A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the extreme southeastern portion of Genesee County by the National Weather Service in Buffalo. It's in effect until 1:15 p.m.

Doppler radar initially spotted the storm 18 miles south of Batavia at 12:16 p.m. and moving east at 35 mph.

The storm is capable of producing quarter-size hail and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph. Continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. The National Weather Service warns: you should move indoors immediately -- if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning, one of nature's number-one killers.

Later this afternoon, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Breezy, with a west wind between 18 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 58. Southwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Press release:

Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center received the Economic Developer of the Year award by the New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC) at the organization’s annual meeting on May 24th in Cooperstown. Hyde also was named vice-chair of the NYSEDC’s board of directors.

“Steve has shown strong, creative leadership in leading the ongoing transformation of Genesee County into one of the state’s most promising regions for growth,” said Brian McMahon, executive director of NYSEDC.  “Steve’s colleagues in New York’s development community especially admire his balanced approach to development. He has built a broad portfolio of success that includes high-tech development, agri-business related growth and life sciences based opportunity, and development of housing and livability-related initiatives.”

In presenting the award to Hyde the NYSEDC cited that since 2003 more than 300 economic development projects have come to Genesee County generating more than $610 million worth of capital investment and the creation of approximately 3,149 jobs.

“While I am humbled by this award and recognition, it would not have been possible without the strong collaboration between the public and private sectors in Genesee County and the dedication and hard work of my staff,” Hyde said. “I want to especially recognize the leadership of our board and our board Chairman John Andrews and Genesee County Legislature Chairwoman Mary Pat Hancock as well as all of the elected officials who represent Genesee County.”

The GCEDC also was the recipient of certificates of excellence for the organization’s electronic newsletter and Web site, and received an honorable mention for its marketing and promotional materials.

Photo: The Batavian file photo.

When Dee dee Hintz got a phone call from someone saying that her 7-year-old granddaughter, Angelique "Angel" Heick (pictured), had been recommended by an anonymous source for the National American Miss pageant, she was a little leery.

At first, she thought this was like the controversial TV reality series "Toddlers & Tiaras" or a similar type of dolled up pre-teen fashion shows. But it turned out to be exactly the opposite.

"The first thing that got me was the no-makeup rule," Hintz said. "(The contestants) aren't allowed to wear makeup or hairpieces. It's not about how they look or how they're dressed -- it's about who they are."

National American Miss is an annual contest designed to develop confidence, independence, poise and community involvement in young girls. It is open to girls ages 4 to 18 and is divided into five different pageants, each for a specific age group.

Heick -- a top-performing second-grader at Byron-Bergen Elementary School, a three-year Girl Scout and a four-year soccer player with Gillam-Grant -- will take part in the New York Junior Pre-Teen pageant from Aug. 23-25 at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester. She will be competing with girls from all over Western and Central New York for the title of Miss New York.

Among other things, the requirements for her age group include writing an essay, submitting report cards (Hintz said the grades don't officially count, but are taken into consideration) and writing a résumé.

As part of an optional talent portion, Heick is also going to perform in a commercial for the young girls clothing retailer "Justice."

Once on stage, the girls will introduce themselves to a large crowd of people and be interviewed by the pageant judges, answering questions such as what they want to be when they grow up, why they want to represent their state in this pageant, etc.

Contestants are judged in four categories:

• Formal Wear (30%)
• Personal Introduction (30%)
• Interview (30%)
• Community Involvement (10%)

For the "community involvement" component, Heick is donating 12 toys for each month of the year to Community Action of Orleans and Genesee. Each set of 12 toys will go to six boys and six girls.

She said she is buying these toys with the money she earns by "doing jobs" around the house.

If she wins the title, she will be given a paid trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., where she will compete in the nationals. In the meantime, she will also have the opportunity to meet Governor Andrew Cuomo, be an honored speaker at the state fair, and crown her successor at next year's pageant.

