A minor-injury accident involving two vehicles is reported at the intersection of routes 33 and 237 in Stafford. Stafford Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 11:05 a.m.: No injuries, says a medic on scene. Both vehicles off the roadway, one will need to be towed because "the back tires are pushed in," says another first responder.

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The following arrests were made by the Sheriff's Office during the Jason Aldean concert at Darien Lake on Thursday:

Ashley M. Riber, 23, of Walnut Street, Perry, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Sydney A. Wilson, 18, of Eastham Court, Webster, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Steven M. Campbell Jr., 29, of Walnut Street, Perry, is charged with trespass for allegedly entering the concert venue after being ejected and told not to return.

A single-car accident is reported on Clinton Street Road across from College View Drive, across from the entrance of Terry Hills.

One male occupant is injured.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

A motorcyclist reportedly fell off of his bike in the westbound lane of the Thruway in the area of mile marker 394.9.

East Pembroke fire and Mercy EMS responding.

Mercy Flight out of Batavia on ground standby.

UPDATE 5:13 p.m.: Town of Batavia fire requested to the scene for a possible landing zone.

UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: Fire police are going to shut the westbound Thruway down to accommodate Mercy Flight #7, which is called to the scene. Mercy medics are called also.

UPDATE 6:02 p.m.: Town of Batavia is back in service. Two patients are being transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC.

Here's a statement released today by Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“In recent months we have watched details surrounding the state’s dysfunctional economic development programs unfold. Today, two individuals with close ties to the governor and his administration have been charged with alleged bid-rigging and bribery. The time for change – dramatic change – is now.

“Every investigation surrounding public officials, now one including Joseph Percoco and Alain Kaloyeros, has highlighted a desperate need for reform. Entrusted with the public’s confidence to effect positive change, I am calling for a comprehensive and meaningful response to these issues.

“I will continue to fight for increased accountability and transparency; the status quo must be changed.”

Press release:

The taps at the Chestnut Hill Country Club will be taken over by the Hamburg Brewing Company from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26^th. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Crossroads House in Batavia. In addition to the various craft beers created by the Hamburg Brewing Company, there will be putting, long drive and closest-to-the-pin contests.

“We thought this was a great way to end our golf season and to thank our customers throughout the year for all of their support, plus we are partnering with a great brewery for a great cause,” said Michael Protos, owner of Chestnut Hill.

Among the craft beers that the Hamburg Brewing Company will serve on tap at the takeover event include:

• IPA – The breweries' four IPA style varieties includes -- ahtanum, palisade, chinook and magnum. This British-American hybrid also plays host to four different types of malted barley creating a unique orange hue. Additional hops added throughout the brewing process contribute to the floral and piney aromas that mingle well with the distinct malty character.
• Small Town -- British-American hybrid also plays host to four different types of malted barley creating a unique orange hue. Additional hops added throughout the brewing process contribute to the floral and piney aromas that mingle well with the distinct malty character.
• Hoppenstance -- an American Double India Pale Ale featuring cascade, centennial, simcoe and magnum hops. Honey malt and North American pilsner malts round out this well-balanced brew to make it so approachable and full flavored.
• Oktoberfest -- Nothing pairs better with the great fall season than a traditional German-style Marzen lager. With its roots stemming from traditional Bavarian culture, this Oktoberfest is brewed with tons of Vienna-style malts that bring about BIG malty flavor. That big malty flavor then fades away to a clean hop bitterness provided by the Perle hops for a full-flavored and balanced experience.

“The rolling hills of Genesee County and the Chestnut Hill Country Club is a perfect setting to enjoy these great beers,” said John Russo, Jr. the president of Hamburg Brewing Company. “We also are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Chestnut Hill and their efforts to support Crossroads House.”

Crossroads House is a comfort care home located on Liberty Street in the City of Batavia. It is a home to provide care for those who have a terminal illness and is an alternative to a hospital or nursing home when care can no longer be provided in the patient’s home. Crossroads House serves residents in Genesee, Wyoming and surrounding counties at no cost. For more information about Crossroads House please visit http://crossroadshouse.com/.

