Area residents were invited to drive by the Batavia Police headquarters this morning and early afternoon and drop off unwanted prescription drugs and hypodermic needles. The drop off started at 10 a.m. and by noon, detectives had collected four large boxes full of discarded prescription drugs. Above Det. Charles Dudek makes a collection.

Dozens of volunteers came out to the Genesee County Park this morning to walk the trails and pick up trash and debris as part of the park's annual spring clean up.

Members of the Batavia Downtown Business Improvement District gathered Friday for a luncheon and awards presentation to a few of the people who supported downtown in 2010.

Charles Men's Shop received the “Spirit of Downtown” award. Above Don Brown, left, and Dave Howe, second from left, accept the award from Victor Gautieri, outgoing president of the BID board, and Don Burkel, BID director.

Jeffrey Gillard, who could not be at the luncheon, was honored as BID member Volunteer of the Year.

Krysia Mager and Leanna DiRisio, pictured below, received Community Volunteer awards.

Victor Gautieri, above, finished his term as president and by BID rules must take a break from serving on the board. Paul Marchese, below, finished his term as vice president and is also termed out of the board.  

UPDATE 12:38 p.m.: Due to illness, the Benny Baker comedy performance that was scheduled tonight at the Batavia Party House has been cancelled. Tickets will be refunded.

Like Johnny Cash's boy named Sue, Benny Baker's fate was determined when he was just a lad.

"I was ugly and my name was Benny Bobby Baker," he says. "I had to be either funny or tough."

Forty-something years later, it's obvious which path he chose.  The semi-retired comedian has been in the funny business for 25 years and has made quite a name for himself, having toured internationally and in 49 states, including a 3-year stint with Carrot Top. Apart from performing his own critically-acclaimed Las Vegas act, "Hellbent 4 Humor," Baker has also appeared on and written for TV and films and co-hosted a morning radio show in San Diego. This Saturday night, he will be returning to Batavia to perform one show.

"It's edgy, critical, and just more common sense," he says of his act. "I don't believe that kinder and gentler is always the answer. If you're tired of society being molded to satisfy the few square pegs that don't want to go into round holes while all the other round pegs suffer, then you'll like my show."

No topic is safe from this "common sense" with his routine touching on a wide range of subjects, from the Octo-Mom to his own family.

"After a while you develop a perception of life that you just can't take it too seriously," Baker says. "I guess I would say that your mind does immediately evaluate the humor in every situation no matter how tragic."

And what kind of humor does he find in his native Western New York?

"I grew up in this area as a kid," he explains. "It has its humor because it really still is small-town, and there are a lot of things that really are funny about being from a small town.  It does have that family elemnt that you don't find in other places. It has that blue-collar, small-town family charm in it, but there is always humor in that."

Although Baker was born in Batavia and attended Greece Arcadia High School, he moved to Florida soon after his graduation. 

"I had a job on the muck when I was a teenager," he explains. "I didn't really see any future in rotating crops, so I left."

Baker has recently taken up residence in Orleans County. Much of his family still lives in the area, and will be there supporting him at Saturday's show.

"I don't mind performing in front of family members," he says. "They enjoy it because I do talk about my family - the struggles, my brother being a big hunter, things like that.  It gives them a kick to be brought into the show and makes them laugh because a lot of it's true."

The act can be enjoyed by audience members of any age--Baker gives the example of an elderly couple who came to his show and needed an extra oxygen tank brought in because they were laughing so hard--but parents should know that the material is what could be described as "R-rated":

"I'd say the cutoff is 18, maybe 16 if you're sharp.  If you're 16 and walking around with your pants around your ankles and smoking 20 blunts a day, you're not going to like it or get the jokes. But if you're 16 and with it and carry a C average in high school, you'll be fine."

The show will be tonight at the Batavia Party House. Dinner starts at 6 pm and the show begins at 8 pm. Tickets for the prime rib buffet and show are $40 per person at the door. Show only tickets are $15 at the door.

Three people indicted in Federal Court today on racketeering charges have Genesee County ties.

All three are said to be associated with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in Rochester.

James Henry McAuley Jr. (aka "Mitch"), 62, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity.

