New York Times: Is the Estate Tax Doomed?

A vacant house is fully engulfed in flames at 4973 Hundredmark Road, Elba, and a second fire has been sparked about 50 yards into the woods.

An Oakfield chief came across the fire and reported it.

Elba Fire Department is responding with mutual aid from Barre.

UPDATE 7:18 p.m.: Elba chief reports fire knocked down.

UPDATE 7:19 p.m.: Oakfield requested to fill in at Elba's hall.

UPDATE 8:37 p.m.: Elba back in service.

View Larger Map

NOTE: Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce published its annual Genesee County Tourism magazine and for the second year in a row, The Batavian participated in the publication by producing photos and stories. Today, for our Sunday reading, we're publishing four of our stories. For more on why Genesee County is a great place to live and to visit, click here for VisitGeneseeNY.com.

On a bright afternoon in Darien Center, friends ambled around The Country Cottage Gift Shop and Gardens, passing the time in a place that became more interesting the longer they browsed.

At every turn, around every corner, something caught their eye, brought back a memory, sparked an idea for a fixing up a special space.

“You wander to your hearts’ content,” owner Peggy Tyrell told them. “You guys poke around, OK? If you need anything, give us a holler.”

On five acres off Harper Road, not far from Route 20 in Darien Center, Peggy has created an enchanting wonderland chock-full of unique gifts and handmade decorative items.

“I like to think of us as a hidden gem,” says Peggy, noting that she started the business 26 years ago.

At last count, there were about 200 varieties of goods for sale from dozens of artisans. They range from exquisite, seasonal dried flower arrangements and gourds, to exotically scented soaps such as Thai-pear or wisteria, and lamps, candles, essential oils, garden décor, and more.

Plus, a light and flavorful menu -- offered only on weekends in May through October -- is another reason to stop by.

This haven of homey delights has become a destination spot for treasure hunters who like Colonial American crafts and urban warriors in need of a little respite and fresh air.

Walk off the gravel paths into any of the three rustic cottages on the property, and your senses are met with wonderful fragrances, soft ambient lighting, soothing instrumental music and an amazing array of things to browse in a wide range of prices.

“We have a lot of people who come in here and the first thing they say is ‘Oh, I needed this so bad. I needed to come in here,” says Peggy, adding that some of her regular customers joke about needing “a Peggy fix.”

And she’s always on hand to help you find just the right item. If she doesn’t stock what you want, she knows plenty of vendors so you can special order woven rugs, lighting, quilts, etc., with just the right colors, finish or design.

“We have a little bit of everything,” Peggy said. “And lots of white elephants, too.”

There’s a trove of ideas for home decorators and little vignettes of days gone by – old boxes from Schraff’s Candy Store, an ancient “Majestic” stove, toiletry bottles, vases, hand-painted signs.

For the garden and porch, you’ll find harmonic wind chimes, whimsical whatnots, lawn ornaments, and the like.

Peggy grows most of the flowers and plant materials she uses in her crafts. She has a potting shed, small greenhouse and flowers are hung up to dry in one of the cottages. Upstairs in the main cottage is the loft where she creates the arrangements.

For those who are not keen on browsing, or who need to rest a bit, there’s a little pond out back surrounded by a lovely landscape and seating. It’s a nice place to have a nosh and read.

A dozen years ago when the Tyrells opened their weekend grill, which is in an enclosed tent, the idea was to keep the men happy while the women browsed.

It’s worked out well and most of the credit goes to Bruce, who worked for more than 15 years at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center handling catering for special events and concerts.

These days he uses his professional culinary skills to create tasty lunches with fresh, seasonal produce and to make take-away goods like pies, muffins, cookies and such.

People rave about his scones, Louisiana chili, pumpkin praline cheesecake and soups.

In many cases, customers have become like family.

“Our customers have become our good friends, it’s amazing how close you can get,” Peggy said. “And I’m happy to say I’m their friend, too. It’s not about making a living, really, it’s about keeping people happy and making yourself happy.”

The Country Cottage Gift Shop & Gardens

10448 Harper Road

Darien Center, NY 14040

(585) 547-9591

Open 7 days a week

11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Lunch menu available from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends in May through October.