Chestnut Hill Country Club is an 18-hole championship golf course based in Darien Center. The Club is known for hosting a number of tournaments throughout the golf season because of its many amenities, including large covered patios overlooking the 9^th and 18^th holes and a dining capacity for up to 275 people. For more information please visit http://www.chestnuthillgolf.com/.

Daniel A. Carnes, 69, of Story Road, Dansville, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief. He was arrested at 3:32 p.m. on Aug. 8 after he allegedly damaged a car intentionally by scratching it in the Batavia Downs parking lot, causing in excess of $2,000 worth of damage. The alleged incident stems from a dispute over a parking spot. He was issued an appearance ticket for Town of Batavia Court and is due there at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Erion.

Bonnie Louise Cortright, 29, of Summit Street, Batavia, was arrested on Sept. 20 on a bench warrant for failure to appear after she was located hiding in an attic under a rug. She was arraigned in City Court and jailed in lieu of $100,000. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis, assisted by Sgt. Dan Coffey.

Eric M. Smith, 30, of Iroquois Road, Caledonia, was turned over to Batavia PD by Gates PD and arrested on bench warrants from Batavia City Court. He was jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail or $40,000 bond. The warrants stem from an unspecified incident at 1:30 p.m. at 207 Ross St. in Batavia. Smith was due in City Court today (Sept. 22). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller.

Daniel Harold Mooney Jr., 30, of Cone Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested at 3:37 p.m. on Sept. 21 on Veterans Memorial Drive following an incident wherein Mooney allegedly stole merchandise from a local retail store. He is due in Batavia Town Court on Sept. 27. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Michael Lute.

Nathen Edward Donald Brege, 24, of South Main Street, Batavia, was taken into custody while incarcerated at the Orleans County Jail on a bench warrant issued by Batavia City Court. After consulting with the judge, Brege was issued an appearance ticket and is due back in court Sept. 28. The warrant stems from an unspecified incident on April 5 on West Main Street in Batavia. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Arick Perkins.

The Landmark Society of Genesee County has announced the honorees for this year's annual Preservation Awards.

They will be feted at a dinner and awards ceremony starting a 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the First Presbyterian Church of Le Roy, located at the corner of routes 5 and 19.

The honorees are:

• The First Presbyterian Church of Le Roy -- 7 Clay St., Le Roy
• Gregg and Debbie McAllister -- 21 Ross St., Batavia
• David and Robyn Tufts -- 438 E. Main St., Batavia
• Garth and Amy Swanson -- 6209 Main Road, Stafford
• Chris and Michelle Krtanik -- 4835 Linden Road, East Bethany
• Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant -- 1227 Gilmore Road, Corfu

Cost for the dinner is $18 per person. Please RSVP by Oct. 7 to: Landmark.Genesee@gmail.com or by phoning 585-757-2455.

Press release:

After 16 plus years, Sue Gagne is leaving the Mental Health Association (MHA) of Genesee and Orleans Counties. The search process for the new executive director has begun. Michele Sformo, assistant executive director, will serve as interim executive director.

Gagne began her career at the MHA in a part-time support position. After several promotions over the years, she was named executive director in 2013. Gagne is only the third executive director to serve the organization since its founding in 1993.

“We’ve had three extraordinary executive directors over the course of our history,” said Russell Cornman, board president. “All have had a deep, shared commitment to our mission and, at the same time, each has brought their own unique skill set and passion to the position.”

Incorporated 23 years ago, the MHA was started by a dedicated group of volunteers, led by Constance E. Miller. Their vision was to provide support services for those suffering from mental illness in Genesee County and, after years of planning, the Social Club opened in a small space on Main Street in Batavia. Dorothy Wentland was the agency’s first executive director, and those who walked through the door in those early years were welcomed by both their peers and a small but caring staff.

In the intervening years, the MHA expanded both its space and its services to include transportation, outreach and community education, advocacy and services to individuals diagnosed as mentally ill and chemically addicted. And in 1995, under the leadership of its second executive director, Millie Tomidy-Pepper (herself a 20-year employee of the MHA), the MHA received funding to start a peer-to-peer Warm Line. The Warm Line is a model in New York State, and the MHA of Genesee and Orleans Counties remains one of only a few MHA’s statewide to provide this service.

