Photo and info submitted by Pam L. Reed, administrative assistant, YMCA.

Frankenstein (alias Bill Reed) with his daughter, Justine Reed, of Batavia, helped entertain members and guests at the YMCA's annual Halloween event. More than 350 children enjoyed crafts, games, face painting, a haunted house, and watching a movie with pizza.

A thank you to the BHS Zonta Club and ALL the many volunteers! Also a special thank you to area businesses who supported the event: Domino's Pizza, Mark's Pizzeria, Oliver's Candies, and Tompkins Insurance.

Submitted by Todd Crossett:

On Oct. 28, Alexander Crossett, 15, Timothy Martin, 16, Jacob Richardson, 18, Jaden Ohlson, 18, and Donald Ohlson, 16, completed the Marine Corps Marathon. The boys are part of a boys' mentoring group called the Royal Rangers. They were running the marathon to raise money to send underprivileged boys to camp.

The journey started two years ago when two leaders of the group ran the Buffalo Marathon to raise money for Royal Rangers. The boys said that some day they wanted complete the marathon for Rangers. Last year the boys completed the Rochester Half-marathon. In June, the boys began training for the marathon that they would run in October. Todd Crossett, one of the leaders who ran the marathon two years ago, ran with the boys during the training. They all ran over 400 miles and put in more than 60 hours of running.

If you would like to show your support for these boys and would like to give to the Royal Rangers, you can send a check to the Batavia Assembly of God and mark "Marathon" in the memo section. The address is 24 N. Spruce St., Batavia, NY, 14020.

You can also go to bataviaassemblyofgod.com and go to "giving."

Pictured from left are Donald Ohlson, Alexander Crossett, Todd Crossett, Jaden Ohlson, Timothy Martin and Jacob Richardson.

The Batavia Bulldawgs varsity squad made it to the NOFA championships after an amazing season of youth football. 

Meeting BarLyn Saturday in Medina, the Bulldawgs took the field on a cold and rainy night under the lights on artificial turf.

Unfortunately for Batavia, the BarLyn team played like a team possessed and brought the ball on the ground and air in wave after wave.

Edward Schildt of BarLyn had six touchdowns, one extra point and three interceptions. 

Eric Neace Jr. added two touchdowns for BarLyn with Christian Wolck receiving a pass for a two-point conversion.

The Bulldawg's lone score came from a long touchdown run by Demetrius Spinks.

Congratulations to the Bulldawgs on a great season!

More pictures from this game, the other playoff games, and previous games this season can be found at Francletography.com

Last Thursday morning I had my pickup backed up to the launch at Churchville Park, and I was jawing with another canoeist, who, like myself, was waiting for his paddling partner. My partner showed up within minutes and before I was able to slide my canoe out of the pickup, another vehicle pulled up, stopped in front of the launch and a voice from inside said something to the effect of, "You gonna unload that thing and move so the rest of us can launch?" When I looked up I saw old friend and outdoor enthusiast J.D. Barrett grinning like the Cheshire Cat. This promised to be a good day.

Black Creek has long been a favorite among the canoe and kayak crowd and a paddle along Black Creek can be aesthetically pleasing to the eye most anytime of year. Come autumn however, the waterway provides a trip that is downright picturesque and it is especially alluring during the month of October.

Beech and oak trees dominated the creek bank along this stretch.

There were maples found here and there along the bank.

Normally on his day off former Batavian Mike Keil can be found on the tennis court or golf course. But this day he opted for a canoe trip along the Black, our second such venture of the year. 

The fella on the right is avid canoeist and flyfisherman J.D. Barrett and on the left is his paddlin' partner, Hyde Hitchcock. This pair has logged an incredible amount of time on the waterways over the years. It was J.D. who first introduced me to canoeing the Black many years ago.

Wherever we looked the shoreline was mirrored perfectly in the water.

On the creek bank in the "middle of nowhere" a swing seat for two hangs from a colorful beech tree.

More after the jump (click the headline):

Mike's wry grin suggests he doesn't believe me when I tell him a pair of dragonflies landed on his shoulder. They were there a second ago...honest!

