Much of Genesee County remains under a travel ban (Darien, Pembroke, Alexander, Bethany, Pavilion) and the rest of the area is under a travel advisory.

The weather service is calling for more lake effect snow, with up to four inches an hour hitting the western and southern parts of the county.

Here's some photos from around Batavia this morning.

Top: Heidi Urban cleans her driveway on North Street.

A Batavia Housing Authority employee blows snow outside 400 Towers.

Skyler Fronczak, 11, helped her family on Ross Street with snow clearing by spreading salt this morning.

Steve Hawley was keeping his walk clear this morning in front of his insurance office on Main Street.

The entrance to the Thruway in Batavia was closed.

A DOT plow truck downtown.

St. Mary's in the snow.

In what county officials are classifying as a weather-related death, a county employee had a heart attack this morning while operating a snowblower in the back parking lot of the Sheriff's Office on Park Road.

A call for a man down came in a little before 7 a.m. this morning. CPR was administered at the scene, but 56-year-old Jack Boyce was pronounced dead later at UMMC.

Boyce worked in the facilities division of the county highway department for one year. Both a brother and a sister are longtime county employees.

Via The Batavian's news partner, WBTA.

A person died in an accident that occurred on Meadville Road, Alabama, some time over night.

The circumstances of the accident remain under investigation, but neither the accident nor the death were weather related, according to Victor Morales, public information officer for Troop A, State Police.

The name of the deceased has not been released yet, pending family notifications.

Another person was injured. There's no information available yet on that person or the person's condition.

The accident was reported at about 6:30 a.m. in the area of 6686 Meadville Road.

Alabama fire responded to the scene.

A first responder reported the person was deceased when he arrived on scene.

Christian J. Finkney, 26, of South Academy Street, Wyoming, is charged with 18 counts of criminal contempt, 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation and unlicensed operation. Ashly N. Boatwright, 27, of South Academy Street, Wyoming, is charged with 18 counts of facilitating aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd, and one count of circumventing an interlock device. Finkney allegedly drove a vehicle 18 times in Genesee County while his license was revoked for an alcohol-related offense. Darien Town Court reportedly directed Finkney not to drive until his privileges were reinstated by the DMV. Finkney was arraigned in Batavia, Darien, Alexander, Pembroke and Bethany and jailed on $10,000 bail. Boatwright is accused of allowing Finkney to drive a vehicle registered to her on 18 occasions. She is also accused of blowing into an interlock device to circumvent the device.

Nathan Robert Arnold, 22, of Terry Street, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Arnold was allegedly involved in a fight with a person protected from him by court order. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Jamie Michelle Lauck, 27, of Spencer Court, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 and parking in the highway. The Sheriff's Office received a report at 12:51 a.m. Sunday on Colby Road, Darien. Lauck was allegedly located in a vehicle stopped in the roadway by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Louis James Stoller Jr., 22, of Erie Street, Le Roy, is charged with burglary, 2nd, and petit larceny. Stoller is accused of entering a residence on South Street Road, Le Roy, with the intent of taking the dog from the residence. He was jailed on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.

Damian Christopher Woodruff, 32, of Walmore Road, Niagara Falls, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Woodruff was stopped by Deputy Patrick Reeves on federal game lands on Sour Springs Road, Alabama. He was allegedly hunting without a permit. He allegedly was found in possession of a shotgun, in violation of the law barring convicted felons of possessing firearms. 

Nathaniel Michael Dickes, 21, of Broadway Street, Oakfield, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Dickes was allegedly involved in a fight at 9:57 pm., Saturday, at a location on Webber Avenue, Oakfield, in which Dickes allegedly pushed and grabbed another person and threw an object at that person.

Donald Ivan Manes, 58, of Lewiston Road, Basom, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test, misuse of dealer plate, speeding (74 in a 55 mph zone) and failure to keep right. Manes was stopped at 2:06 a.m. Sunday on Kelsey Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Kristen Irene Merriam, 33, of Summit Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Merriam was charged following a traffic stop at 12:30 a.m. Saturday on Clinton Street Road, Stafford, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Bryan D. Bates, 35, of Mill Street, Batavia, is charged with conspiracy, falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement and offering a false instrument, 1st. Bates allegedly reported an incident that did not occur and providing a false written statement. Bates is being held on a parole violation.