NOTE: Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce published its annual Genesee County Tourism magazine and for the second year in a row, The Batavian participated in the publication by producing photos and stories. Today, for our Sunday reading, we're publishing four of our stories. For more on why Genesee County is a great place to live and to visit, click here for VisitGeneseeNY.com.

It's a little studio with a big reputation.

Lance and Amanda Taylor opened Oatka Studio in 2007 and now attract students and teachers from the world over.

"We’re fortunate we know many, many world renown glass artists," Lance said. "We’re able to bring those people to Batavia and that is something that sets our school apart from many smaller glass studios."

The Taylors both have a long history in various art forms, as well as business and science backgrounds, that evolved into an interest in glass.

Lance started with stained glass in the 1970s, went to ceramics in the 1980s, woodworking in the 1990s and then back to glass.

Amanda was a geophysist who pursued art on the side, including metal smithing, ceramics, photography and welding.

Lance is from Le Roy and Amanda is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The husband and wife team met at a glass conference in Corning in 2006.

Oatka Glass is located in the historic Harvester Center, a 150-year-old former tractor factory in Batavia that is home to a variety of small businesses, including a community theater, photography studio and two art studios.

Much of the current studio is centered around kiln glass -- melting cut or crushed glass in a kiln until it becomes a single piece and then shaping the glass with molds or cutting and sanding -- but the Taylors also offer glass blowing glasses and are expanding that part of the studio.

"People might be surprised that we have a world-class glass facility right in Batavia," Lance said. "Anybody in the area has a phenomenal opportunity to work with masters in glass and use some of the best equipment that is available."

The studio has become popular with groups, Amanda said, from business executives looking for team building exercises to Girl Scouts trying new craft projects.

"We are expanding that part of the business," Amanda said. "We want to get more of the local community involved."

Typically, classes run three or four days, but there are one-day classes, multi-week classes and artists can rent studio time to work on projects. The Taylor's also offer one-on-one instruction.

Basically, the Taylors can fashion an instruction or studio experience to fit the needs of an individual or group.

Just recently, Oatka Glass started a lecture series featuring well known glass artists that are free and open to the public.

"A lot of the instructors who have taught here love coming here," Amanda said. "What we offer is unique and a little more personal."

For example, Amanda said, for daylong classes, Amanda cooks gourmet lunches.

"We don't just send out for sub sandwiches or pizza, and we can cook a lunch to accommodate vegetarians or any dietary health issue," Amanda said.

"It's all very personalized," she said. "This is a small place so a lot of attention is paid to each student."

NOTE: Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce published its annual Genesee County Tourism magazine and for the second year in a row, The Batavian participated in the publication by producing photos and stories. Today, for our Sunday reading, we're publishing four of our stories. For more on why Genesee County is a great place to live and to visit, click here for VisitGeneseeNY.com.

Doug Kelly gets to do things every day he really enjoys: Helping to maintain a diverse and interesting ecosystem and providing people with a place to play and relax.

"This park is a kind of joy for me," said Kelly, who is manager for Darien Lakes State Park. "I enjoy being able to work outdoors and have interaction with people who have come to be in the outdoors. I can teach them a little and give them something to enjoy."

Kelly overseas a more than 1,800 acres of woodlands and meadows with thousands of plant and animals species, a 12-acre recreational lake (boating, swimming and fishing), and 158 campsites.

In his four-year tenure as park manager he's introduced weekly music concerts and disk golf as well as overseen various conservation measures, including partnering with a local group to reclaim several acres of former farmland into meadows.

The park is traversed by more than 18 miles of trails, both for hiking and snowmobiling, and the picturesque-in-places Eleven Mile Creek.

"The amount of open space is really one of the park's strengths," Kelly said. "There are a variety of paths for activities and all of it is open for recreation, hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hunting. That's a real plus for the park. You're able to camp here, hike here, swim here. That's the benefit of the park."

Kelly, who is married with two school-age children, lives in his hometown of Perry, in Wyoming County, just south of Genesee County. He started his parks career as a teenager at Darien Lakes, working as a recreation assistant.

