Kravings, Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Kraving's offers soups, salads and sandwiches, fresh and flavorful; Monday through Saturday. We have $10 gift certificates for $5.

Stafford Trading Post, 6173 Main Road, Stafford, NY: Lunch or dinner, Stafford Trading Post offers a variety of fresh, homemade meals, as well as snacks and drinks. Now in a new, expanded location. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Clor's Meat Market, 4169 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: For the best, most flavorful, juiciest chicken or hamburger in town, hands down, stop by Clor's. Oh, and the steaks are great, too. And the sausage. Clor's also serves lunch and dinners from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have a $10 gift card for $5.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $10 gift card for $5.

Settler's Restaurant, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, NY: Feel like a kid in a toy store again, or treat your kids to the greatest toy store they will ever see. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. Decorate your home or office for spring or summer. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

SOLD OUT

Note: if you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

Sitting on her clutch of eggs, a mother goose is doing her best to keep a low profile while keeping a wary eye out for predators -- and photographers.

If only for a short time, this wetland tract is where "momma" and her brood will call home.

Three of the five hatchlings. 

Three of the five youngsters are barely visible, yet mom & dad manage to stay fore and aft of the entire brood.

Young and vulnerable, the goslings are totally dependant on their parents for protection. And with numerous predators found throughout the various types of habitat in the wetland, there is much to protect these fuzzy youngsters from.

When Oak Orchard Creek spills its banks, such as it did this spring, northern pike find their way into the marshes and deeper pools, such as the one above. Toothy northerns have, on occasion, been known to take young waterfowl.

Aquatic predators, like mink, make their home here, not to mention danger from above in the form of hawks and owls. 

Flooded timber can be enchanting, yet full of peril for young waterfowl.

This is a likely place to encounter snapping turtles or a marauding raccoon.

For these goslings, everything must seem larger than life...and perhaps a bit overwhelming at times. Maybe that's the reason for this youngster's perplexed look.

This youngster seems to be making sure all siblings are present and accounted for!

While there are numerous predators that live in and around the wetlands, there are neighbors that bring no cause for alarm...such as these painted turtles.

Or a cardinal in the cottonwood.

Even an eastern swallowtail.

With all the distractions, sometimes mom or dad needs to crack the whip! Here she's seen hissing, as if to say, "get back in line."

All things considered, at the end of the day the best place for a gosling is directly below the protection of mom's down feathers.

A large plume of smoke is reported coming the woods at 951 Broadway Road. The type of fire is unknown. Darien Fire Department is dispatched.

The location is between Harlow and Warner roads.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: The chief says it's a small controlled burn.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: The fire stems from burning paper and wood. The homeowners have been advised of burn regulations. Darien is back in service.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Democrat Committee has endorsed the following candidates:
 
THIRD WARD
Kathryn Balbick Bellamy – 5 Lewis Ave.

Katie is a graduate of Notre Dame High School and is the daughter of City Court Judge Robert Balbick and Jane Balbick. She grew up in Batavia and currently resides with her husband James and two children at 5 Lewis Ave. Katie has worked and is trained as a paralegal. A member of the City of Batavia Democrat Committee, Katie looks forward to representing and serving the residents of the Third Ward.

FOURTH WARD
Pierluigi Cipollone – 1 Union Square

An Italian born naturalized citizen, Pierluigi’s father brought his family to Batavia in 1960. We lived on the south side of Batavia. He attended St. Anthony’s Elementary School and Notre Dame High School.  He obtained an associate’s degree in Computer Science from GCC and moved on to receive a bachelor of technology degree in Computer Systems from Rochester Institute of Technology. A former employee of Xerox, Pierluigi has successfully started a small business here in Batavia.

FIFTH WARD
Kathy Briggs – 3 South Main St.

Incumbent City Councilwoman Kathy Briggs received the endorsement of the Democrat Party. Kathy is known for her constituent service and for working on the city budget that has erased a large shortfall over the past three years. Kathy has served the Fifth Ward for many years and has been instrumental in restoring fiscal responsibility to the city.

SIXTH WARD
Rosemary Christian – 29 William St.

A longtime advocate for her constituents and the residents of the Sixth Ward, and the longest serving council member, Rosemary Christian received the endorsement of the Democrat Party. She has worked as part of a cooperative measure amongst all council members to address the budget shortfall and measures relating to employee benefit costs.

Residents on Douglas Street in the city are confused about a seemingly new effort by a code enforcement officer to ticket them for parking, at least partially, on the grass.

That's illegal, but some residents spoke at Monday's city council meeting and said they've been doing it for years, if not decades, and never a peep before from city officials.