Indicted as co-conspirators after the fact were Richard E. Riedman (aka "Eric"), 37, and Timothy M. Stone, 31, who were previously arrested in Corfu in June 2009 for allegedly stealing scrap metal.

McAuley, described by Federal authorities as vice president of the Rochester Hells Angels, is married to Donna L. Boon (aka Donna L. McAuley). Boon, 45, was arrested at her Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road residence on July 9, 2010, in connection with an alleged methamphetamine ring headed by Donald G. Vanelli, 48, of 8394 Lake St., Le Roy.

Vanelli, who was said to be president of the Road Agents Motorcycle Club at the time, entered a guilty plea in Federal Court in January to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Boon faces federal charges related to conspiracy with intent to distribute narcotics. Her case is still pending.

The case against Riedman and Stone is still pending.

McAuley, Riedman and Stone were indicated along with Robert W. Moran Jr. (aka "Bugsy"), 59, and Gina Tata, 47.

According to the indictment, McAuley, Moran and Tata beat up a patron of an unidentified restaurant on May 31, 2006. Tata allegedly told Moran that the patron threatened the motorcycle club. Moran allegedly struck the head and body of the patron repeatedly with a baseball bat. 

Tata, Riedman and Stone allegedly conspired to help Moran and McAuley avoid apprehension.

A press release from the office of William H. Hochul, U.S. Attorney for Western New York, describes the Hells Angels as a criminal organization whose members function as a continuing unit for the common purpose of facilitating criminal activity, including acts involving narcotics trafficking and murder."

It also says, "Members of the Rochester Hells Angels claim to control certain territory up to Syracuse, and allegedly use violence for a number of illicit purposes, including those who did not show proper respect to the organization."

The indictment alleges that all defendants acted with the specific purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the Hells Angels. 

"The country’s federal racketeering statutes were specifically designed to help combat acts of violence committed by members of a criminal organization," Hochul said in a statement. "This office stands ready to utilize these statutes – and aid our local law enforcement partners - whenever circumstances warrant."   

McAuley is currently locked up in the Elkton Federal Corrections Facility in Elkton, Ohio.

He was sentenced in April 2008 to eight years for participating in a conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. 

McAuley conspired to murder members of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club in Fulton, N.Y., because the Kingsmen, who were affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, were establishing a chapter in the Hells Angels territory.

According to public records, McAuley has lived in Rochester, Spencerport, Brockport and Fairport. There is no record of his having lived in Genesee County.

Members of the Genesee County legal community gathered at Bohn's Restaurant on Thursday evening for the Law Day Observance & Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner.

Above, Deputy Ron Meides receives an award from Sheriff Gary Maha while District Attorney Lawrence Friedman looks on. Second photo, Investigator Leo Hunter accepts an award from State Police. Presenting the award, left, was Lt. John Aqualina of the NYSP.

Officer Emily Clark, Le Roy PD, received an award.

The four law enforcement award winners, Meides, Clark, Batavia PD Det. Paul Caffo and Hunter.

The Batavia High School Mock Trial Team, winners of the local competition for the ninth straight year. On the team (though not in picture order, nor are all members pictured): Will Ely, Chad Luce, Jenna Bauer, Evan Sutherland, Patrick Flynn, Maura Chmielowiec, Mckenzie Stevens, Zeke Lynn, Eva Reda-Kendrick, Nate Kabel, Matt Gabrielle, Taylor Sanders, Katlin Logsdon, Kaitlynn Walker and Trey Abdella. The teacher coach, back row, left, is Brandon Ricci, and the attorney coach, back row, right, is Billy Tedford.

Pastor Philip Green, center, with Sheriff Maha and Undersheriff Bill Sheron, also received a special recognition award for his work with the department. Green was the 2011 National Sheriff's Association "Chaplain of the Year."

Sarah Palermo was honored by GCASA for her anti-DWI contributions.

UPDATE: To purchase pictures, click here.

Full press release for the law enforcement awards after the jump:

Kiwanis President Lawrence Friedman announced the awards during a dinner held at Bohn’s Restaurant on Thursday, April 28, 2011. The awards dinner was held in partnership with the Genesee County Bar Association during their observance of Law Day. The honored speaker at the dinner was Victor I. Vieth, JD, Director of the National Child Prevention Training Center, Winona State University, Winona, Minn.

