One Batavia man is in the hospital with serious injuries, another in the custody of Genesee County sheriff's deputies, following an accident between a car and a motorcycle last night in the town of Batavia.

54-year-old William Herrington III, of 7926 Slusser Road, was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital after his motorcycle collided with a car at the intersection of Route 5 and Powers Road, according to deputies. Herrington is being treated for a cervical spine fracture, a laceration to his spine and multiple facial fractures.

Deputies believe that the driver of the car, 37-year-old Kenneth G. Scinta Jr., of 3207 Pratt Road Lot #70, had tried to make a left turn onto Powers Road without yielding the right of way to Herrington. Scinta was charged with felony first-degree vehicular assault and two misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and aggraveted DWI. He was also ticketed with failing to yield the right of way.

Scinta is in sehriff's custody without bail. He is scheduled to reappear in court today at 10:30am.

Herrington was reported in "guarded" condition this morning at 9:00am.

The accident is still under investigation.

Have you ever seen those cardboard stands full of CDs made by Putumayo World Music at the coffee shop or the bookstore or the grocery store? As it turns out, those CDs — millions of them — are distributed here in Batavia, out of a huge warehouse space on the second and third floors at the Harvester Center, the old Batavia business incubator.

We got an inside pass today to check them out. Here's what we found:

Police blotter for Wednesday, June 4:

• 10:47am, 105 Washington Ave. (Apt: Side), larceny
• 12:47pm, 381 Bank St., accident
• 9:56pm, 419 W. Main St., larceny

Note: We don't include noise complaints, domestic disputes and routine police business.

WBTA reported this morning that Genesee Community College is asking the county for an additional $50,000 in support. Also in store for the next academic year is a tution increase of about $50 per full-time student per semester.

We asked the college why they needed the extra funds and just what would be funded and found a brief, slightly more detailed explanation of the increase on the college's Web site (published May 13):

A proposed $50,000 increase in support, from $1,836,374 to $1,886,374 from Genesee County, sponsor of the College. Genesee County support would be 6.1% of the total operating budget, the lowest percentage of support in the history of the College. Genesee County’s sponsor support during 2006-2007 was $966 per full-time-equivalent student, the lowest sponsor support ratio of any of SUNY’s 30 community colleges.

We're waiting to hear from the college about how long the increase would last. GCC's Web site implies that the increase is only included in the 2008-2009 budget.

By way of an explanation for the increase:

The budget ensures that Genesee will maintain program excellence and affordability, President Stuart Steiner told trustees. “Our commitment is to provide extraordinary education to our students, and to do so as cost-effectively as possible,” Dr. Steiner said. “For well over a quarter-century, we have maintained operating costs lower than those of our peers, yet we have developed a reputation across New York State and beyond for excellence and innovation.”

Overall, the total budget for GCC for the next year is up about 4.5 percent, from $29.5 million to $30.8 million.

The Batavian has polished up its YouTube channel a bit. You can check it out anytime to see all of our videos, past and present, leave comments, become a fan or recommend your own ideas for what we should get out and point our camera at. Once we have a few more videos in our vault, look for us to do a 'Best Of' video recap with some of our favorite moments from what we have done so far.

A public hearing on a change to parking violation fines will start off Monday's City Council meeting at 6:30pm. If the change passes — the vote will come at a subsequent meeting — the fine for a parking violation will increase from $25 to $50 if it is not paid within ten days of the violation.

Other than that, there are two more significant items up for discussion and vote by the Council at the business meeting. They are:

• In the hopes of recovering costs to the city for engineering services and permits, a charge of $500 will be applied to all residential homes, $2,500 for commercial and industrial properties (per structure). Not exactly a fee, explained Council President Charlie Mallow, the charges would cover the cost to the city if an outside firm was needed for the engineering services, so that the cost would not come from city funds. The charge is also flexible and could be partially refunded if the cost to the city is less, he said.
• A $4 million contract for the reconstruction of Walnut Street. The project would be handled by CATCO of Alden, N.Y. Before that project begins, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation will remove some light poles from the street and replace or fix others.

Councilman Bob Bialkowski has requested permission to speak about "surplus properties" at the conference meeting that will immediately follow. City Council will then hold an executive session to discuss a personnel matter.

Both meetings will be held on the second floor of City Hall on Main Street.

The complete agenda materials can be downloaded from WBTA's Web site.

Your County Democratic Committee meets and organizes for one reason only, to make sure that we can field a candidate to carry our line that represents your beliefs. It’s safe to say that as a whole Genesee County Democrats are a little more conservative in our beliefs than most state wide Democrats. We also don’t treat our county Republicans as the enemy or feel that we need to eliminate them from office at all costs either.  

