Press release:

Following the announcement that Holy Family School in Le Roy had exceeded the first of three benchmarks required to keep the school open, Dr. Rosemary Henry, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Buffalo, issued this statement:

“I wish to congratulate the entire Holy Family School community for responding to last November’s call to action. By meeting their first goal, they have shown a commitment to sustaining and growing Catholic education in Genesee County.

“But much work remains to be done in order for Holy Family School to remain open beyond June. In the coming weeks, we need to see greater engagement on the part of supporters of Catholic education to ensure each individual benchmark is met,” Dr. Henry said.

As of March 2, the school had registered 70 students for the 2012-13 school year and raised $47,000, surpassing the March 1 benchmark of 40 paid registrants and $40,000 raised.

After a series of meetings last year, it appeared that Holy Family School would merge with St. Joseph School in Batavia, but upon hearing from members of the Holy Family community and local leadership, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, agreed to give the community time to rally around the school in an effort to keep it open.

Two additional benchmarks must now be met:

April 15, 2012: a total of 80 paid registrants with nonrefundable deposits and an additional $40,000 on deposit. June 1, 2012:  a total of 120 paid registrants with nonrefundable deposits and an additional $45,000 on deposit.

According to a plan agreed upon and presented to the Holy Family School leadership and the local community, as well as a letter sent by Father Michael Rock, OdeM, canonical administrator of the school, to the Holy Family community on Dec. 2, 2011, meeting the benchmarks will allow Holy Family School to remain open.

“Parishioners, school supporters and alumni are encouraged to continue this impressive momentum to ensure Catholic elementary education is maintained in Le Roy,” Dr. Henry said.

A driver says she served to avoid a deer leading to an accident that sent herself and two passengers to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Shaunta M. Jackson, 23, of Batavia, was driving north on Slusser Road in Pembroke at 4:54 p.m., Saturday, when she lost control of her car.

After swerving to avoid the deer, she said her 2000 Ford SUV left the east shoulder of the road. She over-corrected, the vehicle went off the west shoulder and she turned the wheel to avoid hitting a tree, at which point the vehicle overturned.

Also injured were Nikayla C. Jackson, 19, and Kyle J. Jackson, 18. 

All three people were transported by Mercy EMS to an area hospital.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Graff.

(Initial report)

A person reportedly kicked his way into the Discovery Chapel, 315 W. Main St., Batavia, overnight and left barefooted sometime later.

The break-in was reported at 8:15 a.m.

A door to a storage shed was forced open as well as a door into the church itself.

Found in the seating area of the church was a jacket, shoes and socks.  Investigators believe these items were left by the perpetrator.

Police found the impressions of bare feet in the snow outside the church. The footprints indicate the person walked east on the south side of Main Street, and in the area of Main and Court, the person turned toward the roadway and may have gotten into a car.

The suspect appears to have suffered a cut on his right foot.

So far, no items are reported missing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345-6350 or by calling the confidential tip line at (585) 345-6370.

For the third time in three meetings in 2012, Notre Dame beat Elba in boys basketball, but this time the game determined the Class D1 Section V champion.

It's the first sectional win for Notre Dame since 2001.

"They all laugh at me because I always say, 'you gotta dance with the girl you brought,' " said Coach Mike Rapone. "That's an old-timers saying, but we're not going to change anything. We're going to do what got us here."

After two previous meetings, both teams had to make adjustments, Rapone said.

"I give Elba a lot of credit," Rapone said. "They knew what we wanted to do and took a lot away from us."

Notre Dame (20-1) took a lead early, and though Elba (18-3) was often nipping at their lead, it wasn't until 3:42 left in the game that the Lancers held a 40-39 lead.

But after Doane McCulley hit a lay up and Zach Hotze sunk a three-pointer, Notre Dame didn't look back, holding on for a 50-45 point victory.

Zach Hotze and Tim McCulley had 16 points each for the Fighting Irish. Jared Thornton added 12 points.

"We're fortunate we hit our big shots when we had to," Rapone said.

One of the goals of the Irish, Rapone said, was to take the three-point play away from Dan Ramsey, whom Rapone said is one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the section.

Dan Ramsey was held to eight points for the game.

For the Lancers, Matt Ramsey had 14 points, Mike Ramsey nine. Mike Ramsey added nine rebounds.