Background Information about the Award

The purpose of the Law Enforcement Recognition Award is to honor those members of our local law enforcement agencies who have demonstrated principles and ideals consistent with those promoted by the Kiwanis Club of Batavia.

Nominations for the award were evaluated based upon the candidates’ actions and achievements, in their personal and professional lives, which demonstrate precepts consistent with those of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia, specifically: - A commitment to human and spiritual qualities, rather than material values. - Adoption and application of high social, business and professional standards. - Citizenship and service to the community and their agency. - A desire to create and maintain sound public opinion and high idealism, which promotes compassion, justice, patriotism and goodwill.

All sworn and civilian employees serving in local law enforcement agencies within Genesee County are eligible for this award.

2011 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Detective Paul B. Caffo, City of Batavia Police Department Detective Paul B. Caffo has been a member of the City of Batavia Police Department for 18 years. Detective Caffo grew up in Batavia and graduated from Batavia High School in 1986. During his career with the Batavia Police Department, Detective Caffo has received numerous commendations for his work as a police officer and detective. The overwhelming theme in Detective Caffo’s work is his spirit of cooperation with members of his department and other law enforcement agencies. Detective Caffo is currently assigned to the Local Law Enforcement Drug Task Force and makes himself available to officers seven days a week and 24 hours a day. Even with this demand on his time, Detective Caffo still assists the Detective Bureau with criminal investigations and rotating with the on-call schedule. Detective Caffo resides in the Town of Batavia with his wife, Kelly, and was nominated for this award by his commanding officer, Police Chief Randy Baker.

Deputy Ronald E. Meides – Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ronald E. Meides is a 20-year veteran with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. He started as a Corrections Officer in 1991 and was appointed a Deputy Sheriff in 1993. Deputy Meides is currently assigned to road patrol and works out of the Sheriff’s Darien Satellite station. Deputy Meides is a dedicated, compassionate and professional law enforcement officer and performs his duties with enthusiasm. He has had extensive training during his tenure with the Sheriff’s Office and was the 2009 Officer of the Year. Deputy Meides assists his community in many ways. He is an active member of the Darien Fire Department and has coached T-ball and fall soccer for the Bennington Town Youth Athletics. He is also a soccer coach for the Attica Youth Athletics. Deputy Meides has assisted the Boy Scouts by participating in the 2007 Merit Badge College Event in the areas of traffic safety and fingerprinting. Annually, Deputy Meides instructs at Darien Lake with regard on how to recognize fraudulent or altered drivers’ licenses. Deputy Meides is very aggressive in DWI enforcement and in 1995 was recognized by the Genesee County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for his outstanding efforts. Deputy Meides is the recipient of two Commendation Awards and two Meritorious Service Awards and has received numerous letters of appreciation from the citizens he serves. Deputy Meides resides in the Town of Darien with his wife, Mary Beth, and their children. Deputy Meides was nominated for this award by his commanding officer, Sheriff Gary T. Maha.

Police Officer Emily J. Clark, Village of Le Roy Police Department Police Officer Emily J. Clark has been a member of the Village of Le Roy Police Department for six years. She is currently assigned as a patrol officer and also works with the Local Law Enforcement Drug Task Force. Officer Clark is known for her positive attitude and has a determination to do the job right. She tries to make her work with the public a good experience and is always courteous and professional. Last year, Officer Clark assisted the Local Law Enforcement Drug Task Force for several months, which led to the arrests of several individuals for methamphetamine distribution within the county. Recently, she investigated a forged prescription case and worked with the Drug Task Force, which led to the arrest of an individual being charged with 100 felonies. Officer Clark also has a great rapport with the teenagers in the community, to a point where they feel comfortable in talking with her about police and non-police related matters. As a result of this rapport, she has developed many leads on open cases, but more importantly, she is a resource for some of the community’s more troubled young people. Officer Clark resides in the Village of Le Roy and was nominated for this award by her commanding officer, Police Chief Christopher Hayward.

