

The goal of the workshop was to prepare students to play in a concert April 29 at Elba Central School alongside members of the GSO.

Maestro Raffaele Ponti led the workshop assisted by string teachers Jonathan Jaeger, Andrea Meier, Annie Wright and Claudia Diebold.

While most of the students were children, adult students were also welcome.

Students attended from Perry, Pavilion, Elba, Batavia, Albion, Brockport, Pittsford, Wyoming, Middleport, Le Roy and Corfu.

The two pieces practiced today were "Dance of the Tumblers" from the "Snow Maiden" by Rimsky-Korsakov and "Barcarolle" from "Tales of Hoffman" by Offenbach.

County health officials are visiting some local retail stores today to see if they are selling so-called synthetic marijuana, and if they are, notifying the owners that the substances are now banned in New York.

Earlier this week, the NYS health commissioner issued an order prohibiting products that fall under the umbrella heading of “synthetic cannabinoids” — products that are sold as “incense” and not for human consumption but are often smoked as a substitute for pot -- from being sold in the state.

There have been numerous reports throughout the state of health-related issues arising from use of these products.

The ban does not make sale or possession a criminal violation, but merchants can be fined by the state for the sale of products covered by the ban, even if they claim they’re not selling them for human consumption.

David Whitcroft, interim public health director, said if environmental health inspectors find a local business selling a banned substance — which includes from a previous state ban synthetic meth, known as bath salts — the owner will be served with the commissioner's order, given an affidavit of service and the merchant will be required to cease selling the products or face the possibility of fines.

If actual enforcement of the ban is necessary, it will be handled by state health officials, not the county department, Whitcroft said.

Any merchant served with an order has 15 days to challenge it and present proof that the products being sold are not a public health danger.

The state provided county health departments with a list of suggested retail outlets to check for sale of synthetic marijuana, including convenience stores, gas stations, "head shops" and tattoo parlors.

The department also welcomes tips from local residents about the sale and distribution in the county of synthetic marijuana and bath salts by calling 344-2580, ext. 5001.

Whitcroft said health inspectors will visit every possible location in the county where such products might be sold, except on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, which is under federal jurisdiction on this matter.

Four shops on the reservation were raided by local and federal law enforcement Feb. 23 and products such as K2 and Spice were reportedly seized, but no arrests have been announced by federal authorities.

There is legislation pending that would make the banned products illegal to sell or possess in New York.

Previously:

• Potentially dangerous synthetic drugs readily available in Genesee County
• Professionals who work with substance abusers share concerns about 'incense'
• Four smoke shops on reservation raid by feds -- cigarettes, fake pot, bath salts seized

Press release:

Civil payments for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office may now be made online with any major credit, debit or pre-paid debit card, or by phone, and in addition to in person at the Sheriff’s Office, 165 Park Road, Batavia, NY.

Individuals may make credit card payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online at www.GovPayNow.com, or by phone at 888-604-7888. There is also a link for civil payments on the Sheriff’s Office home page, http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/departments/sheriff/index.html, or Civil Bureau page.

Individuals must enter the Civil Payment Pay Location Code (PLC) #7403, or search by the agency’s name or payment type to access the payment screen.

A 3.5 percent processing fee ($3.50 minimum) will apply if the payment is made online, or in person, and a 5 percent processing fee ($5 minimum) if payment is made by phone.

Civil payments may still be made, in person at the Sheriff’s Office – Civil Bureau, 165 Park Road, Batavia, NY, with cash, check or money order; during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.), or by mail. Please make your check or money order payable to the Genesee County Sheriff.

Donna Saskowski, executive director of Genesee County ARC, told Jay Moran on WBFO that once people experience the Sprout Film Festival, "they'll never forget it."

The festival is Saturday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Genesee ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia.

Moran produced a four-minute segment about the festival. Click here to listen.

A Batavia man already facing up to seven years in prison for a crime in Rochester is being accused of assaulting another man with a tire iron during a fight behind a restaurant in Caledonia.

Matthew Norstrand is being charged with assault, 3rd, and criminal mischief, 4th.

