Deer in the southeast part of Genesee County have figured out that if they hide out in the county park they are not going to get shot at, which has led to an overpopulation of deer in the park, causing problems for the county's forestry management efforts.

County officials are considering -- and the discussion is still in early stages -- allowing a limited number of hunters to hunt deer in a portion of the park during bow hunting season.

"We're still working on the actual nuts-and-bolts details of the plan," said Tim Hens, county superintendent of highways. "It hasn't even been presented to the parks advisory committee yet, but I can tell you it would be very limited in nature in terms of not being through the entire park. It would be limited to specific areas of the park to avoid obvious conflicts with bicyclists and hikers and horseback riders and everything else that goes on down there. It is a multi-use park and the safety of everybody is obviously paramount."

The County Park covers about one square mile in Bethany. It was established in 1915 as the first county park in New York. The land was purchased in 1882 in order to procure cooking and heating wood for what was then the county poorhouse. Various efforts to plant trees in the park took place over the next two decades, and by 1935 nearly 170,000 tress had been planted.

The deer hunting plan is being drafted by an ad-hoc committee comprised of the parks supervisor, affiliated agencies like the Department of Environmental Conservation, wildlife and forestry experts, and members of the Genesee County Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee.

The plan would be presented to the advisory committee when completed and if the committee approves it, it would still need approval by the County Legislature.

"Speaking in very general terms, the initial concept calls for a fee-based lottery draw for hunters who will have access to limited regions within the park for limited period of time during regular bow season," Hens said. "Hunting will be bow-only. Focus will be on deer management and there will be an initial emphasis with disabled vets and youth hunts."

The hunt would likely take place for more than one season, Hens said, but whether it became a perpetual event would depend on how successful it was at knocking down the deer population in the park. Letchworth, which is significantly larger, has an annual deer hunt for the same reason, but since the county park is smaller, an annual hunt may not be necessary.

Hens said the ad-hoc committee is interested in community feedback on the proposal and there will be a public information meeting on the plan before it is presented to the Legislature.

A working chimney fire is reported 4136 Ridge Road.

Elba fire and Oakfield fire were dispatched initially.

A second tone out includes Bergen and Byron with Town of Batavia to fill in at Elba.

A chief on scene reports heavy smoke.

The residence has been evacuated.

UPDATE 9:37 p.m.: A firefighter requests a chainsaw and a thermal camera.

UPDATE 10:07 p.m.: Fire contained to chimney. Firefighters starting overhaul.

A car versus tree accident is reported in the area of 7893 Town Line Road, just west of Buffalo Street, Bergen. The driver is trapped inside and possibly has a head injury. Bergen fire and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE: Photo submitted by Anne Sapienza.

A car careened into a tree at 6692 Randall Road, Stafford. The driver is out of the vehicle and inside the residence at that location and complains of neck pain, according to dispatch. Stafford fire and Mercy medics are responding.

To help keep traffic moving on a cold, windy, icy day, a little while ago, Sgt. Dan Coffey and another police officer pushed a disabled vehicle out of the intersection of Oak and Main, Batavia.

Reader submitted photo.

Outside the GCC gym last night, the weather was pretty sloppy, but not as sloppy as the basketball game going on inside.

In the second game of the annual Rotary tournament, matching Notre Dame and Alexander, there were turnovers and missed shots and refs who were seemingly calling an inordinate number of traveling penalties and questionable jump balls. 

The final score was 37-22.

"It's was a sloppy game," said Dave Pero, Fighting Irish head coach. "What more can I tell you. It was just a sloppy game."

Pero knows he'll need a better performance out of his girls Thrusday night when they take on the Lady Blue Devils in the tournament championship.

Batavia beat Midlakes 55-32 in the tournament opener.

Notre Dame has taken the previous two Rotary Tournament finals against Batavia, and both coaches said they're ready to lock horns again.

"They'll throw out all the stops and we'll be ready and they'll be ready and it should be fun," Pero said. "I like our chances, but we can't play like we did tonight. But Thursday's another night."

Give the Lady Trojans credit, they pushed hard on defense and even with a team of girls with perhaps an average height of maybe about 5' 4", they managed to pull down quite a few rebounds against a team with three starters over six foot.  In the first half, nearly every trip down the court resulted in numerous second and third chance tries at baskets.  