Investigator Leo M. Hunter, New York State Police Investigator Leo M. Hunter is a 28-year veteran with the New York State Police. Investigator Hunter is currently assigned to the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and works out of the State Police Batavia Headquarters. His primary duties include the investigation of felony-level crimes, including crimes against children, sexual offenses, burglaries, assaults, etc. Investigator Hunter has been involved in thousands of investigations for the citizens of Genesee County. Investigator Hunter is a lifelong resident of Genesee County, has raised six children and currently resides in the City of Batavia. Investigator Hunter was nominated for this award by his commanding officer, Major Christopher L. Cummings, Troop “A” Commander.

Kiwanis President Larry Friedman presented the awards on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia.

CHARLES L. MANCUSO AWARD

The “Charles L. Mancuso Award” was presented to the members of the Batavia High School Mock Trial Team as winners of the 2011 GLOWS (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming and Steuben counties) District Competition in the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament. The award reads “Dedicated to the Memory of an Outstanding Attorney-Citizen." Mr. Mancuso, a Batavia lawyer, served as coordinator of the local competition until his untimely death five years ago. The BHS team members honored at the dinner included: Will Ely, Chad Luce, Jenna Bauer, Evan Sutherland, Patrick Flynn, Maura Chmielowiec, Mckenzie Stevens, Zeke Lynn, Eva Reda-Kendrick, Nate Kabel, Matt Gabrielle, Taylor Sanders, Kaitlin Logsdon, Kaitlynn Walker and Trey Abdella. The team, coached by Social Studies Teacher Brandon Ricci and Attorney William Tedford, has competed in, and won, the local tournament for each of the past nine years.

Genesee County District Attorney Lawrence Friedman, who serves as president of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia and coordinator of the local Mock Trial Program, and Genesee County Bar Association President Durin Rogers presented the award.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION - 2011 NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION CHAPLAIN OF THE YEAR AWARD

A Special Recognition Award was presented to Pastor Philip A. Green who was selected by the National Sheriffs’ Association as its “2011 Chaplain of the Year." Pastor Green volunteers as Chaplain for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and makes himself available whenever needed. He assists officers when making death notifications to victims’ families and during other traumatic events. Each year he sponsors and organizes “Red and Blue Sunday” at his church, whereby he and his congregation recognize and express their appreciation to first responders and elected officials within the county. Pastor Green will be presented the “Chaplain of the Year” award by the National Sheriffs’ Association this June in St. Louis. Pastor Green is senior pastor for the First Baptist Church in Pavilion, NY, where he resides with his wife, Marun, and their three children.

The Special Recognition Award was presented by Sheriff Gary T. Maha.

KATHY SEYMOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD

The Genesee Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) presented its Kathy Seymour Volunteer Service Award during the dinner. This award is presented to a citizen, volunteer, law enforcement officer or emergency medical service provider whose actions and commitment have helped to make our community a safer place. This year’s award was presented to Sarah Palermo. Sarah is a volunteer on the DWI Victim Impact Panel.

The award was presented by Laura Ricci, Prevention Educator/VIP Coordinator, GCASA.

The smell of smoke is reported coming from a house at 1239 Judge Road in Alabama. There is there a power outage there and the residents have been using a generator, so the smell could be electrical in nature.

Alabama Fire Department is on scene.

The location is between Alleghany Road and Kenyon Avenue. Firefighters are going to use a thermal imaging camera to check for any hot spots, but there is no apparent fire.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: There was nothing abnormal found. All fire units back in service.

Press Release:

WILLIAMSVILLE – Jane Corwin, successful businesswoman and candidate for New York’s 26th Congressional District, today began airing a new ad that features former employees at the business she helped develop, The Talking Phone Book. The ad features three former employers discussing Corwin’s involvement in growing the family business after joining the leadership team.

Just yesterday, it was announced that America’s economy only grew 1.8 percent through the first three months of this year, down from 3.1 percent from the final quarter of last year. The data shows that Washington Democrats’ failed economic policies – embraced by the candidates competing against Corwin in the May 24th Special Election – are not working.