Tyler J. Warfle, 19, of Chapel Street, Elba, is charged with five counts of identify theft, 3rd. Warfle is accused of using the debit card of another person without permission.

Mark T. Zdrojewski, 61, of Meyer Road, Pendleton, is charged with issuing a bad check. Zdrojewski was arrested on a warrant. 

A 17-year-old resident of Liberty Street in Batavia was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear. He was taken into custody during an investigation of an unrelated complaint.

Heavy snow hit parts of the county overnight. There were weather alerts during the early morning hours calling for bands of lake effect snow capable of dropping up to four inches of snow per hour.

Portions of Route 33 and Route 77 are closed.

The Sheriffs' Office has issued a travel advisory. The western part of the county, west of Batavia, has been particularly hard hit. The office is advising against any unnecessary travel this morning.

Here's a list of closures so far:

• Batavia City Schools
• Oakfield-Alabama Central School District, including all after school activities
• Byron-Bergen Central School District
• Elba Central School District
• BOCES Batavia
• Notre Dame and St. Joe's
• Pembroke Central School District
• All courts in Genesee County, including County Court and City Court, are closed. Jurors are advised to stay home.
• Town of Pembroke
• Batavia Town Hall
• The Law Offices of Bonarigo & McCutcheon
• UMMC medical offices on Summit and at Med-Tech
• Desa Frias DDS
• Pembroke Diagnostics, located at 860 Main Street Road, Corfu
• Le Roy Central Schools
• Pembroke Family Medicine
• City of Batavia Yard Waste Station
• Town of Darien
• Genesee Urgent Care
• En Garde Batavia, classes cancelled
• OPEN! -- Dr. Michael Merrill, Medical Office at 229 Summit St., Batavia
• Independent Living of Genesee Region, at noon
• Mental Health Association
• GCASA closed until 3 p.m.
• NOTE: Regarding closure of medical offices in the Summit Street area, best to call ahead. Some are open, some aren't.
• Pediatric Associates of Batavia
• LeRoy Urgent Care is CLOSED today.
• LeRoy Diagnostics is open until 4 pm.
• Batavia Urgent Care at the Jerome Center is OPEN
• The Geneseee County Animal Shelter is closed today, for both the public and volunteers.
• The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership BSI Conference is cancelled for tomorrow, rescheduled to Dec.15.  Same time, same place. 
• Batavia Tailors & Cleaners is closing at 3 p.m.
• The town of Batavia Planning Board Meeting and Public Hearing scheduled for tonight - Tuesday, November 18th at 7:30 p.m. has been cancelled due to weather conditions.    The Public Hearing regarding an application for a Special Use Permit by 5069 East Main LLC will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.  which is the next regularly scheduled Planning Board Meeting.  Kathleen Jasinski, Chairman, Town of Batavia Planning Board
• Tountas Family Care
• Richmond Memorial Library will be closing at 5 p.m.
• Classic Optical - Closing at 2pm.
• Sweet Pea's Cupcakery & Cafe - Closing at 2 p.m.
• Mane Attraction Salon & Spa - Closing at 2 p.m.
• Wendy's his canceling is "frozen" event. The restaurant will close early, probably about 8 p.m.
• Planning and Development Committee meeting cancelled
• Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union closed at 3 p.m.
• Next Level Fitness
• City Slickers
• Showtime Theater
• Olivers

Send closures to howard@thebatavian.com. You can send weather photos to the same address.

UPDATE: The Thruway is shut down west of Henrietta. 

UPDATE 7 a.m.: The National Weather Service says continued heavy snowfall in the western half of the county will continue throughout the morning commute, with snowfall of up to 4 inches per hour in the most intense bands. Thunder and lightning are possible.

UPDATE 7:07 a.m.: Even though the Thruway is closed, people are still trying to get to it. Traffic is tied up on Oak Street.

UPDATE 7:12 a.m.: Top photo submitted by Ashleigh Dominiak showing Route 33 and Route 77 in Corfu at 4:45 a.m.