Unfortunately for Alexander, nothing fell.

"It'ss been like that all year," said Alexander's head coach, Marcia Hirsch. "Our defense has been so good, but we just haven't been able to score."

The loss puts the Lady Trojans, who've managed as many as 50 points just twice this season, at 4-4.

Alexander applied pressure to Notre Dame at half court with some success, but on those rare possessions that resulted in a basket for the Trojans, they used a full court press and Notre Dame seemed out of rhythm all night.

That's pretty much the kind of defense the Irish will see when they meet Batavia in the championship game.

Head Coach Marty Hein said the Blue Devils will use pressure and the team's deep bench to compensate for Notre Dame's height advantage.

“We talked about trying to make that our identity,” Hein said. “We’re not a big team but we’ve got depth this year, so we run, run, run and press. We’re doing it for 32 minutes if we have to do it for 32 minutes.”

Both Alexander and Notre Dame suffered key injuries that disrupted their offenses.  Brett Stephens suffered an ankle injury crumpled to the court in the second quarter. A possession or two later, Emily McCracken fell down in the same exact spot.  Both are being evaluated and are considered day-to-day.

For Batavia, Essence Williams notched a double-double with a game-high 15 points and 11 rebounds, Tiara Filbert added 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Sam Cecere, recently returned from an injury, scored nine points and added seven rebounds.

Shea Norton and Rebecca Krenzer led the Notre Dame attack, both with double-doubles. Norton had 14 points and 17 rebounds along with four blocks and four assists. Krenzer scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

For Alexander, Sydney Breton had seven points and five rebounds. Jayna Wright scored four points and had five rebounds, while Karli Phillips grabbed five rebounds.

Both Pero and Hein expect a tough, competitive game Thursday night in the final at GCC.

"It should be fun," Pero said.

To purchase prints, click here.

We ran a Flip Ad contest Tuesday (the secret code didn't actually come down until this morning, but we got our winner last night) and the winner is Jody Robbins, of Stafford.

She was the eighth person to correctly identify "Paolo Busti" as the secret code phrase.

Robbins wins $25.

Watch for another Flip Ad contest next week.

Business owners: Flip Ads are a great, interactive way to draw more attention to your message. Contact Lisa Ace at (585) 250-4118 for more information. And ask about all the new interactive ad styles we now have available.

Press release:

United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia has joined Rochester Regional Health System, becoming a full affiliate effective January 1, 2015. Rochester Regional is the newly formed health system that combined Rochester General and Unity Health Systems in July 2014.

The Genesee County hospital announced its intention to join Rochester Regional in February 2014. While United Memorial is very strong financially, hospital leaders recognized that changes in health care threatened the long-term outlook for independent rural health care providers. Joining the large regional system will enable continued and even enhanced local services for Batavia-area patients. United Memorial will maintain its name and a local board, and will continue its longstanding tradition of providing a wide range of medical and acute care services in Batavia.

“The full affiliation of United Memorial is another example of how Rochester Regional is creating a model health care system that helps communities get healthy and stay healthy,” said Eric J. Bieber, MD, President & CEO, Rochester Regional Health System. “Our model will maintain access and control cost by keeping care within the local community with seamless access to the highest quality specialty acute care for patients throughout the region, no matter where you live or through which system-wide door you enter.”

The partnership mirrors a trend among successful hospitals and health care systems nationwide. These system affiliations address the economic realities that community hospitals face with health care reform, enabling them to continue to offer a full range of primary and secondary services locally, while providing a gateway to the best clinical care available when more highly specialized care and technology – like cardiac surgery, stroke services, neurosurgery, and other complex services – are required.

“Joining Rochester Regional Health System secures our ability to provide quality health care to our community for the long-term,” said Dan Ireland, President, United Memorial Medical Center.

“Though most patients won’t notice any difference at the hospital, they will benefit from greater access to specialized services and technology available through the Rochester Regional network.”
The two health care institutions are no strangers to each other, having collaborated in the areas of Cardiology, Pathology, Surgery, Urology and Gastroenterology since 2008, and most recently partnered to open a Cancer & Infusion Center at United Memorial.