The historic back-to-back championship match-ups between Elba and Notre Dame, with the Elba girls defeating the Notre Dame girls Friday night, was big for both schools.

"I don’t think it gets any better in small-school basketball than Notre Dame and Elba," Rapone said.

It's been a fun season at Notre Dame, according to Rapone, between the two basketball teams and the hockey team winning its Section V championship last week (the Irish skaters lost a regional playoff game Saturday night).

"We have a lot of school spirit and it’s been the most amazing winter ever," Rapone said. "I mean, the girls play for a championship, the boys make that miraculous run in hockey, everybody’s on cloud nine."

The Irish will face DeSales in a regional playoff game on Tuesday night.

If you have trouble viewing the slide show, click here.

To purchase prints of the photos, click here.

A rollover accident with injuries is reported at Route 63 and Boyd Road, Pavilion.

Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 7:22 a.m.: Minor injuries, if any.

UPDATE 7:42 a.m.: Pavilion back in service.

As we reported last night, Elba girls beat Notre Dame on Friday night, 44-33, to take the Section V title.

Photos in this post submitted by Bare Antolos.

Tonight, Notre Dame beat Elba for the boys Section V title. We'll have pictures and a story in the morning.

In hockey, Notre Dame lost their regional game tonight.

A chimney fire was reported about 15 minutes ago at 812 Genesee St., Corfu.

Corfu Fire Department with mutual aid from East Pembroke, Darien and Akron along with City of Batavia Fast Team dispatched.

The Fast Team along with Arkon have returned to station.

A fire was found, contained to the chimney. Corfu remains on scene.

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A utility pole is reportedly on fire with wires arcing behind the Chapin Manufacturing building on Ellicott Street.

City Fire Department responding.

UPDATE  8:08 p.m.: City fire on scene. Confirms burning and arcing. National Grid notified.

UPDATE 8:30 p.m.: National Grid supervisor on location.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at 7996 Slusser Road, between Beckwith and Galloway roads. It's believed to be a car-into-pole incident, and possibly a rollover. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding. Mercy Flight is not available due to the weather.

UPDATE 5:05 p.m.: Two additional ambulances are called to the scene.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: There are three patients, all with head injuries: a 14-year-old female, a 23-year-old female, and a 19-year-old male.

UPDATE 5:27 p.m.: Two patients are being taken in a single Mercy rig to Erie County Medical Center.

Press release:

The Genesee Community College Foundation and Athletics Department is seeking nominations for its third class of inductions into the Cougar Athletic Hall of Fame.

Inclusion in the Hall of Fame is the highest athletic honor that the college bestows on its alumni and supporters by recognizing outstanding athletic achievements of individuals and teams of every era who have fostered athletic achievement and sportsmanship at the college.

The criteria for nominations to the Athletics Hall of Fame are based on an individual's noteworthy contribution to the growth, development and success of Genesee athletics, or a distinguished team that received recognition at the school, regional or national level.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from GCC's alumni website and emailed, or sent to the college's Alumni Office.(www.genesee.edu/alumni/HallofFame/)

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee or by friends, family, work associates or other colleagues who are familiar with the nominee. All nominations received by Sunday, April 1 will be considered by the selection committee. New inductees will be honored during the 2012 GCC Homecoming weekend in September.

The 2012 Cougar Athletic Hall of Fame class will succeed the 2011 inductees including: former men's basketball coach William "Bill" Van Gundy; women's basketball standout Petra (Pankova) Knoche; men's basketball standout and former women's basketball and softball assistant coach Lloyd Huling; volleyball and women's basketball standout Cyndy (Merlau) Hynes; and the 2002-2003 Men's Basketball Team that became the first Division II team ever to go undefeated in Region III with a record of 32-0.

For more information on the previous induction class into the Athletics Hall of Fame please visit http://www.genesee.edu/depts/alumni/halloffame/athletichof.cfm.

Nominations for Oakfield-Alabama Central School 2012 Alumni Hall of Fame are now being sought and will be accepted through April 30th.

Nominees must have graduated from OACS at least 15 years ago (class of 1997 or earlier). The committee seeks to honor alumni who have had significant success in their chosen field or who have contributed greatly to the Oakfield-Alabama community or both.

Anyone may nominate an individual by completing an official nomination form.

The online form may be found at:

http://oacsalumni.org/content/HallOfFame/NominationProcess/ (click on either the "online Nomination form" link or the Hornet logo).