UPDATE 7:44 a.m.: Law enforcement is looking for information from dispatchers on whether the box stores can make parking lots available for stranded trucks. A plow opeator: "Traffic is just killing us right now. ... We can't get anywheres." There's too many cars on the road.

UPDATE 8:47 a.m.: One highway worker to another, there's a car buried on Colby Road. "Yeah, there's a couple of them. They're everywhere." We're hearing numerous reports of cars stranded on various roads.  

.UPDATE 9:07 a.m.: Travel bans issued for the towns of Pembroke and Darien. The Sheriff's Office is asking all drivers to stay out of those areas until conditions improve.

UPDATE 9:15 a.m.: Town of Batavia, all available manpower to fire stations.

UPDATE 10:30 a.m.: Pembroke, Indian Falls, and Corfu fire departments are told to shut down southbound Route 77.  Also, the travel ban now applies to Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion.

UPDATE 11:21 a.m.: Route 5 westbound at Route 77 is closed to all traffic.

UPDATES 11:36 a.m.: Bethany and Pavilion fire departments are asked to shut down all westbound traffic on Route 20, at the request of Alexander.

UPDATE 11:55 a.m.: A reader called about Route 5 being closed at Wortendyke.  He said the roadway appeared to be clear.  We e-mailed Sheriff Gary Maha about it and here is his response: 

I just talked to Dispatch.  They are now diverting westbound traffic north on RT 63 instead of letting them get as far as Wortendyke.  The problem is not on RT 5 but at Brickhouse Corners.  That area can not handle any more traffic until the mess is cleared up.  There is still a travel ban in effect for the Towns of Pembroke, Darien, Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion.  Highway crews are out working hard to clear these roads of stranded vehicles and plowing them and the travel ban will be lifted once this is completed. We don't need more traffic in these areas getting stuck and making matters worse.

Additional reader photos below.

Corfu

Corfu

Corfu

Corfu

A reader's car buried in Darien.

Bethany, about 8 a.m.

Stafford

Two photos from Ken Laurer, Corfu.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported in the area of 6686 Meadville Road, Alabama.

Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 6:21 a.m.: Mercy Flight is grounded due to weather.

Earlier this evening, a heavier than expected band of lake effect snow hit Genesee County, particularly the southern portions of the county.

The National Weather Service just issued another alert of a band heading toward Batavia that is capable of dropping snow at a rate of 1 or 2 inches per hour.

The band may be accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Travel safety is advised.

Tractor-trailers are finding it's tough going on Route 20 and on Route 77, Darien.

Several trucks are blocking Route 20 between Bowen Road and Darien Alexander Townline Road.

There are also trucks backed up on Route 77.

Darien Fire Police are requested to Route 20 to help with traffic control.

Salt trucks and plows are requested to both locations.

UPDATE 11:29 p.m.: Route 20 being reopened.

A CSX train is reportedly leaking diesel fuel while stopped on the mainline between West Bergen Road and Dublin Road in Bergen.

Bergen fire dispatched.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: (on scene) West Bergen is blocked by stalled train. Unknown how much fuel has spilled. ESU team responding. 

UPDATE 4 p.m.: The housing on a brake broke and sent shards of metal into the fuel tank, causing two puncture points. An estimated 1,000 gallons of fuel leaked out, about 500 at the spot where the engine stopped. CSX a is bringing in a crane to lift the engine so the wheel can be replaced. CSX crews are cleaning up the spill, which is confined to the gravel track bedding, under the supervision of DEC. Bergen fire has cleared the scene. The crossing at West Bergen Road will be closed for several hours. 

Shredded wood at rail crossing on West Bergen, caused by the damaged brake cover.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported in the area of 306 W. Main St., Batavia.

Mercy EMS requested to the scene to evaluate a person complaining of chest pain, believed to be from a seat belt.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: City fire is back in service.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia), in response to the deep divide between Upstate and Downstate New York revealed in the recent elections, is renewing his push for his “Two New Yorks” legislation, numbered A00391. This legislation would permit counties to place an initiative on the ballot to poll citizens on whether or not they want to see New York separated into two states. Hawley believes this is an important first step toward true representation for Upstate New York.