More importantly, she wants to use the influence she will have as Miss New York for the good of others.

"If I win the title, I want to educate parents and children about the dangers of bullying," Heick said.

That goal is consistent with Heick's compassionate character, which her grandmother had a lot to say about.

Hintz and her husband are raising Heick and her three siblings in Bergen. She said that compassion is Heick's top quality.

As an example, she mentioned the fact that Heick found a wounded frog in January and brought it home, where the family took care of it and fed it until it got better. In March, they let it go free.

"She's also a great big sister," Hintz said, pointing out that she reacts with patience whenever her younger sister steals her things (which is all the time).

She also feels very deeply for the victims of bullying and violence, even if she only knows about them from the media.

With her positive, upbeat attitude and personal strength, Heick has also been recognized as a leader among her peers.

"Every day she teaches me so much," Hintz said. "I want her to get where she wants to go. She has goals, works at them, and somehow accomplishes them."

Heick said her ultimate career goal is to become a cardiac neonatal surgeon.

"I want to help little babies and work on their hearts, "she said.

With three months to go, Heick still needs local sponsors.

So far, she has been sponsored by Genesee Patrons Cooperative Insurance Company, Computer and Phone Repair, Marchese Computer Products, Urban Preschool, and Intelligent Choice of WNY (Hintz's business). She needs to raise $220 more in sponsorship fees, so any help will be greatly appreciated.

Heick is also participating in an advertising contest. If she gets eight pages of advertising for the pageant program, she will win a $1,500 scholarship for college.

Anyone interested in sponsoring and/or advertising with Heick should email angel@angeliqueheick.com.

For more information, visit Heick's Web site: www.angeliqueheick.com. For more details on National American Miss, go to the FAQs page on the program's Web site.

There was no mistaking the telltale markings. Even at a distance the wing span, white heads and white tail patches indicated we were looking at a pair of bald eagles in flight. While the pair of eagles soared above the Genesee River, Le Royan Jerry Fitzsimmons and his grandson, Ryan Fitzsimmons, of Caledonia, were gliding past the right bank in a tandem kayak. Riding the current, Jerry maneuvered quietly, hoping to get close enough for photos. Finally, one of the eagles alit on the remains of a weathered log, enabling Jerry to get a few pics before it once again took flight.   

It was day three and the final leg of a canoe trip that included, in addition to Jerry and Ryan, Andrew and Kathleen Hulme, of Pavilion, Christine Hayes, a Pavilion currently residing in Brockport, Batavians Jeremy and Amy Fitzsimmons, and myself.

Our river run began late on a Friday in the Allegeny town of Caneadea. A short paddle on the Rushford Lake overflow took us onto the Genesee River. That first day on the river found us still paddling as the sun drew near the horizon and Jeremy opted for a suitable gravel bar to set up our tents. Our campsite wasn't really lined with gravel, but rocks of all sizes that had been washed and shaped by the river for ages.

Camping on a gravel bar has its perks -- with no woodland canopy to contend with, we had an unobstructed view of the night sky. And what a view it was. There, nestled between the hills of the Southern Tier and shielded from even the faintest light from nearby towns, the river bottom was dark. The temperature dropped into the 40s that night with the air crisp and cool. When I woke during the wee hours the sight overhead was nothing short of spectacular. I never bothered with the camera -- combined with the surrounding darkness and the still of the night, a photo would never have done justice to the nocturnal panorama overhead.

I was still half asleep when a turkey began to gobble somewhere in woods along the river. Judging from the frequency of his calls, the tom was intent on finding a hen. Once the sun climbed above the horizon grosbeaks began to sing while Jerry prepared a hearty breakfast of sausage, potatoes, eggs and hot coffee. After scalding my lips on the coffee, it was time to break camp and load the canoes for day two on the river.

