The Elba Volunteer Fire Department was among the local departments holding open houses today, both to let the community learn more about the departments and to recruit more volunteers.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer, visit ReadyGenesee.com.

I'm seeing quite a few anti-Cuomo, anti-SAFE Act signs around Genesee County this spring. This one is in Elba.

Local members of the Christian Motorcycle Association served up a pulled pork feast at Stan's Harley-Davidson today as a fundraiser for the group's various ministries.

Among the CMA's efforts is supporting overseas ministers, including buying them motorcycles for transportation (or horses or boats if that works better where they live). The group also supports a film project to spread the gospel through movies in remote parts of the world. The CMA also travels to the major motorcycle rallies and hands out water and other necessities as a way to open the door to sharing about Jesus.

Rep. Chris Collins was at Seymour Place today to announce the winners of the annual congressional art contest. Students from throughout the NY-27 submitted artworks, which were displayed at Go ART! and judged by local artists.

The winner, above with Collins, was Mitchell R. Krumm, of Clarence High School. Second place, bottom photo, was Judith Brennan, also of Clarence.

The awards were presented by Collins and Diana Kasten (second photo with Collins), a member of the GO ART! Board of Directors.

When the forsythia bloom, you know for sure it's spring.

And it's another beautiful day in Genesee County.

Det. John Condidorio, Le Roy PD, accepts a bag of unneeded prescription medications from a local resident as part of National Drug Take-Back Day.

While old prescription drugs can be dropped off at law enforcement locations throughout the county any time of the year, today is the day local officers are set up especially to collect drugs that might otherwise wind up in the wrong hands or pollute the waste stream.

There are locations for drop off until 2 p.m. at the Le Roy Village Hall, Batavia PD and Pembroke Town Highway (Route 77 and Route 5).

A two-car, head-on collision is reported in the area of 8419 Indian Falls Road, north of Pratt Road. Mercy Flight out of Batavia is apprised and available. East Pembroke Fire Department and two Mercy Medic units are responding.

UPDATE 10:24 a.m.: A responder on scene reports the vehicles are well off the roadway, not blocking, and the occupants claim no injuries. Medics will continue in order to evaluate.

At this week's village board meeting, Le Roy Mayor Greg Rogers encouraged everybody to come out for the annual Little League parade. He said it doesn't get more Americana than a bunch of young ball players parading down Main Street.

He's right.

We are pretty close to getting the new ad server running properly. There are some details to clear up today to make sure all the ads are displaying properly, but the main work is done.

This virus crisis was very stressful and I want to thank all of the readers and local business owners who were so patient and understanding over the past week. We didn't get a single angry phone call or e-mail; nobody accosted me in the street. Everywhere I went people were more curious than upset with the situation. Billie and Lisa and I are very thankful for that understanding response.

Added bonus: We now know we are using a more secure ad server, but here's a benefit I didn't anticipate -- the new ad server seems to be much, much faster. At least for me, even on my iPhone, the site seems to download much faster than it did with the previous ad server. I hope you're noticing a difference, too.

The other thing Billie and Lisa and I are very thankful for is the "Spirit of Downtown" award we received yesterday from the Downtown Improvement District. We're feeling very honored to be recognized by the BID for our work with The Batavian.

And thank you to Dan Fischer of WBTA for his kind words during yesterday's presentation.

As I said yesterday, we feel very fortunate to have been so warmly accepted by the people of Genesee County in just a few short years (The Batavian's fifth-year anniversary is Wednesday). Thank you all -- readers and local business owners -- for your support of The Batavian.

Information and photos submitted by Chuck Flynn.

Students at Oakfield-Alabama Middle-High School turned out to the gymnasium Friday for a "Going Bald for Bucks" event that raised more than $9,000 for Roswell Park Cancer Institute. More than 30 people participated.

Photos and information submitted by Theresa Asmus.

Pastor Jim Renfrew speaks at the Peace Garden during the annual Crime Victims Rights Week walk in Batavia. The event also included a keynote address from Jean Cianfrini and an awards ceremony recognizing Ann Finch with the Crime Victims Service Award and Genesee County Sheriff's Department Youth Officer John Dehm with the Community Advocacy Award.

Below, Jean Cianfrini and Sue Gagne carry a Crime Victims Right's Week banner during the walk.

With a new name and a new logo, Paul Berardini is just about back in the pizza business.

Berardini unveiled the new look on Facebook last night.

It's been three months since Pauly's Pizza closed, but after lining up his brother as his new business partner, securing the lease for the Ellicott Street restaurant, as well as getting new equipment, Berardini anticipates opening the doors on Big Pauly's May 13.

"I'm happy to get back to making pizza in my hometown," Berardini said. "This is where I'm from and this is where I want to do business."

Pauly's ran into a little trouble with its expansion into Clarence and Berardini's partner needed to pull out. 

At the same time, Berardini had some health issues to deal with. He said he's healthy now and ready to start tossing pizza dough again.