As he completed his bachelor's in technology of wildlife management at SUNY Catskills, he moved his way up in park management. After a stint with the Delaware parks system, he moved back to New York and managed Beaver Island on Grand Island.

When the chance came to return to Darien Lakes, he couldn't let the opportunity pass by.

"The biodiversity of the park is special," Kelly said. "The land can vary so much, from older forest -- stands of trees that have been here before the park was formed -- to meadows we are helping to restore and maintain, and the shrub in between. That kind of layout gives the park a great number of different communities and habitats."

One of Kelly's biggest innovations at the park has been disk golf. The year-old course is bringing in amateur and pro golfers alike from throughout Western New York. Expert golfers find that the new course, which winds through an old apple orchard and wooded hills, presents a fun challenge.

Though Kelly doesn't play the sport himself, he learned how successful a course could be at Beaver Island.

"To see people that come in, a new group of people that never would have come if we didn't have this activity here, is really exciting," Kelly said.

He believes the challenging course will grow in popularity as more disk golfers learn about it.

All-in-all, Kelly said he will continue to work to find ways to improve the park and make it more attractive to the people of Western New York.

"Once in a while I hear, 'wow, I never knew this park was here,' " Kelly said. "If we can reach out and grab people who wouldn't normally come to the park and then they see what we have and come back year after year, that is really good."

NOTE: Earlier this year, the Chamber of Commerce published its annual Genesee County Tourism magazine and for the second year in a row, The Batavian participated in the publication by producing photos and stories. Today, for your Sunday reading, we're publishing four of our stories. For more on why Genesee County is a great place to live and to visit, click here for VisitGeneseeNY.com.

When Nancy Nickerson decided late in life to open a restaurant, she knew what she didn't want -- a cookie-cutter establishment that heated up frozen food and took other shortcuts.

"I wanted a building that looked different, I wanted something that would attract people," said Nancy, who opened D & R Depot Restaurant in Le Roy in 1991. "And partly that was also due to our menu. We were doing things from scratch. People don't do homemade things anymore. They don't have time, so we offer them that."

Combine unbeatable home-cooked flavor with "a different ambiance" and superior service and you have the recipe for success that has built a legion of loyal patrons.

Her business partners, Sean Valdes and his wife, Jennifer, who's the head chef, began working there 20 and 18 years ago, respectively. They both started as dish washers.

The building itself is an old train station, located at 63 Lake St. (Route 19). It was one of the busiest passenger depots in the area until it closed mid-1960s. The railroad line that currently travels the tracks is the Genesee-Wyoming-Southern.

Inside, things remain much as they were, but with fresh paint and decor, of course. There are elegant 20-foot-high ceilings, wainscoting along the walls and lots of windows. The ticket clerk's office is still there, and so is the luggage portal. Big Band-era music plays softly.

Look up in the main dining room and you'll see a little feat of engineering -- a choo-choo train on a platform, which is decorated seasonally. Everything on it hangs upside down; the train runs along its track upside down, too.

It's unique and kids love it.

Customers also enjoy the personal touches that D & R Depot offers. If a real train passes by the restaurant while you're there, you get a keepsake "wooden nickel." You can sign up to receive a $10-off coupon and a free cupcake for your birthday. They also have a word game to win gift coupons and a guessing game at Christmas season with a chance to get a $400 gas card.

There are gifts for sale -- like hand-painted button pins, scarves, stuffed animals -- and history books such as one about the Jell-O Gallery Museum (which is also in Le Roy). Patrons on the mailing list get a newsletter to keep up to date on dinner specials, contests, etc., and the Web site is kept current.

"People feel an emotional connection to us -- like they're part of the business," Sean said. "And they are part of the business. They are the reason we're here."

Their loyalty has enabled the proprietors to acquire Double L Rental, which rents tents, linens, chairs, tables, etc., for weddings, corporate parties and the like. And soon, their banquet hall at another Le Roy location will open with seating for about 175 people.

But it's the food that keeps people coming back for more.

A basket of fresh-baked muffins, scones and rolls is brought to each table at dinner time. Jen develops new dishes, such as the "No Nothing Pie." After some trial and error, she created a vegan apple pie without added sugar, no gluten, and nut free.