A year ago, Norstrand was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident in Rochester and was out of jail pending sentencing.

Last week, Norstrand was allegedly involved in an altercation with Austin Costrino, 26, of Holley, behind Q's Restaurant in Caledonia.

Costrino allegedly pulled out a knife before getting into his car. He allegedly drove back to Norstrand's location and the two men continued to argue. Norstrand allegedly pulled out a tire hire and beat Costrino.

The investigation began after Costrino's father contacted police, reporting that his son was hospitalized with head injuries.

Costrino is charged with menacing, 2nd.

(Source: WHAM13)

Jeremy Yasses spent the night in his new home on North Pearl Street in the Village of Oakfield last night.

That would be unremarkable, except that there has been a small controversy in Oakfield over the residency of the recently elected trustee.

NYS law requires village trustees to be residents of the village they represent.

According to Yasses, it wasn't an issue during the election, but after he beat out an incumbent for the position, at least one person raised the issue at Monday's village board meeting.

"I think everybody on the board expected him to move to the village," Mayor Richard Pastecki said. "I think some were saying they didn't know how the GOP could run somebody who wasn't a village resident, but we all knew he was moving."

Yasses has completely renovated a large Victorian farmhouse on North Pearl Street. The 2,520-square-foot home was built in 1880 and Yasses gutted it and totally redid the interior of the main house as well as made extensive repairs and changes to the barn on the property.

Escrow just closed on his former residence and his family is moving this week.

Yasses has been involved in village politics for some time. He's also a landlord there.

Pastecki said the question of Yasses's residency is pretty much a dead issue, unless some other village resident wants to fight it on their own dime.

"The board is not under any obligation to do anything about it," Pastecki said. "The law is so vague ... What I discovered (in researching it) is that anybody can bring a suit to contest an election, but that doesn't guarantee the election will be found invalid. ... we probably do not want to spend taxpayer money on it because there’s no clear outcome. "

It's not even a topic Yasses really wanted to talk about because he doesn't think the issue is really about him, just a little small-town political wrangling, and he's ready to get to work.

"I want it to be a smooth transition and to come in and do good things for the people of the village," Yasses said.

He's proud to have taken part in a village election where differing views were represented and that brought more people to the polls than usual.

"I think it's phenomenal," Yasses said. "That's the way America was built -- democracy, different views and opinions, and that's how it should be."

Yasses will be sworn in on Monday.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries has been reported at Gorton Road and Judge Road, Alabama.

Two cars are involved. One is blocking Gorton.

Alabama Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 8:16 a.m.: One patient being transported to UMMC.

The move from San Diego to Le Roy has been a good one for David Luetticke and Greg Luetticke.

More than four years ago, they bought the Frost Ridge Campground and have been slowly making improvements, all the while, feeling they made the right choice in moving to Genesee County.

"I think it's beautiful," Greg said. "I like the people, the scenery, the change of seasons. It's everything I wanted."

While David and Greg have made changes in the campground -- upgrading infrastructure, adding an annual pumpkin patch and a summertime slippery slide on one of the hills, for example -- the biggest change has been booking more than a half-dozen big-name music acts into their outdoor amphitheater.

The summer concert season kicks off June 9 with one of the biggest names in country music, Aaron Tippin.

The line up (all shows and dates -- and tickets purchased -- can be found on frostridge.com) includes the Little River Band, Restless Heart, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Blackberry Smoke, James Wesley and Connie Smith.

It's the third year of concerts -- one of the highlights last summer was Marty Stuart -- and besides the seven name acts coming to Frost Ridge, 45 bands from throughout Western New York will perform there is summer.

Greg admitted he never heard of Blackberry Smoke before (neither had I, videos embedded below), but he said it's been the fastest selling show so far and after selling out of VIP tickets, they pulled back the promo VIP tickets given to radio stations and have just six left to offer to the public.

The current arrangement of the amphitheater accommodates 5,000 people, but three's a high hill behind the seating area and maybe, just maybe, that offers some expansion room. The sound of the music on the hill is every bit as good as down lower, Greg and David agreed.