These recent elections have made one thing clear: New York City has a tight grip on the electoral politics of this state, and it is not working for Upstate New York. Longtime Upstate New Yorkers are being driven out of the state they were raised in because of oppressive taxes and the lack of well-paying jobs,” Hawley said. “I’ll be making my ‘Two New Yorks’ legislation a top priority to find out if Upstate New Yorkers want to take the step to separate from New York City and Downstate interests.”

The upstate/downstate divide was made abundantly clear in this year’s gubernatorial elections, where Gov. Cuomo’s entire margin of victory came from New York City alone. He won New York City by 569,278 votes, but only won the election by 480,605 votes. This means that without New York City, he would have lost and New York’s next governor would be someone more aligned with the Upstate priorities of lower taxes, a better business climate, and the restoration of Second Amendment rights.

There's been steady snowfall in Batavia all morning. Wet snow. Just an inch or two.

There remains a lake effect snow warning in place for the region. The forecast for Genesee County is for five or six inches of snow through Wednesday. Portions of Erie County may be harder hit with up to two feet of snow.

Top photo: Ellicott Street

Centennial Park

Centennial Park

Ellicott Street from Court Street

County Building #1

Main Street

Fire Chief Jim Maxwell and Principal Diane Bonarigo help a student at Jackson School try on a new winter coat at the school this morning.  

IAFF Local 896 gave out about 90 winter coats to students at the school.

UPDATE: Here's some additional info about the coat distribution:

City of Batavia firefighters, Local 896 distributed 90 brand new 100-percent American Made winter coats to children grades K-1 at Jackson primary. This is the second year firefighters have partnered with the national not-for-profit Operation Warm. More than $3,600 was raised to provide the coats. Local 896 would like to thank all who supported this great program. It truly is more than a coat. The coats give children a sense of pride having something brand new and all their own. New coats also promote a healthy lifestyle for children during the winter months and having a positive impact on school attendance.

Firefighter Adam Palumbo

Firefighter Chuck Hammon stretches out his arms to show a student how to test the fit of his new coat.

One vehicle is reported to be way off the road and there may be injuries in the area of mile marker 2.8 Route 490 eastbound. Le Roy fire and Mercy medics are on scene. The location is between the Le Roy and Bergen exits. Law enforcement is also on scene.

The Batavian: Senior housing developer sues GCEDC over project rejection

This cute kitten was found at 8 p.m. on Friday in the Pearl Street neighborhood directly across from Williams Park. It was scared and hungry. Neighbors said they first saw the kitten a few days before.

She is totally jet black with no markings (a Bombay perhaps?) and looks to be 6 to 8 months old. She is wearing a studded collar with pink bell and a flea collar. Extremely friendly, likes being indoors, and continues to purr, purr, purr.

I called the animal shelter to learn if an owner called asking about it but no one had. We will be taking the kitten to the shelter when they have room.

If you're the owner or you know who is, please call Marilyn Dickinson 585-356-9398 (cell) ASAP.

UPDATE Nov. 20: From Marilyn Dickinson on Nov. 18: "Thanks to those who shared my post on FB and to The Batavian <https://www.facebook.com/thebatavian> for the APB on the kitten. I received a call from the owner a few minutes ago who saw the pic on The Batavian. I returned 'Patches,' along with the supplies and food we purchased, to the family who lost her last weekend. The kitten crossed Main Street traffic..perhaps her name should be "Lucky!" They were grateful and the children so happy to get her back home...before my husband kept her - awww!

Smoke is reportedly coming from a mobile home in the West End Trailer Park at 4016 W. Main Street Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m.: A chief on scene says someone is burning leaves, although it could appear to the caller that the smoke was coming from the mobile home itself.

The county's first lake effect snow of the season is predicted to hit between Monday evening and Wednesday morning.

Only one or two inches of snow accumulation are expected in the most persistent areas, but with wind, visibility could be down to a quarter mile at times.

Blowing and driving snow could make travel difficult.

Forecasters say there is some uncertainty at this time as to the timing and placement of heavy lake effect snow.

There is a storm watch in effect.

