Darien, Bethany and Alexander fire departments are responding to a commerical structure fire at 40 Favor St., Village of Attica.

The business is identified as Hillcrest Coating Facility.

UPDATE 10:45 p.m.: Darien, Bethany and Alexander put back in service per Wyoming County dispatch.

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A Central Avenue resident who admitted last month to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd -- a drug-dealing charge -- will spend four years in state prison, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled today.

Derek Leach, 31, of 29 Central Ave., Batavia, was arrested in March following a parole check of his residence.

When law enforcement searched the apartment, investigators reportedly found numerous bags of cocaine.

Leach was on parole at the time of his arrest and he entered a guilty plea Nov. 7.

Also arrested with Leach were Eric Williams, 45, of 219 Washington Ave., and Randy G. Leach II, 24, of 58 South Main St. The status of their cases is not available at this time.

Press release:

(Batavia, N.Y.) United Memorial Medical Center has experienced tremendous growth in the past year. The surgical expansion project was completed, the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center opened and a number of new physicians joined the medical staff. Several advancements were made in healthcare information technology, quality initiatives and improvements to our physical plant. Each program and project was a direct result of our strategic planning process to improve locally delivered healthcare based on the needs of the community and to continue to strengthen financial performance.

While growth is important to our viability, we must also assess established services and practices to determine whether they are fulfilling the mission of the organization and are sustainable. To maintain the financial balance of the organization and the needs of our community, several changes have been implemented.

The Cardiac Rehab Department and the Byron Family Care Center will close by March 1, 2012 due to unsustainable patient volumes. Cardiac Rehab will not accept new referrals and current patients will have the opportunity to complete their 90-day program. Patients of Byron Family Care were mailed letters informing them of the closure and information on transferring their medical records.

The primary care provider at Byron Family Care, Dr. Stanley Ambis, will continue with United Memorial’s Family Care centers in LeRoy and Batavia. Patients will be encouraged to remain with Dr. Ambis at one of the other sites. United Memorial Medical Center has filed its intent to close the Byron Family Care Center with the NYS Department of Health and will work through the appropriate steps in the next 90 days to complete this process.

Discontinuing the two services and realignment of job functions in other departments will result in the elimination of 16 positions, with the equivalent hours of approximately 14 full-time employees, slightly less than 2 percent of United Memorial’s 795 member workforce.

The eliminated positions include two Allied Health professionals, four registered nurses, four technicians, one licensed practical nurse, one patient access specialist, an administrative secretary and three salaried positions. Those eligible were offered severance packages and, where appropriate, options to extend their healthcare coverage. If qualified, they will be encouraged to apply for and be considered for other positions within the organization.

Patrick Raymond Krieger, 21, of East Main Street, Corfu, is charged with menacing, 3rd, reckless endangerment, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Krieger was arrested following an investigation by Deputy Jason Saile and Deputy James Diehl into a 9-1-1 hang up call in the Village of Corfu at 3:50 a.m., Saturday. Krieger is accused of grabbing the steering wheel of a vehicle he was riding in and jerking it in an alleged attempt to scare or cause harm to the female driver. The vehicle nearly struck a tree and a mailbox when the driver lost control of the car. Krieger then allegedly took the ignition key and shoved it into the neck of the woman and made threats of physical harm. When the woman wouldn't exit the vehicle, Krieger allegedly grabbed her by her throat and hair and threw her out of the car and onto the ground. Krieger was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Nicholas J. Pascucci Jr., 21, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana and inadequate stop lamps. Pascucci's vehicle was stopped by Le Roy Police on Friday afternoon for an alleged traffic violation. The officer suspected there may be narcotics in the car and requested the assistance of the Sheriff's K-9 unit. The K-9 reportedly alerted on the vehicle and Pascucci was found allegedly to be in possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. Pascucci was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Willie C. Armstrong, 40, of Tolland Avenue, East Hartford, Conn., is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Armstrong was charged following a traffic stop at 4:30 p.m., Nov. 20 on State Street, by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Christopher Nathaniel Johnson, 24, of Salina Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Johnson was charged following at traffic stop at 8:41 p.m., Saturday, on Route 33, Bergen, by Deputy Brad Mazur.