Streak-winged red skimmers

Hyde and J.D. heading upstream in their solo canoes........

and stopping for a snack beneath some hemlocks.

While a good deal of foliage had already fallen, there was still plenty of color along the creek.

Like the rest of us, this painted turtle is enjoying the balmy autumn day.

After passing below Route 19, we entered the Bergen Swamp. Here the creek began to narrow and the the foliage was all but depleted.    

We saw several herons along our route.

For the duration of our trip I was fascinated with the mirror images on the placid surface.

Quite a mix of trees along the bank including evergreens and hardwoods.

All things considered -- scenery, weather and companions -- it was an exceptional outing.

A Batavia man who yesterday received the lowest possible sentence from Judge Robert C. Noonan for burglarizing a friend's house earlier this year, is now a suspect in a burglary at the Sprint store on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Justin C. Smith, 36, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, already in custody awaiting transfer to state prison to begin serving a three-year term, was arrested by the Sheriff's Office today and charged with burglary, 3rd, and grand larceny, 4th.

According to investigators, Smith is suspected of stealing two Samsung touch screen cellular telephones from a display stand near the front door of the Sprint store at 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive.

Deputies had responded to the location after a burglary alarm at 10 p.m., Oct. 18. Nobody was in the store when they arrived, but they did discover the alleged theft.

A store employee reported that during regular business hours the previous two days, three additional touch screen phones had been stolen.

Smith is suspected of stealing one phone Oct. 16, two Oct. 17 and two more during the Oct. 18 burglary.

Yesterday, Noonan, whose assessment of Smith was based on a pre-sentence probation report, said that Smith was an example of what happens when a good person gets mixed up with drugs.

Because Smith had a prior non-violent felony conviction in 2007, the minimum sentence available to Noonan for Smith was three years.

Noonan would not necessarily have known about the pending investigation at the time of sentencing.

Yesterday work crews started removing the fuel pumps and fuel tanks from the Wilson Farms location at 355 W. Main St., Batavia.

While people have told us the tanks needed to be removed because they were leaking fuel into the Tonawanda Creek, information obtained from the DEC indicates that's just not the case.

While there is some localized soil contamination, which the DEC is supervising for remedial clean up, the leak is contained to the property.

The property owner is listed as Sugar Creek Stores. Both Wilson Farms and Sugar Creek were sold to 7-Eleven early last year.

Earlier this year, 7-Eleven announced it was selling two Wilson Farms stores in Batavia. Industry reports at the time indicated 7-Eleven was not interested in locations that sell gas, but 7-Eleven recently rebranded the former Wilson Farms location in Oakfield.

While a source tells us the property owner plans to discontinue gas sales at the West Main Street location in the city, we've not yet been able to confirm that with a company representative.

The property is .35 acres and stretches from the shared property line with Settler's west toward Lambert's Design Jewelers, with a length of green space in between the buildings.

Fuel tank removal is expected to take another week or two.

UPDATE: A spokeswoman for 7-Eleven said the property is on the company's "divestiture list." It will be sold.

City PD just announced, as far as they're concerned, Halloween is Oct. 31, and that's not changing.

Police officials are asking parents and trick-or-treaters to conduct Halloween activities Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Police officers will be on patrol to help ensure the safety of children. If a Halloween emergency should arise, call 9-1-1.

The forecast for Wednesday is temperatures in the 40s and scattered rain showers.

Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office reports the appointment of Shannon L. Ford to fill the position of Genesee Justice program coordinator; a position that was created after a vacancy was left by the resignation of the assistant director. 

Ford has more than 13 years of experience in the field of alcohol and substance abuse. While previously employed by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, she has held the titles of assistant director of Prevention, Prevention supervisor, Prevention educator, and Chemical Dependency counselor.

She is a 1990 Regents High School graduate from Alexander Central School; a graduate from SUNY at Buffalo with a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology/Sociology; a 2007 graduate of Leadership Genesee; has served on the Juvenile Justice Planning Committee for the past seven years and was its chair in 2006; and has been instrumental in the awarding of numerous grants to GCASA, which include Drug Free Communities Grant, Gambling Prevention Grant, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Grant, and NYS Tobacco Control Community Partnership Grant.

