At least three companies from Genesee County are responding to a barn fire in Albion at 13823 W. Barre Road.

Dispatched are units from Elba, Oakfield and Alabama.

UPDATE 4:53 p.m.: Additional Genesee County units are being activated. Town of Batavia may already have an engine at the scene, an additional unit has been dispatched to the Albion Fire Hall to fill in. An East Pembroke engine is requested to Elba to fill in. Byron has also been dispatched. Orleans County firefighters are reportedly dealing with multiple incidents right now.

View Larger Map

The gull problem at Latina's is "hand-able, but a large-scale problem," according to a manager for Pest RX, a company out of Clarence hired by LKLWL Properties to assess the situation and recommend a solution.

"It's not like it's a one-shot deal," said Jeff Waiter. "It's not like we're going to come in here for however long and we'll never see a seagull again. We're going to have to work with the property owner and work on a long-term solution."

Both Waiter and Pest RX owner Jeff Phelps said they still need to put together a plan, but the preliminary solution includes fixing the drainage on the roof, getting rid of standing water, and coming up with an "exclusion" system, something to make it harder or scarier for the gulls to land on the roof.

Just ensuring it's a clean, dry roof will do a lot to deter the gulls.

"The first thing is, the standing water has to go," Phelps said. "Once that's gone, we'll do a power wash and clean off the roof, but to keep them off permanently, there's a lot of obstructions there.

"We're trying to put our heads together and come up with a plan," he added.

It shouldn't be necessary to get the DEC involved at this point, Waiter said. He said the team spoke with the DEC this morning, they have a copy of the DEC manual and so long as they're not disturbing eggs or active nests, no DEC permit is required.

He said they found no eggs and only old nests on the roof today.

"We can definitely make the place tidy without a DEC permit," Waiter said, "so long as we don't harass the young or the eggs."

Photo: From left, Phelps, Waiter and another Pest RX employee.

If you're wondering about City Fire going code 3 down Main Street -- it's just another "automatic alarm of fire" at the Jerome Center construction site on Bank Street.

There are reportedly only minor injuries following a car and motorcycle accident on Route 98 at West Saile Drive, Batavia.

Town of Batavia Fire is responding along with Mercy EMS.

(Update II at 2:19 p.m.)

A late night fire at a Presbyterian Church on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation may have been deliberately set, according to Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County.

The fire is under investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, the Alabama Fire Department and Yaeger's office.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said the fire was spotted by a person driving by the church who saw an orange glow through the windows. He turned around, confirmed the fire and called dispatch at 11:05 p.m..

"It's on the further recesses of the reservation," Brewster said. "I'm surprised somebody was out driving by that church that late. Not a lot of people drive through there at 11 o'clock at night. It's very remote."

Quick action by three Alabama Fire chiefs who arrived on scene at the same time kept the fire from causing more serious damage.

Chief Bill Schutt said he and assistant chiefs Andy Merkel and Gary Patnode realized shortly after arriving on scene at 6978 Meadville Road that the biggest fire was confined to a piano, so they used extinguishers to put it out. They dealt with some additional flames using water in an ice cooler that had been left in the church. A fire hose was needed only to deal with some minor extension into a wall.

"Minimal water was used," Schutt said.

Brewster said whoever set the fire, set several small fires inside the building. No accelerant was used and because it was extinguished quickly, there was no structural damage.

The most serious damage was to the piano.

There are no suspects yet, though several church members and the original caller were interviewed. Because it's a church fire, and therefore a potential hate crime, ATF and the FBI were notified, per protocol.

Brewster described the church congregation as small and they meet only once a month with an out-of-town pastor conducting services. The church did meet yesterday.

"Our crew along with Indian Falls, who responded, too, did a good job," Schutt said. "It could have been much worse."

NOTE: I went to the scene to get a picture of the church, which is now boarded up, and when I spoke to a Tribal Council member, he said I couldn't publish the picture without council approval, and the earliest approval could be granted would be tomorrow. So, no picture.

Mathew J. Sherman, 23, of 5547 Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Police responded to a report that a person had fled the scene of a fight at a local restaurant/bar. Sherman's car was spotted in the area of 344 Ellicott St. by Officer Mark Lawrence where he was stopped and determined to be allegedly DWI.

Benjamin L. Szabo, 18, of Clarence Center Road, Clarence, is charged with petit larceny. Szabo was reportedly working as an outside vendor at Kmart on June 30 when he allegedly stole an iPod from a backroom shelf.

Janice M. Colburn, 62, of Fargo Road, Corfu, is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. Deputy Chris Parker responded to a report of an erratic driver on Pearl Street at 2:14 p.m., Friday, and subsequently stopped Colburn's car.