Because each craft was laden with gear, each day prior to setting out Jerry loaded the canoes, maintaing a proper balance. Because the Genesee is, as Jeremy described it, a "pool and drop" river, Jerry's expertise proved invaluable, particularly encountering the fast water found wherever the river dropped in elevation and did so at a sharp bend.

Jerry first paddled a canoe at the age of 9. His favorite haunt in those early years was an area of Oatka Creek known as Bailey's Mills near the Le Roy-Pavilion border. He and son Jeremy have been running rivers for decades, both as licensed NYS guides and recreational paddlers. Experienced and accommodating on the river, they not only served as our guides but also our outfitters and camp cooks as well. All they asked of us was to enjoy the trip...no problem! 

At noon of our second day we stopped for lunch on a gravel bar where the river flows past Fillmore. Another two hours of paddling took us to Rossburg where the Wiscoy Creek spills into the Genesee. That's where we made camp for our second night and it's also where we spotted one of two beavers we saw along the route. This one was busy making repairs to its home.

We saw several mergansers on the river and early that evening, not far from camp, Jerry spotted a fox kit and shortly thereafter located a den. When Jerry returned with his camera the young fox was nowhere to be seen, but he did find some turkey remains, including an entire wing, quills still intact. Evidently the mother fox had been teaching her kits the finer points in stalking North America's wiliest game bird.  

I'm not sure what Jerry's pointing at here. Could have been a heron, hawk, deer or beaver.

Cliff swallows were active wherever the river bank afforded them a place to live. The bluff pictured above contained a sizeable colony, literally dozens of small caves where the species make their homes.

While the entire trip proved to be a relatively comfortable paddle, our last morning on the river provided a few more stretches of white water along with a few obstacles. At times we had to contend with submerged boulders that came into view at the last second or bony tree limbs sticking out of the water. When the potential trouble spots were located in a bend and the current suddenly picks up speed, it required some hard paddling and oftentimes a quick change of direction, kind of like negotiating a "river chicane." Such maneuvers were exhilarating and challenging and a great way to end the trip. Our trip came to an end at Portageville after covering an estimated 30 miles on the river.

A hearty thanks to my fellow paddlers for a fun experience and for sharing photos!

To be eligible to win, you must Like Bontrager's page on Facebook (no other Like qualifies) and register for the contest. To enter the contest, click here.

On the way back from the accident on Swamp Road today, I headed down Route 262 and passed these old military vehicles flying four flags.

There were several Memorial Day observances throughout Genesee County today.  Here are photos from the Genesee County Park, Williams Park, the VA Center, the Bergen parade, the Batavia parade and the St. Jerome's ceremony.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

An unknown type fire is reported in the area of the Darien Transfer Station, 2299 Attica Road, Darien.

Darien Fire Department is dispatched.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: Darien back in service.

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A 4-year-old child suffered possible whiplash in a two-car accident at routes 33 and 77, in Corfu.

Corfu Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 9:07 p.m.: Corfu back in service.

A serious injury accident is reported at Swamp Road, east of Hessenthaler Road. There are reportedly two people unconscious in the vehicle. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics. A responder on scene has spotted the vehicle in the middle of a field. Mercy Flight is put on standby.

UPDATE 5:28 p.m.: They are asking that extraction equipment be brought in.

UPDATE 5:31 p.m.: Fire police from Bergen are requested to shut down Swamp Road at Pocock Road.

UPDATE 5:34 p.m.: Mercy Flight is heading to the scene.

UPDATE 5:38 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 5:49 p.m.: One male required extrication and was boarded on Mercy Flight, which is now airborne.

UPDATE 5:59 p.m.: The man is being taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.

A gray SUV veered off the pavement and struck a tree at 2971 Dodgeson Road in Alexander. There may be minor injuries. The trooper on scene has called for a medic to evaluate those involved. Alexander fire, or perhaps Darien, will be responding along with a medic. The vehicle's damage is said to be substantial.