Check out WBTA for these and other stories:

• State Assemblyman Steve Hawley all but likens Governor David Paterson to a "dictator" and says the state is being run like a "monarchy" — listen to the audio clip from WBTA. Dan Fischer writes that Hawley criticized the governor for not doing more about property tax relief and "likened Paterson's directive on same sex marriage to Eliot Spitzer's failed policy on driver's licenses for illegal aliens." Hawley is paraphrased by Fischer as saying both moves were made without the input of the state legislature. I would be interested to hear more about how the two issues are related.
• City Hall released the agenda for the next meeting of the City Council to be held June 9. WBTA says the meeting is at 7:00pm, but the meeting actually begins at 6:30pm, according to the agenda. WBTA provides a link to download the information.
• Erie County legislator Kathy Konst will join the race for the Democratic nomination to run against Republican Christopher Lee for the 26th Disctrict Congressional Seat, soon to be vacated by the departure of Tom Reynolds. Democrats already have three other candidates looking for the party nod: Jack Davis, Alice Kryzan and Jon Powers.

Dan Fischer of WBTA reported today at noon that City Manager Jason Molino "expects" to have a police chief chosen by the end of the week. Molino declined to name either of the candidates — the search is narrowed to two — though he did say that one hailed from Genesee County, the other from somewhere else in the state, but nothing more specific. He apparently did not, for example, say in which part of the state the out-of-county candidate resides.

Lt. Eugene Jankowski has been acting as chief since the retirement in March of former chief Daryl Sehm. Jankowski was not included in the shortlist of candidates.

In an article about the city's vacancies, Buffalo News reporter Bill Brown wrote yesterday:

Complicating the issue is the idea of combining three departments — police, fire and public works — under one director.

A nine-member commission to review the city’s 50-year-old charter form of government began meeting in April. It could recommend restoring the mayor-council system replaced in 1956 with an administrator-council. It is also expected to review municipal operations and conceivably could suggest an overall director of the three departments.

UPDATE: City Council President Charlie Mallow said that the Buffalo News article is not quite accurate. The city would not consolidate all three departments. Rather, the two chief positions could be merged into a single "public safety officer" position, while the public works director would be merged with the assistant city manager post, which has already happened, for the most part. (See comment below)

Previous related posts:

• Lt. Jankowski doesn't expect appointment
• Search narrrowed to two
• City looks for new chief

Police Blotter for Tuesday, June 3:

• 6:22am, 317 Ellicott St. Apt: 4, burglary
• 3:29pm, 23 Harvester Ave., aggravated harassment
• 3:47pm, Court Street, accident
• 5:31pm, 20 N. Spruce St. Apt: A2, larceny
• 5:35pm, 218 State St., trespass
• 5:44pm, 8 S. Main St., harassment
• 7:18pm, 204 W. Main St., harassment

Note: We don't include noise complaints, domestic disputes and routine police business.

And so it goes....Finally, last night after 18 grueling months of campaigning and 5 1/2 months of voting and caucusing, we now have our two Presidential Candidates.  Whew....there has got to be a better way to select the contenders for this office.  I am all for democracy and the people in each party choosing, but does it have to cost hundreds of millions of dollars?  In some states the costs for campaigning for the Primary Election were more than what was spent in the last General Election in each state.  I think we need a change.....

Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain are wonderful candidates and they both rose to the top like cream in a butter churn....but can't the process be streamlined and fine tuned so that there are more Super Tuesdays and more primaries closer together?  Let's make every Tuesday in January and February a Super Tuesday. 

Here is my idea.  If your state touches the Pacific you vote on one Tuesday.  If your state was in the original 13 Colonies you vote another Tuesday.  If your state borders the Gulf of Mexico and does not begin with the letter T you vote on another Tuesday.  If your state has any part of the Rocky Mountains in it  you vote on another Tuesday.  If your state is in the center of the country and you are going to vote for the Republican anyway is another Tuesday.  If your state touches the Mississippi  River and is not part of another group is another Tuesday.  If your state touches the Great Lakes and is not part of another group you vote on yet another Tuesday and last but not least, if you live in a state that begins with T and has a capital named Austin you vote when you damn well please.  We won't count it anyway because that is the price you pay for sending us George Bush II. 

There you have it.  In seven weeks we could get the decision done, our candidates will be picked and we can get on with the campaign for the fall.  So right around Valentines Day we are finished and the national pundits can discuss it and poll it and dissect it and re-poll it until the cows come home.  I like this idea.  I also think that right after the grueling 7 week Primary Season is over, we force the two left standing to go on a 7 week vacation paid for by the taxpayers.  It would be worth it to send them away.  We would not see them, hear them or even think of them until sometime after Easter.  The peace and quiet and interviewless news days would be a breath of fresh air.  This only leaves  about 7 months for the barage of messages, lies, inuendos and false-fact "nonpolitical party" based advertisments.  We also should allow the candidates only so much per diem to campaign.  I'm thinking like $75.  That should cover two meals and some mileage reimbursement (If gas goes up over $5 a gallon my idea would be to increase it to $80 a day).  

