Two youths are reportedly shooting geese in Oatka Creek with a pellet gun from the creek bank off Munson Street in Le Roy. Some birds have been killed or injured and are floating downstream. Le Roy police are responding.
Downtown Batavia was hoppin' on Saturday night with hundreds of local residents out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We stopped by Delavan's, T.F. Brown's, Bourbon & Burger, Center Street Smoke House and, of course, O'Lacy's.
If you can't view the slide show below, cick here. To purchase prints of any of these photos, click here.
A caller to dispatch has reported a "suspicious condition" in Le Roy -- two people taking random pictures of the village.
The caller said the two people have been in the village since at least 11 a.m. taking pictures all over the village of things such as buildings and street signs.
Apparently, the caller spoke with the two people and they said they were reporters from France.
That seems to be the straw that broke the camel's back and prompted the call.
A Le Roy police officer confirmed seeing people take pictures of a statue in the village and wanted to know if the photographers had been seen on private property.
No report of trespassing.
The officer will attempt to make contact, but didn't sound confident of finding criminal activity.
UPDATE 7 p.m.: The officer made contact. The photographers are from Pennsylvania and are taking pictures to post to Facebook. "Nothing suspicious," the officer reports.
A grass fire is burning out of control and approaching a structure at 8959 S. Lake Road in Pembroke. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding. The location is between Scribner and Cohocton roads.
UPDATE 3:23 p.m.: The fire is now under control.
UPDATE 3:36 p.m.: The fire is out. All fire units are back in service.
A fairly dry winter and an apparently early spring does increase the wild fire danger, and local residents should be especially mindful of the state's open burn regulations from now through May 14, said Tim Yaeger, coordinator for Genesee County Emergency Services.
This time of year, you can't burn leaves, you can't burn brush, you can't burn twigs and branches, you can't burn any other kind of organic material (and you can never burn non-organic material).
The only outdoor fire allowed right now is a small cooking fire that is closely monitored and maintained.
If a fire is spotted, emergency dispatch will be called, a fire company will respond and you could be fined.
"Law enforcement can be called and the fee is significant for those who burn illegally," Yaeger said.
Fires that get out of control -- which is easy in these conditions -- put property and lives at risk.
"During the burn ban time, our goal is to save lives and property," Yaeger said. "That's our biggest concern, that we don't have any property that's not intended to burn, burn, and we don't put any of the public or the firefighters at risk when these fires are preventable."
Leaves, especially, should not be burned, Yaeger said. The embers from such a fire can blow well beyond the fire area and ignite brush and wooded areas, creating potentially fast moving fires.
"We encourage people to compost their leaves," Yaeger said.
Once May 15 passes, organic matter can be burned in the rural parts of the county, and people can once again have small campfires (three feet high and four feet in width or diameter) and ceremonial or celebratory bonfires, but all fires must be attended and monitored.
Certain agricultural waste fires -- organic material -- are also permitted.
At no time can people burn inorganic material.
Last week Yaeger was at a meeting with the state's emergency coordinator and Yeager said the message was that "unsettled weather patterns" create a number of dangers for state residents.
Wind-whipped fire is one matter, but significant storms, even tornadoes are not out of the question.
"There's been some odd weather patterns in the Midwest," Yaeger said. "We hope nothing will occur, but with the weather patterns we're seeing, we must be concerned that we might get some unsettled weather this season."
If you spot a fire, the number to call is (585) 343-5000 or if an emergency situation call 9-1-1.
A car has reportedly hit a parked car in the area of 22 Ross St., Batavia.
An EMT on scene reports a possible medical condition for the driver.
City fire department and Mercy EMS responding.
Sackets Harbor beat Notre Dame today in the semi-finals of the boys basketball tournament in Glens Falls.
The final score: 50 to 40.
It's only the second loss of the season for the Fighting Irish, who won their first Section V title since 2001 and the Western Regional title.
It looks like Batavia Downs is a long shot to expand into a full-blown Vegas-style casino with table games and expanding gambling options.
The NYS Legislature took a big step yesterday toward opening up so-called racinos to more casino games, but capped the number of race tracks that can expand at seven.
Western Regional OTB board member Dick Siebert told WBTA that he's very concerned that Batavia Downs is being excluded from the expansion.
“Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs are the closest raceways to the Senecas' casinos (in Niagara Falls and Allegany), and they’re the ones putting the heat on the state,” Siebert points out. “So I’ve got a strange but very sound feeling that we’re the two being targeted.”
The seven target locations have not been disclosed.
The Senecas believe they have an exclusive lock on gambling in New York and the legislature may have caved to pressure from the Senecas by excluding Buffalo and Batavia from the expansion.
“They’re behind it,” Siebert said. “They’ve got money, and they’re throwing it around. They don’t want the competition. But not having Batavia Downs be a full casino hurts Western New York a lot more than what might happen to the Senecas.
“I’ll probably get myself in trouble to say it – but it’s the truth,” Siebert added.
Michael Kane, CEO of the Western Regional OTB remains hopeful, however.
“I don’t think it takes Batavia Downs out of the mix at all,” Kane says. “I think the number was just negotiated between the governor and the two houses.”
When you want to shop locally and shop online, there's only one place to do it: Shop Batavia.
Here's some of the great offers on Shop Batavia now:
You can also buy gift certificates for local businesses. Click here.
Check Shop Batavia's home page daily for new offers and promotions from local businesses.
When you shop locally, more of your hard earned dollars stay in the local community where they do the most good. Shop Locally. Shop Batavia.