Authentic Polish glomkis -- stuffed cabbage leaves topped with a tomato sauce -- are occasionally offered for the famous all-inclusive dinner special, available every Sunday.

Old-fashioned chicken pot pie is a customer favorite. It's brought to the table, turned upside down onto the plate and served piping hot. The French onion soup is made (without a starter base) from slowly carmelized, fresh onions, a touch of sherry and thyme, topped with croutons from homemade bread and melted cheese. (A tiny pair of scissors is included with each bowl to snip strands of cheese!)

"People will always purchase if they perceive a value," Sean said. "If you're giving them a good product, good price, good service."

D & R Depot Restaurant & Catering Services

63 Lake St. (Route 19)

Le Roy, NY 14482

(585) 768-6270

www.DandRDepot.com

Parents, ensure the moments from the recent basketball season are preserved for years to come -- buy prints of photos from the games of the Batavia Blue Devils and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

We captured the post-season action (and for the Notre Dame girls, the Rotary Tournament). (State championship photos are not for sale because of NYSPHSAA rules.)

Click the graphics in this post for links to the galleries of each of the games, which includes all sports covered so far in 2013 for both schools. Or for Batavia, click here, and for Notre Dame, click here.

And for today only, we'll offer one more time: become a member of The Batavian Club and receive a free 13x19 print of the basketball photo of your choice. Click here for details.

Bryanna Dunlap and Andre Dunlap serve up spaghetti Saturday night at the annual Kiwanis Club of Batavia Spaghetti Dinner at the YWCA.

Three former football players for Batavia and Le Roy have been named to Section V Football Hall of Fame, according to an item on the D&C's Web site.

William Bosseler (Batavia): All-America in 1965. Played at then University of Buffalo. Later coached at McQuaid and Cardinal Mooney.

Brandon Shaughnessy (Le Roy): All-star on the 1995 Le Roy state champion team and a 1996 AGR team member. All-conference second team tight end and captain at State University of New York at Buffalo.

David Shaughnessy (Le Roy): First-team all-state lineman in 1995. Two-time AGR selection. The former Section V Championship MVP played went on to Ithaca College.

Congratulations to Lee Johnson, who won the first-ever Mr. Batavia contest held at Batavia High School last night.

Nine young men participated in the competition with any proceeds from the event going to the winner's charity of choice.

Johnson's charity was Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The other participants were Trey Abdella, Dennis Alton, Ryan Warner, Mike DiBacco, Matt Gabriele, Casey Grice, Tim Martin and Adam Weaver.

The group competed in dance, lip syncing, talent, swimsuit, tux walk and Q&A.

NOTE: None of the organizers ever contacted us about this event, otherwise we might have had more coverage. Thanks to Tammi Ferringer for telling us about Lee's win and sending in the picture.

Police are still trying to determine what caused two cars to collide head on at the intersection of Route 98 and Oak Street at 12:35 p.m.

At the point of impact, a white Lincoln Navigator driven by Ouana Caldwell was westbound on Park Road and Marianne Cupler was eastbound in a late model pickup truck, preparing to turn north onto Oak Street.

Cupler was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS with minor injuries.

Caldwell initially refused medical attention. About two hours later, Mercy EMS was dispatched to the guest waiting area of the Federal Detention Center to examine a patient complaining of pain related to the accident.

(Initial Report)

The Easter Bunny hopped into Oliver's Candies today, and he had lots of candy for lots of children.

Driving down Norton Road, Elba, today, it was hard not to notice the pond on the eastside just teaming with birds. Ron Graziaplena created the waterfowl sanctuary and maintained it over the years. Graziaplena, a Batavia resident, passed away last year, but his sanctuary is still a popular place for the birds he loved (many, no doubt, decendents of ducks he raised).

One of the first pictures I ever took in Genesee County was of this once productive food processing plant on Old Ford Road, Elba.

All I had then was a Casio point-and-shoot camera.

Every once in a while I think I should go back and try again and when I drove past the old facility today thought I'd give it another try.

The original post prompted a lengthy comment from June Rowcliffe, who explained the history of the building going back to the 19th Century (the tower was built in the 1920s).