Ever responsive to the growing and changing needs of its consumers and the community, in 2015 the MHA launched the Visions of Hope Recovery Center, a peer-directed program designed to help individuals with mental health challenges reach their full potential through support and encouragement. And, in the Fall of 2015, the Mental Health Association of Genesee County joined forces with Orleans County to become the Mental Health Association of Genesee and Orleans Counties. Office and program sites are now in both Batavia and Albion.

Go to www.mhago.org for information.

Lily has been granted clemency, at least for now.

Public Defender Jerry Ader, attorney David Fitch, representing the city, and City Court Judge Durin Rogers held meetings over the past two days and came to an agreement that will spare Lily her life, potentially, while the conviction of Duty Caswell for harboring a vicious dog will stand.

As part of the agreement, Ader withdraws his motion challenging Caswell's conviction and will file a new motion to vacate the sentence. That should happen in about two weeks.

In the meantime, Fitch must find a dog behavioral specialist who can certify that Lily is redeemable.

Rogers issued an order in May to have Lily put down as a vicious dog because of an incident on Hutchins Place on March 7 where she bit a 13-year-old boy.

She didn't help her case when she bit the Sheriff's K-9 deputy.

But folks at the Animal Shelter believe Lily is worth saving and rallied to her cause. They secured space for her with the Kramer Foundation, which specializes in rehabilitating dogs declared vicious and slated for euthanasia. 

Previous: Lily's fate hangs in the balance as City Court judge set to hear appeal tomorrow

Austin Moody, billed as an up-and-coming country singer/songwriter from Nashville, so up-and-coming, his first CD won't be out until the end of the year, played GCC for a couple hundred appreciative country fans.

Moody said he's played Upstate before and likes coming up here. It reminds him of home. There are real country fans here, he said. 

"And I mean, real country fans," he said. "Not bro-country fans. Not, 'I'm hot. You're hot. We're in a pickup truck,' country fans, but real country fans."

Saturday, Oct. 15 is looking more and more like the date for the grand opening of the Hotel at Batavia Downs on Park Road.

Henry Wojtaszek, president and chief executive officer of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., today said that Downs officials and the Buffalo investors who own the hotel are gearing toward a grand opening ceremony on the 15th of next month.

"The fourth floor (of the 84-room hotel) is almost completed and we expect to be ready for booking" by the second week of October, Wojtaszek said, adding that the facility is a "step up" from most hotels and is run "by a top-notch staff."

The hotel has been painted a unique blue (Wojtaszek called it "Batavia Downs Hotel blue") and that color has been extended to the front of Batavia Downs Gaming. He added that the hotel's owners have the option to add another 42 rooms at some point in time.

WROTB has invested about $30 million into capital improvements in recent years, and continues to renovate the entrance area to the casino. Most recently, it added left-turn lanes into the parking lot for cars heading north on Park Road. Wojtaszek said the corporation is into the third year of paying back its long-term debt, which currently stands at around $20 million.

In other developments at today's WROTB Board of Directors meeting:

-- Directors approved putting an additional $20,000 into the Kane Memorial Race on Oct. 8, upping Batavia Downs' contribution from its usual $30,000 to $50,000.  Wojtaszek said this is being done per an agreement with the Western New York Harness Horsemen's Association in light of the Downs' delaying the construction of a new paddock area until next year.

-- Wojtaszek said the New York State Gaming Commission is close to approving Batavia Downs Gaming's contract with FanDuel, a fantasy sports company which agreed to a four-year contract with WROTB to provide this type of competition at Batavia Downs Gaming and at some of its OTB branches.

While acknowledging that sign-ups for the program have been "slow" to this point, Wojtaszek said it's too early to tell how successful the venture will be. The contract does provide WROTB a specific amount of "guaranteed" money, it was reported.

-- Marketing Manager Ryan Hasenauer reported that a former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas, a Batavia Downs Gaming spokesman, will be at the casino on Nov. 20 for a FanDuel event, and he also will be on hand on Oct. 9 for a "meet and greet."