“Having helped run a business and create hundreds of jobs here in Western New York, I understand the challenges facing small business looking to grow and get more of our community back to work,” Corwin said. “Western New York workers are some of the best and brightest, and the success of our family business would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the loyal men and women I had the honor to work with. If honored to be elected to Congress I will continue to fight for policies that enable small businesses across Western New York to achieve the same success that we were fortunate enough to have.”

Corwin started in the family business as a teenager, working out of the family garage to deliver phone books to residences after school and on weekends. During summers and holiday vacations from college, she could be found working in the family business offices. 

Jane worked her way up and eventually became a member of the company’s Board of Directors, serving as Secretary and Treasurer, where she helped develop the company’s overall strategy which resulted in sales growth of more than 1,200 percent.

A reader e-mailed me about this earlier this week and I've not had a chance to get down to Darien and check it out.

Charlie Flagg, muralist, has planted some 5,000 Jack Davis signs on his property. He says it's a project where politics meets art.

The Jack Davis campaign made the video of Flagg and his signs.

A press release after from the Davis campaign after the jump:

You know it’s election season when the lawn signs sprout like mushrooms after a spring rain. And they sure are sprouting on Charlie Flagg’s lawn – 5,000 of them. The Western New York artist has turned his property into a statement of support for Jack Davis, the independent candidate for Congress in the special election on May 24th.

“I’ve incorporated the world of art and politics together. I’m making an artistic statement to the electorate – Jack’s in the race, he’s a good man, probably better than anyone else who’s come along for the district in a long time,” says Charlie Flagg.

Charlie Flagg is known for the murals he has painted throughout Western New York. He says his support for Jack Davis is rooted in his distrust of professional politicians.

“I’d like to see Jack get in because he’s not a political person. From my experience dealing with political people, I will never vote for anyone who ever came up from the political ranks,” Flagg said.

“When I was a kid growing up in the Sixties, you could walk out of a job at 12 o’clock and by 3 o’clock have another one. Now that’s not the case.  They’ve sold all our jobs overseas. We need to get some of those back, and you’re not going to do that with a professional politician,” Flagg said.

You can see the installation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI-Y5LDPUSk and by visiting Charlie Flagg’s property in Darien at the corner of Tinkham and Chick roads in Darien.

For high quality video of the installation and to contact Charlie Flagg, contact Curtis Ellis.

Sege D. Kalmbacher, 35, of 6666 Byron Holley Road, Byron, is charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd. Kalmbacher is accused of stealing two personal checks from the home of a friend and then forging the checks in the amounts of $350 and $300. Kalmbacher allegedly deposited funds, on March 13 and March 16, from the forged checks into his personal account. Kalmbacher was also arrested in late March for allegedly forging prescription drug forms.

Matthew J. Butler, 23, of Clifton Street, Manchester, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th and criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument. After witnesses reported that a green four-door car was driving erratically and failing to maintain its lane, deputies responded responded to Route 63 in Batavia and initiated a traffic stop on a 1999 Honda Accord at 7:13 p.m., Thursday. Butler was identified as the driver. Butler was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, failure to keep right and driving left of pavement markings. The case was investigated by Sgt. Greg Walker with assistance from Deputy Matthew Butler and Deputy Joseph Graff.

The outside of the Pembroke Family Medical Center, 860 Main Road, Corfu, was damaged Thursday when an unknown driver hit a pillar of the building.

The driver then fled the scene.

The accident occurred at 11:15 a.m.

The car is described as a darker gray late model Nissan. The driver is believed to be female.

The Sheriff's Office requests that anyone who might have information to help identify the driver to call Deputy Chris Parker at (585) 343-5000 or e-mail cparker@co.genesee.ny.us.

The driver of a car that was struck by a large, wind-downed tree on Lewiston Road yesterday was not injured in the 11:13 a.m. crash.

Eileen E. Siano, 49, of Lewiston Road, was northbound when she noticed a tree starting to fall into the roadway. Siano swerved to the right to try and avoid the falling oak, but it struck her car, causing heavy damage.

Siano was driving a 2008 Chevy sedan.

(initial report)

Care-A-Van Ministries was at Washington Towers to celebrate spring.