Volunteers with Godfrey's Pond stocked the conservation group's spring-fed pond today with 10- to 14-inch rainbow and golden trout.

Fishing season opens Saturday and members and guests will be able to angle for these beauties throughout the summer.

The pond is stocked twice a year -- in the spring and in the fall -- from fish that are hatched and raised at Godfrey's own facility in a DEC-approved program.

Ron Wickings, above, will help conduct a fly-fishing seminar starting at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 30, that is open to the public. The course is free.

Godfrey's Pond will hold open houses on May 19 and June 16.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at Oak Street and Park Road in the city. It is blocking traffic. Police and Mercy medics are responding along with city fire.

UPDATE 12:41 p.m.: A second ambulance is called, emergency mode.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m.: A 53-year-old female is being transported to UMMC. She is said to have a cut on her nose, a swollen left eye and knee pain.

UPDATE 1:02 p.m.: Another female involved in the accident declined medical treatment.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m.: The woman who declined treatment at the scene is now calling for an ambulance.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: The response is non-emergency. The patient is 35 years old and complaining of chest pain.

A serious injury accident with possible entrapment is reported at 9938 Alexander Road. Multiple medics are responding, along with law enforcement and Alexander Fire Department. Mercy Flight is contacted and is checking the weather. There are at least two people injured. The location is in the area of Route 98 near Peaviner Road. A responder reports at least one person is outside the vehicle.

UPDATE 6:46 p.m.: A driver and medics for Alexander Ambulance are called. "There is heavy entrapment."

UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: All units are told to expedite their response. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Wyoming County are called to provide mutual aid and have fire police shut down traffic at Dodson Road. Responders are told to use caution upon approach because the roads are very icy.

UPDATE 6:51 p.m.: Mercy Flight #5 is en route.

UPDATE 7:01 p.m.: Route 98 at Sprague Road is being shut down. A state Department of Transportation rep is on scene. Mercy Flight is about to land in a field just east of the crash site.

UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: The entrapped patient has not yet been extricated.

UPDATE 7:05 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 7:09 p.m.: The patient has been extricated.

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 7:27 p.m.: One flatbed tow is on scene and a second flatbed is called. Town of Batavia rescue is back in service.

UPDATE 7:36 p.m.: Mercy Medic #2 is inbound to UMMC with a 45-year-old female who was involved in this two-car accident. She is conscious and alert and her only complaint is some chest discomfort due to air bag deployment.

UPDATE 7:55 p.m.: According to information obtained by Howard at the scene, a red sedan northbound on Route 98 hit a patch of ice, spun out, and was T-boned by a southbound minivan. The driver of the minivan was not seriously hurt and was taken to UMMC. The driver of the sedan was taken by ground ambulance to Strong and the passenger in the sedan suffered a serious leg injury and was flown to Strong. All units are back in service and the roads are reopened.

A third suspect has been accused of stealing copper wire from Dolomite's Gulf Road facility.

Joseph Paul Pratt, 18, of Church Street, Le Roy, has been charged with burglary, 3rd, criminal mischief, 2nd, and grand larceny, 3rd, all felonies.

Earlier this week, Michael A. Nicometo 28, 45 North St., Le Roy, and Jonathan D. Smeak, 22, of State Street Road, Batavia, were arrested on similar charges.

The arrests stem from an investigation by Deputy Joseph Graff and Deputy John Duyssen into a report of large amounts of copper wire disappearing from the Dolomite facility.

The thefts caused $32,000 in damage to Dolomite's electrical system.

Pratt, who is already being held on other charges, was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and returned to the Genesee County Jail.

The investigation is ongoing, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Nicometo is also a suspect in a series of thefts of live electrical wire from industrial facilities in Le Roy.

A person has reportedly suffered a minor leg injury in a two-car motor-vehicle accident on Bank Street Road near West Saile Drive.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding.

A deputy responding reports that wind has blowing snow over the roadway and "it's just a sheet of ice."

UPDATE 5:59 p.m.: Northbound Bank Street Road being shut down.

The Batavia City Council is scheduled to vote on a revised solid waste law that will "get the city out of the trash business" starting June 1, and if that happens, there are private haulers ready to try and woo new customers in the city.