“(The city) is telling us that what a parkway is, is grass…or stone (between the road and sidewalk),” Barbara Shephard said. “And we can’t park in that parkway at all? We have to park in the road? It’s ridiculous.”

After a lengthy discussion that sometimes got heated, the council agreed to consider the matter at a future council conference meeting.

During the discussion, one resident was gaveled down by Council President Marianne Clattenburg.

According to WBTA:

“Leave it alone – now. And if you don’t: at the next meeting, I’m gonna be here,” Shephard sternly told the council. “Oh yeah. I’m gonna be here again, and I’ll be here all the time. Leave them alone, you understand?” Shephard’s stern delivery prompted Council President Marianne Clattenburg to ask Police Chief Randy Baker whether Shephard’s statements constituted a threat. When the Chief replied that they did, Clattenburg banged her gavel and cut Shephard off.

A resident of 3 Orchard Drive, Le Roy, who suffered serious burns in a house fire early Monday morning, has reportedly told Le Roy Police that he started the fire.

Charges are pending against Paul F. Atkinson, 42, according to a statement from Le Roy Police.

Atkinson remains hospitalized at Strong Memorial Hospital where he is being treated for first-, second- and third-degree burns.

According to Le Roy Police, Atkinson said that he started the fire as a result of a disagreement he had with his father Sunday.

The release says that Atkinson made a full statement taking responsibility for the fire.

Several hours before the fire, Atkinson appears to have left a status update on his Facebook page that reads, "everyone can go to hell, tired of this life."

The fire was reported at 3:26 a.m. after the family dog alerted Atkinson's sister to the fire. Her husband, Richard Nelson climbed from a second-floor window to escape the flames and reportedly suffered an ankle injury in the fall. His wife was helped down an outside stairway by a Le Roy Police Officer.

The father, Thomas Atkinson, who owns the house, was not at home when the fire started. He was delivering newspapers.

Genesee County volunteer firefighters were called to the scene early this morning of a tanker truck fire that claimed the life of the truck's driver in Barre, Orleans County.

The tanker was carrying ethanol and the fire reportedly spread quickly into the wooded area around the accident.

To fight an ethanol fire, fire fighters must use foam, so Genesee County units that have foam cabability were called to the scene.

Units responded from Town of Batavia, Elba, Byron and Oakfield, along with Genesee County Emergency Services Unit and the county's hazmat team.

The fire is now out and clean up work along is in progress.  

One Elba tanker along with the hazmat team and ESU remains on scene at this time. Emergency Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the remaining Genesee County personnel wlll be on scene yet for quite some time.

At least two cars and a shed were broken into overnight on Drake Street, Oakfield.

The steering column of one vehicle was damaged.

The caller reports that it appears somebody tried to hot-wire the car.

The would-be thief reportedly left behind a mobile phone, which the victim has turned over to law enforcement.

UPDATE 7:46 a.m.: There are reportedly several other vehicles on Drake that were broken into overnight.

Byron resident Amber D. Thorman, 23, died early this morning at Strong Memorial Hospital, according to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

Thorman was injured in a rollover accident at 4:05 p.m., Monday, on Freeman Road in Byron.

With great clouds in the sky, I couldn't resist going out for a drive this evening to see what sort of pictures I could make. I probably didn't capture as many "sky" pictures as I imagined, and the sunset wasn't what I had hoped, but it was a pleasant trip, nonetheless. The highlight was probably encountering Genesee Street in Alexander for the first time.

Above, a Masse-Ferguson tractor on Lehigh Avenue.

Horses on Creek Road.

A painted horse among yellow flowers on Creek Road.

Inside of an old culvert under abandoned railroad tracks (the Pennsylvania Line's) along Genesee Street, Alexander.

A tree branch and a dappled sky on Genesee Street.

White flowers and the evening sky along Genesee Street.

BTW: Regarding our previous conversation about Tonawanda Creek. The creek runs along a portion of Genesee Street and the creek is public property there as well.

Above, Deputy Brian Thompson, K-9 "Pharoah" and Brian's son, Ethan, at the Target Store in Batavia.

This afternoon, Thompson and Pharoah, assisted by Ethan, put on some working dog demonstrations for store patrons. Typically, Pharoah would search for drugs, but a couple of times, Thompson let Pharoah pursue Ethan down the aisle (see photos below).  

Ethan, who graduated from high school Saturday, is in his last week working for Target, and his last week working for The Batavian, so store management let Ethan spend part of his workday today helping his dad with the demonstrations. Ethan is heading off for a one-year Christian education program in the Adirondacks.