Zachary J. Rusin, 18, of Route 237, Holley, died Sunday as the result of injuries he sustained in an accident early Sunday morning when a golf cart he was riding in on Route 237, Byron, was struck by a car from behind.

The golf cart, driven by Cortney L. Greene, 18, of North Byron Road, Byron, had no lights and was described as slow moving by Sheriff's investigators.

Rusin was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital via Mercy Flight where he died later Sunday.

The accident remains under investigation and Greene faces possible criminal charges.

Previously: Passenger in golf cart on Route 237, Byron, at night seriously injured

A 68-year-old man was injured Sunday evening after he was struck by a car while he walked through the crosswalk on Park Road at Batavia Downs.

Douglas Aiken, of Morrow Road, Pavilion, was taken by a Mercy EMS ambulance to the Genesee County Airport and then transported by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Aiken was alert and conscious at the time of transport, according to Sgt. Greg Walker, Sheriff's Office. Walker said Morrow complained of head and shoulder pain. His injuries were not believed to be life threatening. He was taken to Strong as a precaution given the nature of the accident.

The driver, David L. Reeb, 60, of Corfu, had slowed while approaching the crosswalk, but did not stop, Walker said.

Reeb was cited for alleged failure to yield to a pedestrian.

A 10-year-old passenger in Reeb's station wagon was not injured, nor was Reeb.

Walker said the accident was the first car-pedestrian accident he can remember at the crosswalk outside Batavia Downs since the Downs reopened.

(Initial report)

A motor-vehicle accident with serious injuries is reported on Veterans Memorial Drive in front of Batavia Downs. Veterans Memorial Drive is being shut down, and so is the opposite end of that street, which becomes Park Avenue.

Staging area is in the parking lot of Kmart. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

Mercy medic on scene requests Mercy Flight to stand by in the hangar.

UPDATE 7:22 p.m.: Mercy medics are transporting a patients(s) to the hangar now. The parent of a victim is said to have arrived in the parking lot at Kmart.

UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: Officers are reopening Park Avenue.

UPDATE 7:34 p.m.: This was a car vs. pedestrian accident involving one victim, the pedestrian. The person is being transported via Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital. The patient is said to be alert, complaining of shoulder and head pain.

Mercy Flight is being dispatched the Oakfield Fire Hall for a possible stroke victim.

The call started as elderly woman on South Pearl Street who fell several feet off a ladder and struck her head. When medics arrived, they diagnosed a possible stroke.

UPDATE: The woman was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital via Mercy Flight.

A 29-year-old Batavia man is in the intensive care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital following a head-on collision in Orleans County on Saturday afternoon.

Paul J. Smith was southbound on Oak Orchard Road when his car crossed into oncoming traffic. According to the D&C, Smith told investigators that he fell asleep at the wheel.

The driver of the sedan Smith's car hit was Barbara J. Lamka, 44, of Albion. She was extricated from her vehicle and taken to Strong by Mercy Flight, where she's listed in satisfactory condition.

A person contacted dispatch saying he jumped from the second floor of a residence on Tracy Avenue and suffered an ankle injury.

There was reportedly a party at the residence at the time.

Law enforcement on scene and the person has been located. Mercy EMS dispatched.

The ambulance dispatched to Summit Street for better access to the patient's location.

UPDATE 4:24 a.m.: Patient being transported to UMMC.

Five people were jailed Friday, charged with grand larceny and accused of shoplifting from Kmart during a busy Black Friday morning.

The five suspects are all from Buffalo and were reportedly in a rented car when they went to the store at 8363 Lewiston Road.

The suspects were allegedly removing two HD TVs, two mobile phones, video games and numerous cosmetics when confronted by Kmart security.

The suspects fled, leaving behind much of their allegedly ill-gotten booty and headed toward Walmart.

One suspect was found in the Office Max parking lot.

The suspects reportedly tried discarding some of the allegedly stolen merchandise as they fled.

Arrested, charged with grand larceny, 4th, and jailed on $2,500 bail each were:

• Amanda P. Stephens, 25, of Schreck Avenue
• Brittanie S. Wofford, 24, of Hiddell Street
• Crystal M. Snow, 45, of Wohlers Street
• Jazzmen S. Welch, 21, of Goemble Avenue

Also charged, but released under supervision of Genesee Justice, was Emma M. Mills, 36, of Clay Street, Buffalo.