I drove around the city this afternoon looking for a picture of forsythia. One of the first things I learned about growing roses in Western New York was that it's time to prune your roses when the forsythia blooms. I actually pruned my roses three weeks ago, but I still take the forsythia bloom as nature's official notice that spring has finally arrived.

Below is the yellow bloom of a tree -- I don't know the kind of tree -- in Austin Park.

Frederick Rarick is licensed to practice law in California, Washington, D.C., and New York but, as he says, an "exceptionally equitable justice system" keeps him here as a defense attorney in Genesee County.

"I just like this area because you know the judges and prosecutors are fair and the system here works really well," he said, sitting at a desk in his office at 4152 W. Main St. Road (behind the Valu Plaza).

His large work space is filled with an eclectic collection of antique-looking furniture and various authentic war helmets. He began collecting them when his son grew interested in the hobby and their numbers have grown since. They're currently seeking out a particular WWII helmet to add to the gallery.

"I do a lot of work in here Genesee County," Rarick said. "We’re blessed with a district attorney’s office that is very easy to work with. They are just and equitable. They come from a prosecution side and I come from a defense side but we’re usually able to come to a fair resolution and it makes things so much easier for everyone involved."

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and finished off his law degree from Loyola College. He lived with his family in Los Angeles. When asked why his family settled in Genesee County, he cited a number of reasons.

"Things are crowded in L.A. and I've always wanted to own land. I was practicing law down there and in the early '90s we had the Rodney King riots... also my son got very ill in L.A. and they couldn't figure out the cause but we thought it was something environmental. At that point, it was like enough is enough."

His father-in-law lived in Alexander and Rarick enjoyed visiting him, saying he "absolutely loves the style of living here."

Along with the amicable fairness and equality in the courtroom, Rarick commended the Genesee County Justice program and admitted to breathing a sigh of relief when a budget was passed that continued to fund it.

"It was so important in the last budget to keep Genesee Justice in effect because they are an integral part of our local system."

The program is saving the county money and that's commendable, the attorney said.

"Once someone is arrested, they are arraigned and if they are placed into custody, they (Genesee Justice) do a bail review so we can get back into court. They give sufficient information to the judge and district attorney to make a well reasoned, educated decision on whether someone should continue on bail or be released. Releasing someone saves a ton of money, so it's an effective program."

If clients are monitored by Genesee Justice and they work with the program well, "...there is never an issue. And if they don't stick with the program, it gets reported fairly...these things don't get editorialized or blown out of proportion -- they just state the facts."

Although being an attorney can sometimes be a "round-the-clock job," Rarick said he sometimes enjoys delving into his work simply because he likes what he does.

It is anchored by his belief in the judicial process, which helps him do his best in defending some of the more serious cases.

"I've represented some really bad, mean, horrific human beings but I firmly believe in our system. If the prosecution does their job and I do mine -- the court can do their's. Well over 95 percent of the time we get a just, fair resolution."

And it feels good when you're able to help people make better decisions.

"The most gratifying aspect of my job is representing someone who has made a mistake, and being able to prove to the judge and district attorney that it was an isolated incident, and working out a disposition that has little or no impact on people’s futures."

He used an example of a young person who makes a mistake with marijuana.

"If you're convicted of a marijuana offense and you decide you want to go to college but need student loans to help you, that conviction -- whether it's a violation or a misdemeanor -- wipes you out for the ability to get those loans. Some young adults don't realize that things you do today could have major impacts on their life."

Rarick boasted that he has former clients that continue to send him "anniversary chips" from Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous, proving that they made the most of their second chance.

"There are some benefits to getting in trouble because if you use it as a benchmark to say 'I’ve got to clean up my act and run the straight and narrow' it can be done. The prosecuting authority here in Genesee County has a very good sense of individuals that deserve those breaks."

Batavia resident Lisa Barrett is hoping a lot of people will get online and vote for her song, "When You Look at Me," which has made it into round three of the international "Best Original Song" contest.

If she wins, she'll get her own Web page, and her song will be sent to dozens of recording companies, music labels (large and small), producers and agents.

Barrett's song was one of 100 from around the world chosen for the contest. Of those, 48 made it to round two and, you guessed it, "When You Look at Me" was one of them.