We encourage you to use the electronic form; however, paper forms are available in the OACS middle/high office, which is located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported at 3725 Drake St. Road in Oakfield (Route 262). The location is in between Pekin and Fisher roads. Oakfield Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding. Law enforcement is on scene. A power pole is sheared off at the bottom but is not in the roadway. The driver appears to be uninjured.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m.: Traffic will be shut down on Drake Street Road at Pekin and also at Fisher. The pole is leaning and could take down some wires, so it is hazardous.

UPDATE 2:03 p.m.: Oakfield is back in service. The roadway is reopened. National Grid has been notified.

The first regional home and business expo sponsored by the Batavia Area Jaycees kicked off this morning in Batavia City Centre.

The Genesee Region Expo replaces the home show run by the Jaycees for 60 years.

More than two dozen vendors are ready to explain to visitors this weekend how they can make their homes more attractive and more comfortable.

The event includes food and a kids zone for children to hang out while parents visit vendor booths.

The show runs today through 7 p.m. and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The traffic lights are reportedly out at Summit and Main streets, and also at Ross and Main streets in the city. There's a wire down at Ross and Main as well.

Traffic is backed up at Route 63 near Batavia-Stafford Town Line Road as the roadway is either closed or partially closed. We didn't catch why. Law enforcement is on scene.

The Batavia Muckdogs Booster Club held its annual Hot Stove Dinner and auction at Terry Hills on Friday night.

Above Todd Jantzi, of Bontrager's, auctions off a painting being held by Joe Gerace. Below, Gerace receives a donation for Genesee Cancer Assistance from Brian Paris, president of Genesee County Baseball Club, Inc. And in the bottom photo, the Board of Directors of the Genesee County Baseball Club.

A 26-year-old Le Roy resident is accused of serving a 17-year-old alcohol and then having sex with her.

The sex was allegedly not consensual.

Alexander J. Kessler, of Myrtle Street, is charged with criminal sexual act, 1st, aggravated sexual abuse, 3rd, forcible touching, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawfully dealing with a child.

The top charge carries a potential sentence of five to 25 years in state prison.

Le Roy Police arrested Kessler following an investigation after receiving a complaint today that Kessler supplied an underage girl with alcohol.

Following arraignment, Kessler was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Intra-county rivals Elba and Notre Dame met in Letchworth tonight for a Section V title clash and the Lancers came out on top 44-33.

On Saturday, at 3 p.m., the Elba and Notre Dame boys teams will meet for the Section V title in Rochester.

As far as anybody knows, according to WBTA, it's the first time two schools from the same county clashed for a Section V title in both boys and girls basketball.

The Batavian will cover Saturday's game.

We expect some picture's from Friday's game later.

A possible house fire is reported in Pavilion. A neighbor who lives at 10099 Perry Road says she can see a glow and what appears to be fire coming from her neighbor's home two doors down to the south. That would be 10246 Perry Road, according to dispatch, which is quite some distance from the caller's home.

Pavilion Fire Department is responding. The location is between Heffer and Junction roads.

The intersection at Perry and Junction roads will be closed.

UPDATE 8:10 p.m.: A firefighter in the area reports seeing nothing.

UPDATE 8:12 p.m.: Firefighters on scene say they are with the homeowner who is trying to put out a rubbish fire in his back yard. The homeowner is "going to bury this with a pile of stones." Responders are told to come in non-emergency. "This is the big new log house on top of the hill." It's the same location where, a couple of months ago, a car was driven into a pond accidently.

UPDATE 8:17 p.m.: The homeowner has extinguished the rubbish fire. The Pavilion assignment is back in service.

An apartment fire is reported at 145 Park Road. The location is the Genesee Park Place Apartments. City fire is on scene but says there's nothing showing.

UPDATE 5:29 p.m.: A firefighter inside reports there is white smoke in an apartment on the second floor.

UPDATE 5:31 p.m.: There is no fire. A teapot was left on the stove and was smoking. The place is being ventilated.

UPDATE 5:36 p.m.: Traffic is being shut down at Park Road and Veterans Memorial Drive.

UPDATE 5:58 p.m.: A fire official reports that there was approximately $250 in damage to the contents of the apartment, but no damage to the structure. City firefighters on this assignment are back in service.