Also to her credit, within the past five years, Shannon has developed a program called "Accountability Circle" to address underage drinking using restorative justice principles. This program currently serves more than 300 youths per year.

Sheriff Gary Maha stated, “Ms. Ford comes highly recommended for this position and will be a great asset to Genesee Justice. She has demonstrated that she is a dedicated individual who is eager to accept the position of Genesee Justice program coordinator.

"In addition to supervising the Genesee Justice staff, she will also oversee the Justice for Children Advocacy Center. Shannon was the unanimous selection of an interviewing committee and will start in this position November 5.”

Juveniles are "apparently lighting themselves on fire" near 15 Harvester Ave. in the city. A caller reports they are spraying themselves with some sort of aerosol and then trying to ignite it. Police are responding.

UPDATE 3:56 p.m.: Police on scene found nothing. The caller said the activity took place in a front yard. Police are trying to make contact with them.

UPDATE 3:59 p.m.: The caller says she saw the youngsters go up on a nearby porch, and then possibly into the house.

A two-car accident, with unknown injuries, is reported in Bergen at 5853 W. Sweden Road, south of the intersection with North Bergen Road. Bergen fire and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: There is reportedly one patient.

UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: One of the cars is leaking fluids.

UPDATE 3:29 p.m.: Cook Road at Creamery will be shut to traffic.

UPDATE 3:31 p.m.: Eastbound traffic on North Bergen Road will be turned back at West Sweden.

UPDATE 4:01 p.m.: One patient is being taken to Strong Memorial Hospital. Tow trucks are responding to the scene to remove the wrecked vehicles.

The County Highway Department announced that Peaviner, Old Creek and Cookson roads in Alexander are closed due to high water from the storm.

Sandy Mullen sent in this picture of the large willow that fell in her back yard on Ross Street, Batavia.

A tree has reportedly fallen into power lines on Clinton Street, Batavia.

City fire responding.

National Grid notified.

UPDATE 2:02 p.m.: The homeowner said he contacted National Grid some three hours before calling the fire department. He only called fire after one of the power lines started sparking. Fire officials assessed the situation and advised the homeowner to wait for National Grid. City fire is back in service.

Not all the trees lost their fall leaves over night. This is a tree on South Main Street. The picture was taken from behind Billy Goats on West Main Street, Batavia.

A woman accused of breaking into the home of a person she knew in Le Roy and trashing the residence entered a guilty plea this morning to burglary in the third degree.

As part of her plea deal, Karen L. Stone, 45, of Elm Street, Le Roy, faces from four to six months of intermittent jail time and five years probation.

Stone reportedly caused significant damage inside the home while the resident was away.

She was originally charged with second-degree burglary and petit larceny.

Sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m., Jan. 14.

A car hit a tree on Evans Street, Batavia, just before 10 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Robert Scott DeSmit, 47, of 14280 Gillette Road, Barre, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. DeSmit is accused of violating a complete stay away order issued in Family Court by sending an e-mail message attempting to arrange a meeting to the protected party Oct. 23. DeSmit allegedly followed up with a text message sent from his e-mail address to the protected party's mobile phone that read, “I got the order. I’m sorry. I sent you an e-mail.” DeSmit was arrested Oct. 24 by Batavia PD.

Ranelle E. Reuben, 30, of Basom, is charged with felony DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, refusal of breath test, stopping/standing on public highway, drinking alcohol while operating a motor vehicle and driving without a license. Reuben was arrested by State Police at 2:40 a.m., Sunday, on Route 77, Pembroke.

Brandon Charles Smart, 35, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. Smart turned himself in on a warrant pending in Le Roy Town Court. Smart is accused of trespassing at Buttermilk Falls on June 14.

A person has fallen 15 feet from a residential rooftop on Clinton Street, Bergen.

Bergen fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

A medical first responder reports Mercy Flight will not be needed.

The call is the second report this morning of a person falling from a roof. The first was on Pearl Street Road in East Pembroke's district.

UPDATE 9:15 a.m.: Patient being transported to Strong.