A 23-year-old Byron resident is in guarded condition at Strong Memorial Hospital after being involved in a rollover accident on Freeman Road at 4:05 p.m.

Speed is believed to be a factor in the accident, the Sheriff's Office reports.

Injured was Amber D. Thorman, who had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was airlifted to Strong by Mercy Flight.

Her 1999 Chevy Tahoe was eastbound on Freeman when the SUV went off the north shoulder and struck a tree. The Tahoe then struck the guide wire of a utility pole, causing the vehicle to over turn three times before coming to rest on its roof.

Thorman was wearing a seat belt. 

Byron and South Byron fire departments responded to the scene and handled the extrication. Mercy EMS also assisted at the scene. 

The accident investigation is being handled by Deputy Joseph Graff, Sgt. Greg Walker and Investigator Kristopher Kautz.

(initial report)

For the first time since Batavia Police started conducting regular compliance checks of local liquor stores, to see if stores would make alcohol sales to minors, the stores in the city were in 100-percent compliance with the law, according to Det. Richard Schauf.

He said that even though store owners were given a warning through media reports, in the past, when warnings were also given, compliance was less than 100 percent.

The compliance check is funded by a GCASA grant and involves potential underage alcohol buyers entering liquor stores and attempting to make a purchase.

Liquor store staff is required to do an ID check on buyers and in the past, such checks did not happen with each and every attempted purchase.

"These results verify that compliance checks have raised the awareness of the community and its commitment to keeping our community safe," Schauf said.

A motor-vehicle accident was reported at 44 Maple St. in Elba about 45 minutes ago. The victim suffered a head injury.

Elba Fire Department and Mercy EMS responded.

Mercy Flight was sent in and is now airborne.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m., Suzanne Corona, who has been involved in previous criminal cases that made news, walked into the Target store on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Dressed in a gray jacket and blue jeans, she carried a bag over to customer service and pulled out two clothing items for exchange. After showing a receipt for the purchase, she received a handful of cash and put it in her purse.

Corona then walked past a local reporter, a Sheriff's Deputy and his K-9 and the store's asset protection manager, seemingly avoiding eye contact as she proceeded to the jewelry counter.

The asset protection manager, alerted her security staff. She said, "We have her on camera."

The reporter left the store, thinking, "what could possibly happen with a deputy, a K-9, and an asset protection manager right here?"

About five minutes later, Corona reportedly left the store and began to run into the parking lot, calling out, according to witness Brandon Maldonado, "Bruce, Bruce, I'm over here."

Two other people reported seeing Corona duck in between cars and Deputy Brian Thompson with K-9 "Pharoah" exited the store in pursuit of Corona. Thompson later said he glanced over at Maldonado, whose direction of gaze told him where Corona appeared to be hiding.

Thompson said that when he apprehended Corona, he found the allegedly stolen merchandise, perfume, on her.

Corona was returned to the store where she was arrested on a petit larceny charge.

A short time later, Thompson was called back outside to check on a car with Florida license plates. Inside the car, additional merchandise was found that might have come from other local stores and Thompson said there will be an investigation into whether those items were also stolen.

The car reportedly belongs to Corona's brother.

The man who was with the car was released. It's not believed that he was involved in, or had any knowledge of, any alleged thefts.

Corona was then transported to Genesee County Jail for processing.

In June 2009, Corona was arrested in Farrall Park and accused of public lewdness and adultery. The adultery charge made the case somewhat of an international sensation for a short time. Later, Corona was accused of trashing the buffet at South Beach and of shoplifting from a local floral shop.

The adultery charge was dropped as part of a plea arrangement and in November 2010 she was placed on one-year probation. In March, in relation to the shoplifting case, she was referred to the Mental Health Court. 

(initial report)

For previous coverage of Corona, click here.

UPDATE 10:07 p.m.: The Sheriff's Office has issued its press release on Suzanne Marie Corona's arrest. Corona allegedly tried to exit the store and when she did, the anti-theft alarm sounded. She then allegedly attempted to flee. She allegedly attempted to steal two pair of sunglasses, a hair band and a necklace, not perfume as we originally reported.

Photo of Corona outside target this afternoon submitted by a reader. Copyright 2011 by the reader. All rights reserved.

Batavia resident Suzanne Corona, 43, is in the security office at Target, being held on suspicion of shoplifting.

Within the past half hour or so, Corona is alleged to have ran from the store, allegedly carrying merchandise some perfume, and yelling "Bruce, Bruce, I'm over here!" before ducking down and supposedly trying to hide among the parked vehicles, according to witness Brandon Maldonado.