UPDATE 4:44 p.m.: The forecast has been upgraded to a lake effect snow warning, in effect from 5 p.m. Monday through 1 p.m. Wedneday. The weather service says to expect light to moderate snow tonight, followed by very heavy lake effect snow. Accumulations could total up to 6 inches. Winds, southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph, will result in near blizzard conditions at times. Visibility will be near zero at times later Monday and the morning commute is expected to be slippery and slow. Some roads may become nearly impassable.

Six times during Saturday afternoon's regional championship match at Buffalo's All High Stadium the Blue Devils were on the brink of putting six on the scoreboard, and six times Batavia let the opportunity slip away.

The blown opportunities alone represent more points than Cheektowaga managed on their own in the Class B matchup.

"You can't win football games when you do that," Head Coach Brennan Briggs said after the 35-16 loss.

In five of the six times the Blue Devils reached the red zone but failed to score, Cheektowaga got the ball back on turnovers.

"It's disappointing turning the ball over so many times, but that's the game of football, Briggs said.

The other time Batavia came up short -- literally came up short -- was in the closing seconds of the half when Batavia had the ball inside the five with 1st and goal to go.

When fourth down rolled around and less than 10 seconds on the clock, the ball was two inches from the goal line. A Cheektowaga off sides put the ball on the one-inch line.

Batavia couldn't punch it in.

A score there would have made it 21-21 at the half.

Batavia's game plan called for the offensive to use the ground game, grind up precious minutes off the clock and keep Cheetowaga's quick-strike offense off the field as much as possible.

The fewer times the Warriors' Marshawn Gibson touches the ball, the better for any opponent.

Even though Gibson still carried the ball 12 times for 146 yards, plus an 81-yard reception, for four touchdowns, that part of the game plan worked.

On the first drive, Batavia learned that what film study revealed was true: Give the ball to Dominick Mogavero and let him chew up yards and the clock.

Time of possession tilted heavily in Batavia's favor, 33 minutes to 15 minutes, and Mogavero carried the ball 32 times for 160 yards.

"I feel a little bad for Anthony Gallo because he's such a good back, but our style of what we were doing, grinding it out, we saw how well that can work on that first drive, so we stuck with Dom because he's got a little bit more to him," Briggs said. "He just did a great job offensively and defensively."

Batavia made it look easy on the first drive of the game, scoring on a six-yard pass from Greg Mruczek to Gallo, but Cheektowaga struck quickly on its own first drive, as Gibson streaked 74 yards for a touchdown.

With the score 14-7, Briggs once again made a gutsy fourth-down play call. This time, a lateral to Trevor Sherwood who threw the ball cross field to a wide open Ryan Hogan for a 32-yard TD.

Then the wheels started to come off. A fumble, an interception, the failed goal line opportunity, and more fumbles and another interception in the second half just put Batavia in too deep of a hole.

Still, 2014 was an amazing season for the Batavia Devils, going 6-1 in the regular season and winning the program's first Section V title since 1991. The loss doesn't diminish a turnaround season.

"It still hasn't sunk in yet," Briggs said after the game. "We're very disappointed in the loss. We were hoping to keep moving on, but a Class B section V title is something for Batavia to be proud of and I think we can build off of this and do a lot of great things after this."

Mruczek, Gallo, Mogavero, along with Trevor Sherwood, Malachi Chenault, Noah Dobbertin and Danny Williams will all be back next year.

That's the core of any potential winning team right there, plus there are players in the pipeline, either from JV or varsity, ready to contribute.

"This (season) helped the underclassmen of Batavia football realize how important it is to be there in the off season," Briggs said. "Maybe we will get a little bit more commitment this off season from a kid who doesn't want to be there. We have a very good nucleus of kids coming back and I can't wait to get them going."

Top Photo: Gallo with the first score of the game.

Cheektowaga's Hakiem Black with a TD reception in the third quarter.

Dom Mogavero

Mruczek hands off to Mogavero.

Mogavero looks for a hole with Cheektowaga's Dylan Romanczak in pursuit.

Gunner Rapone wraps up Gibson in the backfield in the fourth quarter for one of the star back's rare loss of yardage runs.

Sherwood alone on the bench with his thoughts in the closing minute of Batavia's 35-16 loss to Cheektowaga.