Genesee ARC, of course, has said the agency will continue to offer trash collection service in Batavia, and also plans to expand into other parts of the county.

In a survey of other regional trash haulers, two companies said they plan to compete for customers, a third is considering it, a fourth has no comment and two others couldn't be reached for comment.

Ready to jump into the market are Waste Management, one of the largest trash haulers in the nation, and Town of Alabama-based PSI. Both said they plan to offer residential trash service in Batavia.

Erik Grimm, owner of Suburban Disposal, based in Monroe County, hadn't been aware of the proposed change for garbage pick-up in Batavia, but once he learned about it said it was something his company would research and consider.

"There are economies of scale in the collection industry and without proper route density, there isn't a viable service delivery strategy," Grimm said, adding that his company would have to quantify the risk of opening up routes in Batavia and determine if enough business could be generated to begin operations in the city.

The 28 years of experience Genesee ARC has collecting trash in the city and the obvious loyalty many local residents have for ARC would be one of the risk factors in any business calculation, Grimm said.

"Some level of loyalty is something we would have to think about, absolutely," Grimm said.

Lori Caso, WNY spokeswoman for Waste Management issued the following statement when asked about her company's plans:

Yes, it’s our understanding that Batavia is in the process of creating an open market area. Yes, Waste Management is interested in providing service to the area. In fact, we are in the process of creating a special dedicated phone number to give them priority service.

Both Waste Management and Suburban would offer the kind of automated tote pick up the city tried to institute with a proposed trash ordinance that was shot down by the council three weeks ago.

Allied Republic would have won that contract had the new law passed. John McGoran, manager of municipal services for Allied, did not respond to phone messages asking about his company's plans for Batavia.

Depending on Monday's vote, PSI is ready to offer trash service in Batavia, said owner Pete Stanley.

PSI works out of facilities in Alabama and is currently the contracted disposal service for the Village of Le Roy and Town of Alabama and has customers in Erie County and Attica.

Stanley said his company has always been supportive of ARC and delivers to ARC a lot of recycling material that it picks up.

He said he made his plans to offer trash service to residents of Batavia without knowing that ARC planned to continue to offer trash service, but he said it will be up to residents to decide who they want to do business with.

What PSI offers isn't much different from ARC's service -- using trash cans, bags and bins.

"I'm not going to low ball a number to get the work if (ARC is) going to be out there," Stanley said. "I'm going to offer a number that's reasonable because it costs money to run those trucks. I'm going to put my number out there and if people want to come to us that’s fine."

Dave Boon, of Boon and Sons, which partnered with ARC on a bid for the contracted tote system that was rejected by the City Council, did not return phone messages.

Tom Moran, of Youngblood Disposal, based in Rochester, said he had no comment at this time.

The other option for city residents will be for them to deliver their own bags of garbage to transfer stations.

Bruce Scofield, of Scofield Roll-Off Service, has already started advertising his transfer station in Stafford as a possible garbage drop-off point.

He said for a couple bucks a bag, residents who don't generate a lot of trash -- such as older residents without children -- could save a good deal of money by using a transfer station such as his rather than contract with a refuse collection company.

Donna Saskowski, executive director of Genesee ARC, said she can't discuss details of the ARC's new business operation will be until it's approved by the board next week, but she did say ARC was definitely planning to compete for customers in Batavia.

"I have no doubt we'll be competitive," Saskowski said, citing the hometown location and solid reputation as a trustworthy company as probable competitive advantages.

Of course, many people have said they will stick with ARC because they support what ARC does for local residents, even if it costs a little more. Saskowski indicated though that she realizes it will take more than loyalty to build a business.

"We've gotten a lot of very excellent support from many people in the city," Saskowski said. "For most people, if they're not particularly moved by our mission, it's going to come down to price."

UPDATE: Dave Boon called back and said he's been out of town. At this time, Boon and Son has no intention of going into the trash business in Batavia. Boon said he respects what ARC does and it would feel like "backdooring" them to come into Batavia after working on a partnership agreement for the previous bid.  "I'm not looking to come out and step on their toes," he said.