So that is the plan...Pure and simple.  Stop the insanity.  Lose the endless commercials and news stories.  Make the politcal pundits look for jobs elsewhere, after all they only speculate and are never right (Remember McCain was all washed up and Hillary was a sure thing??????)  Make the candidates drive from town to town and eat at McDonald's or Burger King in thier 1996 Ford Fiestas.  It would save us a ton of headaches, make our lives more enjoyable and make them at least understand a budget.

And so it goes....phase one is over, phase two begins and phase three........well, I think I will nap until phase five.   That way I will not be upset over all the excessive spending while there are so many people in need.  I won't see the false promises and nasty commercials.  I won't be thinking about puppet masters like Dick "Mr. Shotgun" Cheney,  that will lead the candidates down the path of "political correctness".   I will wake up on November 1st, listen to the two left standing and make a choice.   Until then,  maybe Cindy McCain will release  her millions of dollars tax records and Hillary will send Bill back to Harlem to his office and Barack and Michele can pick a church with a sane leader.  Oh and maybe by then the Fundamentalist Christians will start to understand the whole separate church and state idea and start acting like Christians.  Well a man can wish, can't he??????

And so it goes........

From the Daily News (Wednesday):

• Genesee County's YWCA will hold a domestic violence volunteer training session from 9:00am to noon on June 28 at its facility at 301 North St. Application and registration must be completed by June 20. Call (585) 343-5808 for more information. Read reporter Joanne Beck's article for a well-written inside look at one crisis counselor's experience.
• Leadership Genesee will host its fifth annual golf tournament at 11:00am on June 16 at Stafford Country Club. Teams of four can register before June 9. A $115 per-person ticket includes green fee, golf cart, lunch and a buffet dinner. Dinner-only tickets are $30. Proceeds will benefit Leadership Genesee, "a year-long leadership program of Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County." Call (585) 343-3040 ext. 118 for more information.
• Staff writer Virginia Kropf has a fun feature in the paper today on the history of aprons. Check it out.
• Reporter Paul Mrozek writes: "Twenty-three bars, restaurants and stores in Genesee County failed age-compliance checks this year when they sold alcohol to individuals less than 21 years old, the Genesee County Drug Free Communities Coalition was told Tuesday." That was the second highest rate since the program began in 2001. The article did not reveal which businesses failed the checks.
• A letter to the editor by Daniel Jones was featured on the opinion page of the paper today. The same letter was posted here on The Batavian last week.

For the complete stories, the Daily News is available on local newsstands, or you can subscribe on BataviaNews.com.

WBTA, 1490 AM, is gearing up for another of its periodic auctions.  Dan Fischer has loaded the station's web site page with several more items.

Items include:

• Four-pack for Martin's Fantasy Island
• One-price pass for the Attica Rodeo
• Gift certificates for Oliver's Candy
• Bus trip for two to Seneca Niagara Casino
• Birthday blow out at The Gravel Pit
• Gift certificates for O'Lacy's
• Gift certificates for Center Street Smokehouse

Rules here, segment schedule here.

30-year-old Jonathan J. Connolly, of Darien, was sent to Genesee County Jail last night pending $1,000 cash bail and facing three charges and potentially more.

Conolly was accused of throwing a beer bottle at an on-coming vehicle on Sumner Road, causing damage. He was charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief and two violations: consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle and throwing refuse on the highway.

Genesee County sheriff's deputies said that more charges may be pending.

Batavia will host a public hearing later this summer on the state's proposed changes to the open burning law. The Daily Mail in Greene County reported that the town of Athens is right now taking a closer look at those changes and urging residents to get involved.

"There are a lot of small communities in the state, particularly here in upstate New York, where burn barrels are used on a regular basis," said a Council member in Athens.

Open fires are currently banned only in cities, villages and towns with populations greater than 20,000.

Changes being considered by the state Department of Environmental Conservation would "limit agricultural burning to naturally grown products such as vines, branches, leaves and stubble." Exception will be made for "fire training, small cooking, campfires and ceremonial fires."

The hearing in Batavia will be held Juy 2. No other information was given about the session, its location or time.

DEC invites all persons, organizations, corporations and government agencies that may be affected by the proposed revisions to attend the hearings. In addition, written statements may be submitted to DEC until 5 p.m., July 10.

For more information on the proposals, information may be obtained from Robert Stanton, professional engineer, DEC’s Division of Air Resources, at the Albany’s Broadway address or by calling (518) 402-8403.