Robert James Macklem, 20, of Prospect Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Macklem allegedly violated an order of protection by being with the protected person. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Christopher P. Tresco, age unknown, of 108 North St., is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Tresco was stopped at 2:12 a.m., Saturday, by Le Roy Police Sgt. Micahel J. Hare on East Main Street. Hare reportedly spotted Tresco driving on the Main Street Bridge with his headlights off.

Phillip M. Case, 20, of Hilton, is charged with trespass. Case was arrested by State Police at 9:02 p.m., Saturday, at 9993 Allegheny Road, Darien Lake. No further details were released.

Raymond Amaro, 23, of Yabocoa, Puerto Rico, is charged with DWI, harassment, 2nd, and resisting arrest. Amaro was arrested by State Police at 2:54 a.m., Saturday, in the Stevens Street Allen Foods parking lot. No further details were released.

Jesse Le Gould, 31, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Gould is accused of going to an ex-girlfriend's house at 7:55 a.m., July 12, and pounding on the exterior of the house and yelling. Gould has been ordered not to have contact with the woman unless it is related to their child.

Discontent of the seagull population is continuing to grow and so is the media attention. Social networking site Facebook.com is one of the latest media outlet to show the public support asking for LKLWL owner Tom Lewin to take responsibility for the growing problem that is occuring on the building owned by his company.

The facebook page, titled Tom Lewin remove the Seagulls at Latina's- Batavia, NY! is a community based page currently with over 100 fans supporting the group and the cause.

Previous coverage of Latina's can be viewed here

A semi-truck reportedly has a brake fire and is stopped in front of the old Ponderosa restaurant at 12 Ellicott St., Batavia.

City Fire is responding.

View Larger Map

This afternoon I set up a chair in the shade of a backyard tree, brought along my laptop and camera, thinking I'd get some work done and maybe snap a bird picture or two.

It wasn't long before this ne'er-do-well trespassed (notice, no allegedlies here -- sue me, Mr. Squirrel) onto our property and committed the crime of petit larceny, stealing bird feed.

Methinks this isn't his first such thievery, the scoundrel.

Even as he seemed quite aware at times of my presence with my camera, he brazenly continued to thumb his nose, so to speak, at my attempts to keep him from his dastardly deeds.

More after the jump:

After I chased him off the branch once, he returns to the scene, scoping out the terrain for my presence. Satisfied that I'm at a safe distance, he begins again, munching from the feeder.

After I knock him from his perch with a well tossed walnut, he wastes no time in scavenging for seeds on the ground. After seemingly getting his fill, he high-tails it back to the confines of the neighbor's yard.

Even more brazen than before, he dashes to the birdbath ...

... and steals water ...

... after chirping out a taunting "nah-nah-nah," Mr. Squirrel returns to the scene of his original crime.

So after posting this irrefutable photographic evidence of this scofflaw's crimes, I expect a the Batavia PD to appear forthwith to take a report and make an arrest.

If not, I trust that publication of these photos will serve as ample humiliation for Mr. Squirrel and perhaps as a warning to other squirrels who might be tempted to abscond with our bird food and water.

Scott F. Doll, 48, convicted by a jury of his peers of murdering his friend, 66-year-old Joseph Benaquist, has been transferred to the maximum security prison in Fishkill, Dutchess County.

The Downstate Correctional Facility, 320 miles from Corfu, is a transfer facility. Doll will likely be held there for a few weeks before being transferred to the prison where he will likely serve out his 15-years-to-life term.

Doll arrived at Downstate on July 7.

Officials told me after Doll's conviction that he would be sent to a prison a good distance from Attica and Wende, two facilities Doll worked at during his nearly 25-year career in corrections.

Prison officials would not want Doll mingling with either former co-workers or the men he guarded, so they would want to get him out of Western New York.

Doll's Department Identification Number is 10B1993.

He is eligible for parole April 17, 2024.

Doll is scheduled to appear in Batavia City Court again on July 27 for a hearing related to a charge of promoting prison contraband. His attorney says he plans to challenge the charge.

Here's a news release from Marc Coppola, state senate candidate for New York’s 61st District.

Senate candidate Marc Coppola is challenging his election opponent "not to associate with corrupt party leaders."

Coppola is calling on incumbent Michael Ranzenhofer, to decline the state’s Independence Party nomination.



“Accepting the support of Independence Party political boss Frank McKay and his upstate colleague, former Democratic Party Chairman Steve Pigeon, sends the wrong message to voters," Coppola said. "Both are under state and federal investigation for alleged money laundering and campaign finance violations.”

Several media outlets around the state have reported that McKay is under investigation by the New York City District Attorney’s office for possible money laundering in connection with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s re-election campaign. Media outlets have also reported that Pigeon is the focus of multiple investigations by state and federal authorities for similar violations in connection with other campaigns.