After causing a commotion and exiting the store, she was apprehended by Sheriff's Deputy Brian Thompson, who was in the store at the time doing a K-9 demonstration with "Pharoah."

Dispatch was notified that "Ms. Corona" was being detained and an officer sent to take a statement.

Corona's past brushes with local law enforcement include allegations of shopping from a local florist, trashing a lunch buffet and engaging in a sexual encounter at a public park.

(The name of the perfume has not been disclosed.)

UPDATE 10:09 p.m.: It was not perfume as we were originally told, but Corona allegedly attempted to steal two pair of sunglasses, a hair band and a necklace.

A pickup has rolled over and crashed into a tree at 6478 Freeman Road in South Byron. It landed on its roof.

Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with Mercy EMS.

Bergen fire's rescue equipment is called to the scene.

The location is between Ivison Road and Route 237.

UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: The availability of Mercy Flight is requested.

UPDATE 4:24 p.m.: A landing zone is set up and Mercy Flight out of Batavia is called to the scene. The driver has been extricated. Bergen is told to stand down.

UPDATE 4:36 p.m.: Mercy Flight landed several minutes ago. National Grid is called because a pole with a transformer was hit during the accident, tilting it at a 45-degree angle.

UPDATE 4:56 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne with the victim and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital. National Grid is expected at the crash site shortly.

Daniel William Tuerk, 25, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Tuerk was arrested after reportedly trying to proceed through an accident scene on East Main Street, Corfu, at 12:58 a.m., Saturday.

Earl Bryan Benson, 22, of Chestnut Street, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI and refusal to submit to breath test. Benson was reportedly found asleep in a vehicle at 2 a.m., Sunday, parked at 64 S. Main St., Elba. Sgt. Brian Friday made the arrest after an investigation revealed that Benson allegedly drove drunk to that location. Benson was jailed on $1,000 bail.

name redacted, 18, of 36 Dellinger Ave., Batavia and Jordon E. Terkel, 21, of 76 E. Main St., Corfu, are charged with unlawful dealing with a child, 1st, and endangering the welfare of a child. xxx and Terkel are accused of supplying alcohol to two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old on May 28.

Jason Warren Spencer, 25 of Church Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and harassment, 2nd. Spencer is accused of being involved in an unspecified incident alleged to have occurred early Saturday morning.

Eugeno Nunez-Gomez, 22, of Hundredmark Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, drving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, unregistered motor vehicle, improper/switched plates. Nunez-Gomez was stopped at 1:12 a.m., Sunday, in the area of 5800 Transit Road, Elba, by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

James Daniel Kavanagh, 21, of North Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with assault, 3rd. Kavanagh is accused of being involved in a fight at an address on Main Road, Stafford, in which he injured another person.  

Jason Paul Schaefer, 19, of Martin Road, Clarence Center, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Schaefer is accused at being at the Phish concert June 8 while another person he is barred from being near was also at the concert. Schaefer then allegedly got into a verbal altercation, allegedly violating the order of protection.

Matthew F. Vanbuskirk, 22, of 108 Myrtle St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and having non-transparent side windows. Vanbuskirk was stopped Saturday by a Le Roy Police patrol.

Lena Marie Evans, 23, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Evans was allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a check the welfare complaint at 8:32 p.m., Friday.

Ryan Christopher Riggi, 16, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Riggi allegedly violated an order of protection after reportedly pushing a caseworker on a home visit. Riggi was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Kevin James Huston, 27, of Brooklyn Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Huston is accused of claiming rewards and discounts from Kmart he was not entitled to obtain.

Evan Charles Burstein, 24, of Sunset Hills Road, Reston, Va., is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Burstein was reportedly found by Darien Lake security wandering around the theme park in an intoxicated condition. Upon investigation by Deputy Chad Minuto, he was allegedly found in possession of Clonazepam tablets outside their original container and a quantity of marijuana. Burstein was jailed on $250 bail.

John Mitchell Irish, 29, of Dartmouth Street, Rochester, is charged with felony DWI. Irish was allegedly involved in a car vs. pedestrian accident on Sumner Road, Darien, at 12:26 a.m., June 9. Irish was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Jessica R. Johns, 28, of 120 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, 3rd. Johns is accused of taking the car of an acquaintance without permission on June 9. Johns was located on June 10 and the car was returned reportedly undamaged.

Jason Schafer, 23, of Geneseo, is accused of evading cigarette taxes. Schafer was allegedly found in possession of 2,000 untaxed cigarettes.