In making its decision to affiliate with Rochester Regional in early 2014, the United Memorial board cited the system’s longstanding focus on high-quality patient care and safety, its expertise in clinical integration, its comprehensive medical and surgical specialties that will enhance existing services available in the Batavia community, and its successful track record of collaboration with smaller acute care hospitals and physicians. 

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has announced a series of business workshops for 2015 in conjunction with the United States Small Business Administration. 

The workshops are open to all Chamber and non-Chamber businesses and their employees and will offer expert advice from experienced business professionals designed to help small businesses succeed and grow.

“We’re excited to introduce this series of workshops this year,” said Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.  “The Chamber’s mission has always been to create an environment for business success and we believe these workshops fit right in with our mission.  Each workshop will give business owners and their employees valuable insights on a specific business subject.”

The 20l5 workshop schedule is as follows:

• February 11 “Marketing Your Small Business”
• March 11 “Financing Your Venture”
• April 8  “Home-Based Business Strategies For Success”
• May 13 “Selling and Succession Planning”
• June 10 “Women-Owned Small Business Workshop”
• September 9 “Holiday Campaigning For Your Small Business”
• October 14 “Profit Improvement Strategies – Increasing Your Cash Flow Now”
• November 18 “Customer Service That Wins Sales”

All workshops will be held at the Chamber of Commerce office, 210 East Main St., Batavia.  The sessions will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Businesses may attend any one or all of the workshops.  Cost for non-Chamber members is $10 for each attendee.  Chamber members may attend all sessions free of charge but must make reservations to insure space for their employees. 
To reserve a seat in any workshop or for more information, contact Kelly Bermingham at 585-343-7440 or by email at  kbermingham@geneseeny.com.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) wrote Attorney General Eric Schneiderman again urging him to investigate the disparity in gas prices from county to county.  Hawley, whose district is comprised of Genesee County and parts of Monroe and Orleans counties, mentioned the noticeably higher price of gas in his hometown of Batavia as compared to prices paid in surrounding counties.  Hawley has written Schneiderman several times on this issue, urging him to investigate and take action on the fluctuation of gas prices in his district.

“In most instances Genesee and Orleans county gas prices range much higher than the surrounding counties,” wrote Hawley.  “I have seen firsthand the pricing of gas stations in Batavia costing $.15-$.25 more per gallon than the various stations located in the surrounding contiguous counties: Erie and Monroe.  I know there are many variables which determine the price per gallon of gas but it seems to me that the price should not differ significantly from county to county.” 

Yekaterina Reznichenko, 28, of Tracy Street, Rochester, is charged with robbery 3rd and two counts of grand larceny 4th. Reznichenko is suspected of robbing the Five Star Bank in Batavia in February. Reznichenko was located by Rochester PD and turned over to Batavia PD. She is being held by the Genesee County Jail.

Lakeisha A. Gibson, 28, of East Avenue, Lockport, was arrested on a bench warrant for alleged failure to appear on a disorderly conduct charge. Gibson was located by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office and turned over to Batavia PD.  Gibson posted $130 police bail and was released.

Adam D. Smart, 32, of Dellinger Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal obstruction of breathing. The charges stem from an alleged domestic incident reported at 1:30 p.m., Saturday. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

It was 14 degrees and lake effect snow was falling, but Thomas Gilbert, who was riding home on Jackson Street, still said, "this is great weather for a bike ride."

There is a lake effect snow advisory in effect until 4 a.m. and a wind chill advisory in effect until 10 a.m.

Forecasters are calling for four to eight inches of snow with winds from the west at 15 to 25 mph.

A 4-wheeler is reportedly on fire inside the garage at 204 Naramore Drive. City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 3:37 p.m.: A resident sprayed water on the blaze and firefighters doused it fully with an extinguisher. It's out and the city crew is returning to service. There was no extention into the house.

Darwin Zuniga-Rocha, Eliseo Mateo-Perez and Uriel Ramirez-Perez are accused of first-degree rape, a Class B felony. It is alleged that on Nov. 16, 2014, in the Town of Elba, they engaged in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion.

Nathan L. Royse is accused of first-degree burglary, a Class B violent felony. It is alleged that on July 9, 2014, he knowlingly entered or unlawfully remained in a dwelling on Wood Street in the City of Batavia with intent to committ a crime. In the course of the alleged crime, he or another participant is accused of causing physical injury to a person who was not a participant. In count two, Royse is accused of second-degree assault, a Class D violent felony, for allegedly causing physical injury to a person not participating in the commission of a felony or attempted felony.