Board of Elections records show Senator Ranzenhofer filed an acceptance for the Independence Party nomination on July 12. To get the party’s nod, McKay himself must give the authorization.

Ranzenhofer’s acceptance of the Independence Party line, while knowing that Chairman McKay and Pigeon are both under investigation troubles Coppola.

“I can’t say that I am surprised that Senator Ranzenhofer is willing to work with corrupt party bosses for his own political gain,” Coppola said. “To secure the senate majority, Mr. Ranzenhofer voted to make State Senator Pedro Espada President of the Senate.

"It was a move that put Espada in line to potentially be the next governor. It came even after Espada had been fined by the State Board of Elections for campaign finance violations, and while Espada was under criminal investigation by state and federal authorities.

“It is clear that Senator Ranzenhofer is willing engage with corrupt politicians and party bosses if it benefits him politically. When I started this campaign, I called for an end to cross-endorsements and fusion voting for precisely this reason.

"Confidence in government and its leaders is at an all time low in New York State and the corruption of our political system is a major reason why. I choose to take the high road and not ally myself with party leaders who are under criminal investigation. I challenge my opponent, Mr. Ranzenhofer, to do the same.”


It should also be noted that Senator Ranzenhofer is pursuing the Independence Party line even after he called for Steve Pigeon to be investigated in 2008. It came when Pigeon and Rochester billionaire Tom Gollisano supported Ranzenhofer’s opponent Baby Joe Mesi in the last election.

Pavilion Fire has responded to a residence on Big Tree Road to deal with an unknown odor in the home.

Le Roy Fire is on standby.

Multiple law enforcement units initially responded to the house to deal with a man reportedly with a shotgun.  One person has been taken into custody.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.: Pavilion and Le Roy units back in service. No word on what the odor might have been.

View Larger Map

Another summer weekend, another parade in Genesee County. This one in the photogenic setting of the Village of Le Roy for the Oatka Festival.

More pictures after the jump:

This morning, Batavia Youth Football conducted a football clinic for area children at Kibbe Park. The boys were instructed in how to play the defensive line, how to be a running back, how to be a receiver and how to be a quarterback.

More pictures after the jump:

A motorcyclist has reportedly hit a parked car in the area of 3 Naramore Drive, Batavia.

The rider is reportedly up and walking around, but has a minor injury.

Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS are in route.

A man has fallen from a 15-foot ladder at 29 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy.

He is conscious. The only reported injury is "some bleeding."

Le Roy Ambulance is being dispatched.

Tom Lewin, one of the owners of the former Latina's Market location on Ellicott Street will have a pest control company on site Monday. It will evaluate the gull problem that city residents and business owners have been complaining about for months.

"Hopefully by Tuesday, I'll have their recommendation," Lewin said.

Asked about DEC involvement -- the city was required to get a permit before dealing with the gull issue atop City Centre a couple of years ago -- Lewin said he didn't know anything about that.

"I'm not a gull expert," he said. "Are you?"

Earlier today, Lewin was quoted on the WGRZ website as saying he was cooperating with the city on the issue.

"We are working diligently and cooperatively with the City of Batavia to find a solution," Lewin reportedly said.

Reached this morning, City Manager Jason Molino said he had spoken with Lewin, but also said he would like to see some action before he would call it cooperation.

"If there’s a move over on that property, then I guess you could say that’s true," Molino said.

The city issued a condemnation notice on the building, which could provide a path for the city to take steps on its own to deal with the gull infestation; however, the County Health Board has ruled the gulls are not a public health hazard.

Lewin, principal in LKLWL Properties, has also been summoned to City Court to respond to allegations of code violations at the vacant site.

The Batavia Muckdogs showed up at Dwyer Stadium last night with their hitting shoes on, slapping around 15 hits and scoring 16 runs to drop the Lowell Red Sox 16-2.

The victory moved the Muckdogs to 13-13 for the year.

Nick Longmire hit his fifth home run of the season and he had, along with Joey Bergman and Colin Walsh, three RBIs.

Rainel Rosario had three hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Justin Edwards went seven innings and surrendered two runs to pick up his second win and lower his ERA to 2.93.

Tonight is fireworks night as the Muckdogs play one more home game against the Boston Red Sox farm team. On Saturday, longtime NY-Penn League rivals Jamestown open a three-game series at Dwyer.

A pole is reportedly on fire in the area of 36 North St., Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire and EMS being dispatched.

UPDATE 10:16 a.m.: It's a very small fire at the top of the pole. National Grid has been notified. Engine 63 is clearing the scene.

View Larger Map