A possible brush fire is reported in a wooded area near 10355 South St. Road in Pavilion. The location is just north of Route 20. Pavilion Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 6:12 p.m.: A responder on scene says "It looks like a controlled burn. It looks like it's contained. ... The homeowner's on location. I don't think it's going anywhere." The assignment is put back in service.
UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: The actual address was determined to be 7635 South St. Road. The homeowner was informed of the new open burning regulations.
A 35-year-old Batavia resident has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly making false claims with the Department of Social Services.
Lee Heckman, of 5 Fairmont Ave., is accused of submitting various forms with DSS that concealed income from a scrap recycling business.
Heckman allegedly received food stamp benefits totaling $600 from March 2011 through July 201, as well as temporary assistance totaling $1,576.13.
Following arraignment in Town of Batavia Court, Heckman was jailed without bail.
Besides the grand larceny, 4th, charge, Heckman is also charged with two counts of offering a false instrument for filing.
Cases of suspected welfare fraud can be reported by calling 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6416. All calls are confidential.
A large field fire is reported in the area of 1283 Lewiston Road, just west of Alleghany Road. Alabama Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 4:03 p.m.: The fire is under control.
UPDATE 4:10 p.m.: The fire is out. All units returning to service.
Reuters: New York cuts pension benefits for public workers
Press release from Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman of the county legislature:
I applaud Governor Cuomo for not backing down in his fight to provide meaningful long-term savings for local governments. Over the past several years, pension costs have crippled local governments in New York. Here in Genesee County we have seen our annual pension costs escalate from $247,000 to over $4 million dollars in a 10-year period. That is just not sustainable. It makes maintaining vital local services most difficult. I cannot emphasize enough how important it was for the state legislature to enact meaningful pension reform this year and thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership.
Technology students from throughout the GLOW region gathered at GCC today for the fifth annual Tech Wars.
The event pits teams from high schools and middle schools against each other in contests of engineering and design, including bridge building, Lego robots, CAD design and web page design, among more than a dozen other contests.
The competition's first year was 2008 and it has grown every year since its inception.
A grass fire is reported in Alexander at 11250 Maplewood Road. Alexander Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 2:36 p.m.: The fire is out. All units returning to service.
The Sheriff's Office will run a first-of-its-kind experimental DWI checkpoint March 17 somewhere in the county.
The "enhanced" DWI checkpoints feature the common roadblock, but will also include road patrols in the area looking for drivers who are apparently trying to avoid the checkpoint.
The governor's office is funding enhanced checkpoints as an experiment in four counties to combat a growing prevalence of smart phone apps that help alert drivers to checkpoints as well as other means drivers might find out about a checkpoint and then try to avoid it.
On March 17, the Sheriff's Office will operate the checkpoint and Batavia PD, Le Roy PD and State Police will provide additional patrols.
An officer trained in drug recognition will be at the checkpoint to assist in identifying drivers suspected of being impaired by drugs.
Other enhanced DWI checkpoints will be scheduled during the year in the county, in Batavia and in Le Roy.
The overtime cost associated with the enhanced checkpoints is covered by a $21,775 state grant.
Joseph A. Monkelbaan, 40, of Tesnow Road, Akron, and David J. Albright, 51, of Meadville Road, Basom, are charged with trespass. Monkelbaan and Albright are accused of trespassing on property on Wright Road, Alabama, while riding ATVs.
Gregory Angel DeJesus, 21, of Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with disorderly conduct. DeJesus was arrested following an argument with a family member at 12:25 a.m., Wednesday, and jailed on $250 bail.
Mickey Harlen DeJesus, 23, of Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with disorderly conduct. DeJesus was arrested following an argument with a family member at 12:50 a.m., Wednesday, and jailed on $250 bail.
Darik R. M. Orbaker, 19, of 12 Elm St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st. Orbaker was allegedly observed with a person protected by a "stay away" order.
With its 2012 legislature, Genesee County has made history -- maybe ... probably.
In all likelihood, Genesee County has the first legislature in New York State history with a female majority.
The historical record is hard to nail down, according Mark LaVigne, deputy director of the NYS Association of Counties, but a check he conducted with all the other counties turned up none willing to dispute the claim.
He discovered Otsego County has more women on its legislature -- seven, but also has seven men, and Sallie Brothers in St. Lawrence County is the only woman on a board otherwise comprised of 14 men.
In the absense of any evidence otherwise, then, it seems reasonably certain that 92 years after women won the right to vote they claimed the majority of a legislature in New York for the first time in one of the state's most conservative counties.
"I think it’s excting," said Marianne Clattenburg, serving her first term on the legislature. "It’s a testament to the good job that the women who are here have been doing. The fact that women continue to get elected is exciting. I look forward to working with the women and all the member of the legislature."
Chairwoman Mary Pat Hancock called the legislature a "magical nine" and said she is proud to serve with all the members.
"What’s exciting to me is to lead a legislature of nine interested, educated people who really want to dedicate their time to the job and are willing to cooperate and willing to work together," Hancock said.
Reminded that he is now part of a historic minority, first-time Legislator Frank Ferrando laughed and then said he admired the women elected to the board.
"It’s just great just being a part of the legislature," Ferrando said. "We’ve got some real key people, some leaders who are women. It’s great working with them."
Esther Leadley agreed a female majority is historic, but also appropriate when a majority of registered voters are women.
"I'm proud of Genesee County," Leadley said. "You know I am. I speak out about how proud I am of Genesee County whenever I can."
Photo: From left, Shelly Stein, Annie Lawrence, Mary Pat Hancock, Esther Leadley and Marianne Clattenburg.
Copyright © 2008-2022 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