The four men named in these Grand Jury indictments are to be arraigned in Genesee County Court on Thursday.

A lake effect snow advisory is in effect from 4 this afternoon until 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to the latest weather update from the National Weather Service office in Buffalo. Snow accumulations are expected to be four to seven inches in the heaviest bands, which will include far southern Genesee County.

Also, a wind chill advisory remains in effect 10 a.m. Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday. Winds are predicted of 15 to 25 mph with wind chill values as low as 20-degrees below zero.

The combination of snow and blowing snow will greatly reduce visibility and result in snow-covered roadways, which can create hazardous driving conditions.

Bitterly cold wind chills will result in dangerous conditions for exposed skin. Avoid prolonged exposure to cold to prevent frostbite and hypothermia. If you will be outdoors use common sense and dress warmly.

The 237 students of Bigodi Secondary School in Uganda will soon be able to study in a new classroom thanks to the efforts of two Michigan State University graduates who on their own have raised nearly $10,000 and leave today to complete their project.

The students, Kirk David Mason, of Lansing, Mich., and Sarah Scott, of Bethany, were inspired to build the project through the life of Benson Bamatura, a Ugandan conservationist who died early last year.

Scott, who has a degree in zoology, met Bamatura while in a student exchange program in 2013 in Uganda.

When Bamatura died, he left behind five children. When researching options for ways to honor Bamatura, the Bigodi officials offered to ensure an education for Bamatura's children in exchange for the construction of a classroom.

Strictly tapping into their own personal network of friends and family, plus some fundraisers in Lansing, Mason and Scott were able get just about $100 shy of their $10,000 goal.

"We tried company sponsors, but since were weren't a nonprofit, there wasn't much interest," Scott said. "A lot of companies were like, 'it's a great project, but since you're not a nonprofit, we're not going to donate.' It's all been about friends and family."

Their trip will encompass more than building the classroom. Both are certified to teach English in a foreign language, so will instruct teachers on English. Mason, a documentary filmmaker with a degree in media, will make a series of short videos for students around the world to learn more about conservation and that part of Africa's natural habitat.

Both Mason and Scott have arranged with their former schools -- Pavilion locally and Mason's school near Lansing  -- to establish pen pal programs with Bigodi students.

There is also an arts program project they're pursuing with the Wyoming County Arts Council.

"We hope to build a bridge between two different cultures," said Mason, who is making his fifth trip to the region.

The school is in the midst of wildlife sanctuaries and near Africa's own "Great Lakes" area (such as Lake Victoria, which feeds the Nile) and among the conservation topics Mason plans to explore with his films are the issues effecting those lakes as well as our own Great Lakes.

Other topics to explore include regional sustainable food programs, sustainable agriculture and work on a documentary about food systems and food provisions.

"We e-mailed as many people as we could think of to make as many connections as we can," Scott said.

They hope to raise even more money to either generate funds for school supplies and books or perhaps also build a second classroom.

Mason sees the trip as a responsibility to fulfill because he's benefitted so much from his education. Scott's motivation is similar.

"I feel very fortunate to get the education I've received," Scott said. I want to be able to give back."

And she didn't want to just be all talk, either.

"I've always wanted to be able to do something like this and then actually stick to what I say I'm going to do, because a lot of people say, 'oh, let's do this' and then don't actually do it," Scott said. "I wanted to actually make something happen."

The trip, Scott believes, might also be a good career move.

"Pretty much all of Uganda is a biodiversity hot spot, so I’m really excited to just work in that environment," Scott said. "I’m hopefully going to be networking. There’s a lot of research that goes on in that area looking at primates and there are thousands of species of birds there, too, so it’s a pretty exciting place to be as a zoologist. I’m going to make as many connections as I can and hopefully find more work in that area, too."

Links:

• Kirk Mason on Vimeo
• Classroom for Benson
• Contribute

There is now a prescription drug drop box at the Sheriff's Office, 165 Park Road, Batavia. Residents are encouraged to drop off unwanted pharmaceuticals anytime, 24/7. Drop-offs are anonymous. Sharps, such as syringes, as well as thermometers, aerosol sprays, inhalers and hydrogen peroxide are not accepted.  The Sheriff's Office will properly dispose of the pharmaceuticals. 