As Greg and David get settled into Le Roy, they're getting more involved in the community. For a couple of years now, Frost Ridge has hosted a fundraiser for the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department.  This year, some of the proceeds of the Aaron Tippin concert will be donated to the VA facility in Batavia.

"We see it as good business when when you're involved in the community and everybody supports one another, and that's how we would like to live our lives," David said.

I'm looking forward to the The Dirt Band in August.

A car is reportedly on its side in a ditch on Old State Road between Perry and Silver Lake roads, Pavilion, with one person reportedly laying in the ditch.

Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

Dispatchers checking on the availability of Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 10:02 p.m.: Mercy Flight on in-air standby. Old State Road is being closed to thru traffic.

UPDATE 10:03 p.m.: Looks like only one victim.

UPDATE 10:07 p.m.: Car still running, caution on approach urged. The vehicle may have been pulling a trailer. Patient is about 50 feet from the vehicle. Mercy Flight will not be required.

UPDATE 11:35 p.m.: Female patient was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. Pavilion fire is clearing the scene.

Rose Mary Christian thought she would be retired these days, but she can't quite get away from the restaurant business.

She admits, she loves it.

In 1956, her father -- with the help of Carl Dilcher and George Jacobs -- built a diner on Ellicott Street Road near Shepard and Christian. Along with her eight brothers and sisters, she worked there for much of her young life.

The diner closed in 1965, but Christian opened it again -- with her four children -- in 1983.

"We used to have good times and you hear people reminisce about the old days," Christian said. "Hot dogs were 25 cents when my dad started and milk shakes were 50 cents. Now what’s a hot dog and what’s a milk shake? There’s a big difference."

Christian closed the diner in 2003, and then new owners took it over for a time more than a year ago, but eight months ago, that diner closed.

On Monday, the diner opens again as "Rosie's."

"I hope people drive out and see the restaurant and taste what we have to offer," Christian said. "I hope they just have a good day and a good experience coming here. Like I said, this is where good people meet."

The diner's menu, among regular diner fare, will include Italian and Polish dishes and homemade soup.

“We’re going to have a quarter-pound hot dog, like they have in New York City, that I love," Christian said. "It’s going to have mustard and sauerkraut on it. It’s delicious. You’ll have to try it."

Christian noted there aren't many dining establishments on the southeast side of town, plus there will likely be a road connecting the new ag park to Cedar Street, making it easier for workers there to get onto Ellicott Street. That could be the opening in the market she needs to be successful.

Asked if not just her history in the restaurant business, but her career in city politics would help attract customers to Rosie's, Christian laughed.

"The politics part of it," she said, "no, not at all."

Michelle Tarin Crawford, 26, of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, 1st, and failure to keep right. Crawford was charged following an investigation into a motor-vehicle accident at 12:55 a.m., March 8, on Townline Road, Byron, in which Crawford was seriously injured. Crawford remains jailed on a violation of probation charge. (Previous stories, one, two and three).

Michael Octavio Tardy, 46, of Woodside Drive, Bergen, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to stop at stop sign and moving from lane unsafely. Tardy was allegedly driving at 1:41 a.m. on Lewiston Raod, Oakfield, when his vehicle struck a curb.

In Le Roy this afternoon, the line of trees with their white flowers looked particularly nice against the backdrop of the buildings of the village business district.

Driving down Francis Road this afternoon, I spotted this stand of trees at the crest of the hill with the fluffy clouds blowing by in the background and thought it might make a nice shot.

Lei-Ti Campground on Francis Road, Bethany, was voted by users of the Woodall's Campground Directory, as one of the top 100 campgrounds in the United States.

There are 1,700 campgrounds in the U.S.

Woodall's is a popular and widely used campground directory, owned by Affinity Group, based in Ventura, Calif.

There were reportedly hundreds of thousands of votes cast over the 10-month long contest, according to Woodall's, which was also a sweepstakes for a chance to win a seven-day cruise to Hawaii.

Photo: John Hollwendel, owner of Lei-Ti.