UPDATE 5:42 p.m.: The vehicle ended up on nearby Seward Road.

A fully involved shed fire is reported at 2700 Old Buffalo Road. Alexander Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Darien, Attica and Bethany. A lot of black smoke is showing. The structure is estimated to be about 20 by 25 feet in size. A residence is nearby.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: Units from Corfu and the Town of Batavia are also called. The location is near Darien - Alexander Town Line Road.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.: There are "power lines all over" -- they are down and responders are told to use caution upon approach. National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: Attica and Lippold roads are closed. Eastbound traffic is shut down.

UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: Bethany is back in service.

UPDATE 6:01 p.m.: The fire is out. Responders are back in service. Presumably, the roads have been reopened.

A 3-year-old has reportedly been struck by a vehicle at 20 S. Main St. in the city. The location is between Walnut and Pearl streets. City fire is on scene and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 3:05 p.m.: City Engine 12 is back in service.

UPDATE 3:16 p.m.: Minor injuries. The boy was taken to UMMC. Early indications are the family was walking across the street and the boy darted out in front of them.

A deputy is in the parking lot of Darien Lake Theme Park investigating a complaint of a dog left in the car.

"It's a very angry cattle dog who isn't going to be taken out of this car without somebody being seriously hurt," the deputy tells dispatch.

He said the windows are tinted and the owner put a blanket in the front windshield to help keep the heat out.

There was a water bowl left in the car, but it's now empty.

Although "angry," the dog is described as in good spirits and not in any distress.

Darien Lake security is going to attempt to locate the owner in the park.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Security is going to keep an eye on the animal and if it shows signs of distress, contact animal control.

A motor-vehicle accident, with a woman possibly trapped underneath a car, is reported at 2967 Pike Road. Alexander Fire and Ambulance are responding. The location is between Upton and Halstead roads.

UPDATE 11:21 p.m.: A firefighter on scene reports the woman is not trapped at this point.

UPDATE 11:34 a.m.: The woman is being transported to UMMC. Alexander fire is back in service.

It's going to be hot today -- temperatures possibly in the low 90s, with humidity.

The National Weather Service is reminding people to be mindful of the heat as they're out and about for Memorial Day and take precautions to protect against heat exhaustion.

The weather service suggestions people limit strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day, be sure to stay well hydrated, and never leave children or pets in unattended vehicles.

The temperature today will likely be 20 degrees above normal for this time of the year.

A boat at 3113 Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield, is reportedly on fire.

It is out of the water, but near a structure.

Oakfield Fire Department responding.

A tanker from Town of Batavia requested to the scene.

UPDATE 9:01 p.m.: Batavia back in service.

UPDATE 9:37 p.m.: Oakfield back in service.

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A car fire has been reported in the area of 6378 N. Bergen Road, Byron.

Byron and South Byron departments have responded.

The car is located near a structure and is described by a chief on scene as "a working car fire."

The fire was reported by a passerby and the address is approximate.

UPDATE 7:27 p.m.: Fire is out. No extension into the house.

UPDATE 8 p.m.: Byron, South Byron back in service.

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A motor vehicle has struck a tree at 6969 Big Tree Road in Pavilion. One person is said to be unresponsive. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: The male driver is responsive, but lethargic. The engine of his pickup truck is smoking. Mercy Flight is on in-air standby.

UPDATE 4:34 p.m.: The driver is said not to know where he is or how he got there. The location is between East Park Street and York Road.

UPDATE 4:38 p.m.: Mercy Flight is en route from Buffalo and the ETA is about 10 minutes. The 4-wheel drive truck has extensive front-end damage. Mercy Flight's landing zone will be set up at the high school.

UPDATE 4:58 p.m.: Mercy Flight is on the ground. A responder has asked for assistance with traffic control.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, but we didn't hear its destination. Mercy medics are back in service.

UPDATE 5:14 p.m.: The Pavilion assignment is back in service.