On Nov. 5-6, an autograph show will feature former professional sports stars Ron Darling and Cecil Fielder (baseball), Grant Fuhr (hockey), Jo Jo White and Nate "Tiny" Archibald (basketball), and Bob Lilly, Joe Cribbs and Kordell Stewart (football).

In photos at top, the view of Batavia Downs Gaming with the new Hotel at Batavia Downs in the background; the revamped parking lanes which enable drivers to make left turns from Park Road into the facility's parking lot and a front view of the hotel. Photos by Mike Pettinella.

The county will be prepared, Dick Siebert, the Republican election commissioner, for a historic turnout on presidential election day, Nov. 8, Siebert told members of the County Ways and Means Committee at Wednesday meeting.

Where an off-year, local election might garner a 20- to 24-percent turnout, Siebert is ordering enough computer-readable ballots to handle an 80-percent turnout.

"One thing we don’t want to do is run out of ballots on a presidential election," Siebert said.

In his role as an election commissioner and as chair of the county's GOP committee, Siebert said he is seeing a lot of interest in this election.

"We’ve had a lot of activity," Siebert said. "We had a strong turnout in the primary. We had a 40-percent turnout on the Republic line in the primary. There’s been a lot of interest, both for Trump and for Hillary in our county. We normally experience anywhere around 70 to 72 percent in a presidential year. I think this year we will exceed that."

The fact that both the Republican and Democratic primaries were strongly contested until late in the season, helped drive interest in this year's presidential election, Siebert said.

Plus both top-party candidates are polarizing.

"This campaign has been going on forever," Siebert said. "Everybody has been following it. It seems like it’s never ending. Trump has his supporters. He has his people who love him. He has his people who hate him. Same thing with Hillary. There are people who love her and there are people who hate her. There’s just a lot of extra interest this time."

As GOP chair, he said he's getting a lot of requests for Trump lawn signs. He just got a batch of 300 in and half of them are already gone.

He said the Democrats will soon get Clinton signs in and Siebert expects strong demand for those signs as well.

"This will be our busiest election in my 13 years as a commissioner," Siebert said. "We had strong turnouts before, but there just seems to be so much more vocal interest locally, at least in Genesee County."

Even so, the election staff is ready, he said, though it will be a long day.

"We’re well staffed," Siebert said. "We’ve got great crews out there. We add on people where we can, but we suspect that our workers will be busy right from six o’clock straight through until nine o’clock at night. Unfortunately, some of them won’t even get a break."

The biggest problem he expects on election day is people turning out who never registered to vote.

"We’ll get complaints that 'I can’t exercise my Constitutional rights because I can’t vote,' " Siebert said. "Well, they can’t vote because they didn’t register, even though they think they did, but they didn’t it. It makes it a very touchy year."

The deadline to register for the general election is Oct. 14.

To purchase tickets to Rotary's Oktober Brew Fest, please click here.

A groundbreaking ceremony should take place in Alabama sometime next month for the WNY Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park -- the STAMP project -- complete with state government dignitaries, said Steve Hyde, CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center, during a meeting Wednesday of the County's Ways and Means Committee.

It will signal the start of development of STAMP, a planned high-tech industrial center that Hyde first proposed more than a decade ago.

Initial development will be building the infrastructure to support the site's first tenant and serve to attract additional tenants with the dream of eventually creating 10,000 jobs at the industrial park.

The first tenant is 1366 Technologies. With headquarters in the Boston area, 1366 will use a revolutionary manufacturing process to create silicon wafers for solar panels. 

Once the infrastructure work -- roads, sewer, water, electrical -- starts, 1366 will begin the design process for its facility.

Hyde expects there will be a second groundbreaking especially for 1366 sometime in the spring and the plant will be completed by the end of 2017.

Legislature John Deleo asked Hyde to explain why local residents shouldn't be worried about the prospects of 1366 when Solar City, part of the Buffalo Billions project, seems to be struggling.

Solar City and 1366 are completely unrelated projects and the two companies are pursuing very different business models, Hyde told Deleo.

Solar City is building a very large factory to manufacture residential and commercial solar panels that the company will sell itself to a domestic market.

Whereas, 1366 is only making solar wafers and its product will be a component in solar panels built by others for large industrial solar operations in overseas markets.