The case was investigated by Deputy Christopher A. Parker, with assistance from Deputy Daniel VanValkenburg, Investigator William Ferrando and State troopers J. Bryman and J. Jackson.

When Rep. Kathy Hochul stopped into Adam Miller Toy and Bicycles this afternoon, a constituent asked her what could be done to create more jobs. "Shop in local stores so they can expand and hire more people," Hochul said.

That was the theme of Hochul's visit to Batavia and Le Roy on Saturday.

While Saturday was dubbed as a "shop local" day by a group of national conglomerates, Hochul said it didn't really matter who was behind the push. The important thing was that this holiday season it's important for consumers to remember to spend at least some of their gift-giving dollars in locally owned stores, which provides more benefit to local communities than big box retailers.

Hochul stopped in at Adam Miller, Charles Men's Shop and the Enchanted Florist in Batavia, and then went out to Le Roy where she did some Christmas shopping at Vintage and Vogue and then visted the Jello Museum, where she also found a couple of gifts.

Ace ag reporter Tom Rivers was at Coffee Culture this morning with his son Ruben signing copies of his book "Farm Hands." The book is based on a series of articles Rivers wrote for the Batavia Daily News about his efforts to get out and work the fields, experiencing firsthand what it's like to be a farm hand. Rivers said so far the book has sold 5,500 copies. If you don't have your copy yet, it's available at Present Tense books and the Holland Land Office Museum.

There was a minor accident in the city -- reportedly no injuries -- at Main Street and Dellinger Avenue just before 4:30 p.m. One lane of traffic was blocked for about 20 minutes. No further information available.

A car-into-pole, rollover accident is reported in the Village of Oakfield at Maple Avenue and Albert Street. "The subject is out of the vehicle." Oakfield Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Mercy medics are told to stand down respond nonemergency. Deputies are en route to the scene.

UPDATE 3:09 p.m.: Medics are transporting the 25-year-old male driver to UMMC. He is said to have some chest discomfort and left shoulder pain. His car landed on its roof and a flatbed tow-truck is coming to haul it away. The pole was not damaged but the guide wire is a little tweaked.

Photo taken this morning.

Betty Sommer, a resident of Williamsville, worked in Batavia for five years, driving passed a former drive-thru bank location on East Main Street near Clinton Street thinking every day, "that would make a great coffee location."

"Finally," she said, "I decided to do it."

Sommer opened Kick-Ass Coffee nearly two weeks ago, on the same day sewer line construction began on East Main, cutting down on her visibility, but she said new customers have been finding her shop. It is a kiosk in East Town Plaza, standing alone, across the parking lot from Aldi's.

The coffee, she said, is fresh brewed from Latin American beans roasted in Buffalo and all of the ingredients in her breakfast sandwiches and subs are fresh. She bakes her own biscuits and muffins.

"Everything tastes just like you made it yourself at home," Sommer said.

An 18-year-old Holley resident was seriously injured early Saturday morning when the unlit, slow-moving golf cart he was riding in on Route 237 in Byron was struck by a car.

The driver of the cart, Cortney L. Greene, 18, of North Byron Road, Byron, faces possible alcohol-related charges.

Taken by Mercy Flight to Strong, where he's listed in guarded condition, was Zachary J. Rusin, 18, of Route 237, Holley. 

Rusin suffered head trauma and internal injuries.

Greene also suffered a head injury and was taken by Mercy EMS to Strong, where she's listed in stable condition.

The driver of the automobile, Emmaleigh R. Odom, 19, of Starr Road, Pavilion, was not injured.

Odom was reportedly driving a 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo northbound on Route 237 at 12:07 a.m. Her car crested a hill and struck the rear of the unlit golf cart.

Both Greene and Rusin were ejected from the cart, which then crossed both lanes of Route 237 and struck a parked car.

The accident is being investigated by Deputy Howard Carlson, Deputy John Weis and Investigator Timothy Weis.

The Sheriff's Office was assisted at the scene by Mercy EMS, Mercy Flight and the Byron and South Byron volunteer fire departments.

(Initial report)