Is open burning an issue in and around Batavia? It's clear that agriculture has a major presence here. Would any farmers be directly affected by these changes? What is being burned now that would not be permitted if the changes go through?

Check out WBTA for this and other stories:

• Ellicott Street resident Desiree Moore, 37, was charged with menacing and disorderly conduct. Police were told that Moore had allegedly threatened to shoot his girlfriend with an air gun.

Police Blotter for Monday:

• 6:58am, 18 Thorpe St. (Lower Apt), trespass
• 7:37am, Oak Street, accident
• 11:58am, 376 Bank St., burglary
• 12:14pm, 111 Liberty St. (Lower Apt), identity theft
• 1:25pm, 8315 Park Rd., counterfeiting
• 3:24pm, 21 Wood St., larceny
• 7:48pm, 36 Elm St., harassment
• 8:57pm, Maple Street, harassment
• 10:06pm, 127 North St., assault

Note: We don't include noise complaints, domestic disputes and routine police business.

By way of a preface... When I was a reporter in Canandaigua and an editor would assign me a story about any sort of agency (pseudo, government or otherwise) and its finances, procedures or reportings, I cringed. Visibly, I'm sure. Scowling, grumpy and none too sure what was going on, I tried my best to crack the bureaucratic nut and spill out a tidy, readable article. I'm not talking the routine meeting stuff. I mean the hundred-page report in small type with definitions of the definitions of the indecipherable financial jargon. It took me half my shift once to figure out what one word meant on a company's earnings report. All I remember was that the term not only had nothing to do with its meaning but was very much an obstacle to understanding it — maybe like using the word liquid to describe something solid and unmoving.

So I sympathize with reporter Paul Mrozek wholeheartedly in his attempt to write a comprehensible article about an auditor's report on the Genesee County Nursing Home that showed the facility lost $1.7 million last year.

That being said, there is so much information involved in these sorts of articles, that too much is always said and too much is always left out.

Mrozek tells us that this was the second year in a row that the nursing home lost more than a million dollars and had to be bailed out by the county with subsidies — but that right there raises the first question that is never really answered. If the nursing home is a county-run facility, wouldn't the county already be responsible for its funding?

Further, how is the loss measured?

Mrozek tackles that fairly well by breaking down in simple language the facility's costs per resident versus its revenues: $229 to $204, respectively, for a shortfall of $25 (per resident per day). That sounds pretty significant when you consider the nursing home has 160 beds: 160 x $25 x 365 = $1.46 million lost per year if all beds are filled. They aren't. But at 96 percent occupancy, they're close.

So why are costs higher than revenue?

A few reasons are given in a few different places in the article. One, since the nursing home is a public facility it has to accept patients on "public assistance and people who have no health insurance," while a for-profit facility can fill its beds with people who have fully-funded private health insurance. Another reason is overtime for employees, an expense that seems problematic in both the public and private sectors, but not easily remedied.

Mrozek writes that the county legislature is looking at "a possible increase in Medicaid payments" to help offset the imbalance. One of the auditors is cited as saying that the increase would "reverse the trend of increased county subsidies." (That is one of a few instances in the article that Mrozek paraphrases the auditor using language such as reverse the trend or confluence of changes.)

That's really the best as I can do for a summary of this article, though it seems like an issue worth revisiting, or at least further explications. Check out the paper for more details.

A sincere kudos to Mrozek for tackling this tricky topic. Hopefully, we can get an article in the future explaining in simple language how the nursing home is funded — touched on some in this article. Is it all through Medicaid and insurance? What about the folks with no insurance?

I'm a financial dunce and could really use the detailed explanations. And I'm sure I'm not alone.

Also, if the county is putting up the big bucks to bail out the nursing home, what does that mean for us? Does the county just have that money lying around? Where does it come from? How is it managed?

From the Daily News (Tuesday):

• Batavia's Board of Education appointed Shawn M. Clark as principal of Jackson Elementary School last night. Clark will begin July 1 at a salary of $80,000. For a short bio of Clark, see the article by Joanne Beck.
• At the same meeting, the board also looked at switching from paper agendas to a digital version accessed via laptop computers. The decision is still some time out, but the change could save about 200 pages per board member per meeting if it goes through.
• Reporter Scott DeSmit writes that Rochester resident "Anthony E. Sloan, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of using the Internet to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct. The conviction carries a manadatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison." Sloan was one of four men indicted for becoming involved over the Internet with the same 15-year-old boy from Genesee County, "who investigators said actively searched for adult men on an Internet Web site."
• With a little help from the clubs of Batavia's Mike Spiotta, the Section 5 golf team took home the state title, beating Section 11 by 14 strokes. It's the first title for the section in 31 years. Congratulations!

For the complete stories, the Daily News is available on local newsstands, or you can subscribe on BataviaNews.com.