Now it's one of 24 that have made it to the third round. If Barrett makes it through this round, she'll be halfway to her goal of winning the competition.

Voting began this week and extends through Monday. In order to vote, go to www.bestoriginalsong.com and set up an account -- it's free and only takes a minute.

Barrett wrote and performed "When You Look at Me" in memory of her nephew, Austin, who lost a brave battle with cancer in February of 2000, just shy of his 2nd birthday.

"My goal is to touch people's lives with the music in Austin's memory," Barrett said. "I feel I'm doing this not only for Austin, but for all children who have lost their battles, or are still struggling with life-threatening illnesses."

She came up with the idea for the song about a year after Austin died.

"I walked by his picture, and this particular time I stopped (to look at it). My eyes met his, and I said out loud: 'I can almost feel your touch when you look at me.'"

According to Barrett, "something happened" in this instant that changed her life.

"It was like a switch went on. I heard a melody in my head, with the lyrics coming at the same time. I felt compelled to grab a pen and start writing."

It took her a few weeks, but when she finally finished the song it became, in her words, "a wonderful grieving outlet."

"After that," Barrett said, "the switch kept going on for other songs. Whenever something hit me hard emotionally -- whether it made me feel sad, happy, angry or it was funny -- I would write a song about it."

Her songs are not just about things that affect her directly. As she got further along in this new chapter of her life, she became inspired by other people's experiences as well.

In recent years, she wrote a musical called "Can't Bully Me Now," which deals with the experiences of children who are bullied in school. This song has been performed multiple times by students at St. Joseph School in Batavia, and educators from other districts have expressed interest in it as well.

The amazing thing is that prior to the composition of "When You Look at Me," Barrett had never been a songwriter.

"I didn't plan this. It's a path that has been laid before me, and I follow it, not always knowing where I'm going next."

Along the way, she has learned that "even after so much pain, the sun can shine again."

Originally recorded at Affinity Music in Nashville, Tennessee in 2005, "When You Look at Me" is part of an album with the same title. Barrett wrote and performed 10 other songs for this album, one of which -- "Share Your Light" -- was the theme song selection for Western New York's National Night Out in August 2010.

In an ironic turn of events, Barrett decided that the time had come to turn "When You Look at Me" into a music video around the same time that officials from Best Original Song contacted her. They had found her music online and were interested in having her as a contestant.

Barrett said she submitted her entire album. They chose "When You Look at Me."

"It was like everything was coming full circle. It brought back to me the reason I had done everything in the first place."

She and her husband, Kyle, filmed the music video this past winter at Genesee County Park. They were there one day, and found that the atmosphere was ideal.

"The snow was falling perfectly," Barrett recalls. "And I just said to my husband, 'We've got to do it now.'"

Shooting at the park in the winter was not easy. Barrett said her "toes were frozen" as she made this video.

But she kept going, and it was worth it in the end.

Have a look:

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Once you've created an account and are logged in, click on either of the two bars on the home page that read "Live Show! Click Here to Listen," then click on "Third Stage Show #1." From there, you'll know what to do.

Remember, you only have from now through Monday to vote!

Final Note: Barrett's CD can be purchased through her Web site, www.lisabarrettcd.com. Portions of the proceeds benefit Essential Care, a pediatric home care program of Hospice Buffalo for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Top photo -- of Barrett at Affinity Music -- taken from www.lisabarrettcd.com, second photo submitted by Lisa Barrett.

Here's a notice from the Town of Stafford.

Please take notice that from Monday, May 2 through Friday May 6, Roanoke Road will be closed in the Town of Stafford due to general maintenance to a pipeline that is located alongside of and under this road.

Local traffic only will be allowed. Please use alternate routes during this time period. By order of Stafford Town Highway Superintendent Steven Boldt. He can be reached at 343-2907.

Meet Toby. Toby was in Centennial Park late this afternoon playing ball with his owner, Cheri Pitcher, of Batavia.

As soon as I walked up, Toby hustled over, dropped his ball at my feet and said, "OK, your turn to throw it."

The National Weather Service has extended the high wind warning to 8 p.m.

It was originally expected to expire at 4 p.m.

Winds of 25 to 30 mph predicted with gusts up to 60 mph possible.