The menu will change only slightly, with some items that didn't sell that well getting trimmed, but all of the recipes, the sauce, the dough, the wings and the chicken fingers will all be the same.

And many of Berardini's employees will return, he said.

The new shop's phone number will be (585) 343-BIGP.

There's also a new Facebook page for Big Pauly's. Click Here.

The Business Improvement Distirct held its annual luncheon this afternoon and honored three local businesses with "Spirit of Downtown" awards and two volunteers who have contributed greatly to the betterment of the BID and downtown.

Receiving Spirit of Downtown Awards were DelPlato & Casey Law Offices, Michael DelPlato and Peter Casey; Howard Owens, The Batavian; and, Harry Wortzman, Wortzman Furniture. The volunteer awards were given to Michael Marsh, of Edward Jones Investment, and James Isacc (pictured above), of Crossroads Abstract.

DelPlato and Casey were honored for their active participation in the BID.The Batavian was honored for the support the online-news publication gives to local businesses and downtown. Wortzman was honored for a long history of community contributions and support of downtown.

The event was emceed by WBTA's Dan Fischer. The guest speaker was Patrick Finan, founder of the Block Club in Buffalo, who spoke about the importance of shopping locally to the health and vibrancy of a local community.

Peter Casey

Harry Wortzman

A landlord-tenant dispute is reported on East Main Street and city police are now on scene. The argument between the two parties got quite loud. The tenant called dispatchers and accused the landlord of entering the residence without permission and removing drug paraphernalia.

A registered Level 3 sex offender and former Batavia resident has been charged with a course of sexual conduct with children.

The charges follow an investigation involving Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office, Niagara County Sheriff's Office, Middleport PD and the FBI, and additional charges may be coming in other jurisdictions.

Sean M. Vickers, 44, of 117 Andes St., Geneva, was arraigned in City Court on counts of a course of sexual conduct against a child, 1st, and sodomy, 1st, both Class B felonies. A warrant was issued in Niagara County on two counts of a course sexual conduct against a child, 1st.

He was jailed in Genesee County jail on $500,000 bail.

The acts in Batavia are alleged to have occurred between 1999 and 2002 at a location on Maple Street. 

Chief Shawn Heubusch said Batavia PD received a complaint about Vickers in 2004 and detectives conducted an investigation, but there was insufficient evidence to sustain a charge.

Vickers is registered as a Level 3 sex offender based on a non-NYS conviction.

The investigation leading up to yesterday's arrest of Vickers started after the Niagara County Sheriff's Office contacted Batavia PD with information related to alleged offenses that may have occurred in Batavia, Heubusch said.

The investigation into Vickers is ongoing and anybody with information that might assist investigators are asked to call (585) 343-5000.

A barn on the Batavia side of Batavia Elba Townline Road, near Route 98. 

It's a beautiful day.

City crews this morning repaired a sink hole at 15 Oak St., Batavia. The location is a storm sewer that is still in use and is older than any of the homes on the block.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee is excited to announce the results of its endorsement meeting held April 23rd. Securing the endorsement for the three City Council At-Large seats are Eugene (Geno) Jankowski Jr., John Deleo, and incumbent, Brooks Hawley. This slate of candidates represents an excellent mix of experience, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. 

Brooks resides in the City with his wife, Rhiannon, and their three children: Kelsey, Troy and Quinn. He serves as the recreation director at SUNY Geneseo and is completing his first term as an At-Large Council Member. 

Geno is a retired lieutenant from the City of Batavia Police Department and resides in the City with his wife, Leanne. He has two grown children, Bryan and Jennifer, along with a grown stepson, Nate. 

John is a retired N.Y. State corrections officer currently serving as a security guard at Batavia Downs Casino. He lives in the City with his longtime partner, Debbie Kulikowski.  Together they have four grown children. 

The Committee is proud to support all three candidates and committed to working hard toward a successful November election on behalf of all the residents of the City!

Top photo submitted by City GOP. Inset photo, file photo by Howard Owens.
 

A smash-and-grab thief struck three convenience stores overnight -- two in Genesee County and one in Erie -- taking cash and cigarettes.

The first break-in was reported at West Main Mini-Mart, 3845 W. Main Street Road, Batavia, at 10:54 p.m., according to Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster. The perpetrator smashed in the front doors and stole the cash register and an unknown quantity of cigarettes.

At 11:35 p.m., dispatchers received a burglary alarm for the Raceway Mini-Mart, 629 E. Main St., Batavia.

When officers arrived they found the front door smashed in and reported seeing evidence that the cash register and some quantity of cigarettes were stolen.

Chief of Police Shawn Heubusch said Batavia PD will release information on this break-in later today.

The Erie County Sheriff's reported a similar break-in at a store in Clarence at 12:33 a.m with the thief getting away with loose change, according to Brewster.

UPDATE: Batavia PD reports that about 20 cartons of cigarettes were taken from the Raceway location.