So far, 1366 has about $100 million in private investment capital, overseas strategic partners and its initial customers.

At full capacity, 1366 is expected to employ about 1,000 people.

For prior 1366 Technologies coverage, click here.

From one end of the town to the other, employees of the Town of Batavia have been extremely busy over the past few months dealing with a truckload full of building permits, construction projects, zoning reviews and maintenance issues.

That message was conveyed to the Town Board on Wednesday night by Supervisor Gregory Post, who shared a long list of projects and recent developments in a report from Daniel Lang, the municipality's senior zoning and codes officer.

"As you can clearly see, much is going on in the town," Post said.

Lang's report indicated that there are 144 active open permits in the town and that 10 single-family homes are being built.

It also provided an update on the status of several noteworthy projects:

-- Batavia Downs Gaming Hotel: Construction is expected to be completed wilthin the next few weeks.
-- Arc of Genesee Orleans: Crews are waiting for the steel to start construction of an addition on West Main Street Road.
-- O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative: Information pertaining to a flood plain development permit has been provided to the town as the Cedar Street facility looks to close out its 200,000-square-foot addition by the end of September.
-- Walmart: A new training center at the rear of the store is finished, with ribbon cutting set for 7:30 a.m. Oct. 11.
-- Chamber of Commerce, Park Road: Phase 1 of its construction/renovation (upstairs) is complete and Phase 2 is underway (downstairs).
-- Manning Squires Hennig, Seven Springs Road: Its construction project is 80-percent complete.

Lang also reported that the East Pembroke Fire Department has awarded contracts for its new 9,000-square-foot fire hall on Barrett Drive, east of the hamlet of East Pembroke, and that project updates are expected over the next several weeks from Koolatron, Fairfield Inn & Suites, L&M Fabricating and others.

Post said that the board will be receiving budget requests from department heads and other town employees prior to releasing its 2017 tentative budget at a special meeting on Oct. 5. He noted that the board is prepared to "do what needs to be done" in the areas of infrastructure and staff, as well as "the mechanics necessary to keep the community safe and sustained."

With that, he acknowledged that a deficit spending strategy that prevailed in the town for a decade and a half is a thing of the past and that residents can expect a town tax for a second straight year. In 2016, the tax rate was $1.42 per thousand of assessed valuation.

In other action, the board:

-- Approved a pair of resolutions connected to the Ellicott Trail Project, a walking/bicycle path project between the town and city of Batavia.

One measure will allocate $13,860 to renovate the CSX railroad bridge off of East Main Street Road, behind the Town & Country Restaurant, turning it into a pedestrian overhead walkway, and the other is to appropriate $30,000 to Clark Patterson Lee for structural design work of a new pedestrian bridge over Tonawanda Creek (at a site to be determined).

Post said that funds from a grant provided by the NYS Department of Transportation will be used for these projects, and added that an additional $200,000 in funding has been obtained recently through the efforts of State Sen. Michael H. Ranzenhofer.

-- Reappointed Engineer Technician Joseph Neth to full-time status effective immediately as the employee has completed a five-year commitment to further his education.

A semi-truck is reportedly on fire in the parking lot of Cargill on Wortendyke Road, Batavia.

East Pembroke fire is responding.

UPDATE 7:15 a.m.: It's an electrical issue. It keeps reigniting. They're going to have to cut cables, says a deputy on scene.

UPDATE 7:22 a.m.: Fire is out.

A big crowd on was on hand, including Nashville recording artist Ricky Lee, for the ribbon cutting of the Made in America Store at Batavia Downs on Wednesday.

Founder of the Made in America Store, Mark Andol, said that the idea began to develop quickly after the key players converged in July of this year.

"I'll tell you Ricky Lee, a sponsor of us, ambassador of Made in America Store for six years actually, you know, me and Mike Nolan (Batavia Downs executive) and Rick had been talking about different things, and Thurman Thomas is kind of an ambassador. Tie in Rick with the music and one thing led to another. I mentioned to Mike 'why don't you put a store in here?' he said 'I would if I had a store' and one thing led to another and here we are today.”

For more coverage of the opening, visit WBTAi.com.

Photo and information from our news partner, WBTA.