Photo and information submitted by the Sheriff's Office.

Press release:

City Bureau of Maintenance crews have started picking up Christmas trees. We will continue to pick up trees through Jan. 30. City residents are asked to place their trees in the parkway without bags, stands, or decorations as these can damage equipment. Please keep trees free of snow and ice so they are visible.

Emily Edgerton, Payton Malloy and Amanda Malloy

Payton Malloy, a 13 year old from Oakfield who is an animal loving class clown, is entering this new year with increasingly difficult obstacles.

Payton has very complex medical problems which originated at birth and involve both physical and mental disabilities. These problems have been getting worse over the past year and have been affecting the family greatly. As the problems grow, Payton is losing the skills she has worked hard to learn and the skills many take for granted.

At times, she has trouble climbing stairs, walking and sleeping due to chronic pain. She will be undergoing two surgeries in the next few months on her knee and will be needing specific equipment including a wheelchair/adult stroller, stair lift and other necessary components.

“The hardest thing is what we are going through right now-- the possibility of her losing all of her skills, not being able to walk -- something that she worked so hard for,” said Amanda Malloy, Payton’s mother. “She is going to be 14 soon and there is all of the teenage stuff that I feel like we are going to miss out on like prom and driving and all that kind of stuff, and that is kind of hard for us and it is an everyday struggle. But, we are so fortunate for the things that she can do that I try not to let the negative overcome the positive. We are just fortunate for what she is able to do.”  

Although Payton is struggling, this does not alter her bubbly presence nor her ability to stay strong in hard times.

”The best part [about being Payton’s mother], I would say is just watching her learn and grow and enjoy life so much. Even though she has so many obstacles in her way, she doesn’t let anything bring her down. I mean, she inspires me every day,” Amanda said.

To help out, Payton’s best friend of six years, Emily Edgerton, created and planned “Wheels for Payton.”

“I just want to be able to help the family because they are going through so much and I want to help Payton,” says Emily.

Payton’s family is increasingly thankful for Emily’s support and presence in Payton’s life.

“There are no words to express my gratitude for Emily. This was all her idea. She is a really important part of Payton’s life. Payton looks forward to seeing her every day and if she doesn’t get to see her, she gets very emotional and upset and it kind of interferes with her day,” Amanda said. “She opens her heart to Payton and to us. She is always offering her help in doing things, watching Payton, etc.. We just really want Emily to be recognized for the good person that she is. She did not have to do this.”

“Wheels for Payton” will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Jan.10, at Oakfield-Alabama High School. It will include a spaghetti dinner and basket raffle. Pre-sale tickets are $6 and the tickets bought at the door will be $8. The food can been eaten there or taken home. All proceeds will benefit Payton. If you need any information, contact Teri Roberts at 519-2747.

“This [fundraiser] would mean that we could provide things that Payton has to have," Amanda said. "These are not luxury items and these are not things that we want to spend our money on. We would love to go on vacations and buy whatever we wanted but that is just not the case and these items that Payton needs are thousands of dollars. Fortunately, we have people like Emily and Teri, who are willing to volunteer their time and help us. These things will help us improve the quality of life for Payton and make it easier for us to take care of her.”

The family is overjoyed by the amount of support they get from the community.

“This is one of the benefits of having a small community because everyone is willing to help. I mean people who don’t even know Payton ask what they can do. It is just really nice to just see that because there is so much bad in the world. It is just nice to see that people are still willing to be helpful,” Amanda said.

Public support has already touched the lives of the Malloy family and they are very thankful. They hope many people can come out this Saturday to eat spaghetti and raise money for the fun-loving and inspiring Payton Malloy.

The man killed in a hit-and-run accident in Newstead has been identified, and he's from Corfu.

The victim was 38-year-old Francis A. Meldrum Jr., according the the Erie County Sheriff's Office.

A passerby reportedly found Meldrum's body in the roadway along Indian Falls Road shortly after midnight.

Authorities believe either an SUV or truck hit Meldrum, but are not ruling out a passenger car. There were apparently no witnesses and no physical evidence to help identify the vehicle was found at the scene.

The Erie County Sheriff's Office is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver whose vehicle hit Meldrum.