EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is part of a series prepared on behalf of the tourism agency of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. The new tourism guide was recently published and is available at the chamber's office and will soon be available at other tourism locations. The guide is also available for download from the official tourism site for Genesee County, VisitGeneseeNY.com.

Of all the art and artifacts in Tony Kutter's home in Corfu, one he's quick to show off is a German beer stein presented to his father, Leo, after he completed his training in making handcrafted cheese.

The hand-painted stein depicts craftsmen making cheese.

“In Germany, if you went to school for a vocation, you would get an occupational stein to keep," Tony said.

Leo Kutter started his cheese-making career after World War I. Kutter had served in the German infantry as a teenager, was wounded, captured by Allied troops, escaped, and by the time the war ended decided he wanted to learn to make cheese.

One day, a boss suggested "you're a young man without a wife or child -- you ought to move to America and seek out better opportunities.”

Kutter set his sights on the then-boomtown of Buffalo and arrived at Ellis Island with only $16 in his pocket.

There were plenty of jobs available for immigrants in Buffalo in the 1920s.

"When he came to America, Buffalo was the largest manufacturing metropolis in the world," Tony Kutter said.

Leo Kutter took a job in a cheese factory and dreamed of owning his own business.

Kutter's Cheese opened in Corfu in 1947 when Tony was 14.

"I admired my father because he was steadfast and he worked hard," said Tony. "I learned from him to appreciate good work habits. I remember as a teenager, I wanted to play football and do all that stuff and he said, 'ah, that's just a waste of time.' I would come home after school, change my clothes and wash milk cans and get things ready for the next day."

There was time for fun, but Tony and his friends, who were all sons of dairy farmers, would complain about their chores and work life.

"Of course, we all thought we were being abused," Tony said with a chuckle.

Tony and his brother Richard learned the cheese business, but Leo Kutter didn't live long enough to see Kutter's grow into a nationally known brand of speciality cheeses.

Leo died when Tony and Richard were in their 20s and the brothers took over the business, with Tony running the factory and and Richard keeping the books.

"My father prepared me for my life and taught me how to set some goals and work hard," Tony said. "He prepared me for being successful in business. I think you can take the easy route, but my father wanted to start a business so much that when he died, I felt obligated to carry it on."

The business paid for Tony's three children to go to college and start careers of their own. The factory is now owned and operated by Yancey's Fancy, and the outlet store in Corfu is owned by Brian and Heather Bailey and Christine Adamczak.

It also opened a door for Tony to go to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union and help Russian entrepreneurs get started in the cheese business.

Kutter speaks Russian and owns bits of Russian history, such as sculptures, antique toy trains and a Soviet propaganda flag, all collected over the course of 31 trips to Siberia over a 12-year span.

He helped set up a cheese factory in Omsk that would serve as the central employer of 300 Mennonites.

Mennonites, being of German heritage, would have been granted permission to flee Siberia and return to Germany as refugees, but at the time Germany was suffering from high unemployment, and an influx of refugees would’ve only added to the problem. Instead, the German government offered to pay shipping costs to Omsk for all the necessary equipment for a cheese factory there.

"It was so interesting and rewarding to be able to help those people,” Kutter said.

The Mennonites learned to make cheese the Kutter way, which is to go well beyond a mere sharp cheddar -- the primary cheese being made in New York when Tony and Richard took over Kutter's -- and add flavors to create different specialty cheeses.

"I developed different varieties, such as horseradish cheese," said Kutter. "Everybody is copying me now. I was the first guy to make that stuff and they're making it in California now."

Even so, Tony is proud of the success he's had and warns others who might go into business for themselves: it's hard work.

"My father always told me if you‘re going to do something, be as good at it as you can be and make sure you really like it."

Last October, Empire Tractor moved to a new location at 5072 E. Main St. Road and has taken the past few months to get settled into the new, larger facility.  Today and tomorrow, Empire Tractor is holding a grand opening and open house.

Among the items on display is a newly released Oxbo Model 4334 self-propelled merger. The merger -- pictured below -- is made by Oxbo in Byron and is the only piece of equipment in its class in the world. Several aspects of the technology behind it are patented. The merger can gather hay on 250 to 400 acres in a day. It moves across a field at 8 to 12 mph.

Standing in front of the 4334, above, are Tim Call, president of Empire Tractor, Ken Krokowski, of Oxbo, Steve Werner, Dan Athoe, John Bannister and Bill Friese.

The open house continues tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Press release:

The Genesee County Mental Health Association is now accepting nominations for the Constance E. Miller Award of Excellence which will be presented at the annual meeting on May 15.

The Constance E. Miller Award is given annually to an individual or organization that demonstrates a commitment to excellence, pertinent to the delivery and/or advocacy of quality, community-based mental health services.

Please submit nominations by Monday, April 2 to:

Millie Tomidy-Pepper, executive director

Mental Health Association of Genesee County

25 Liberty St.

Batavia, NY 14020

or by email at mtomidy@2ki.net

Please include a short biography of the individual or organization along with an explanation of why you feel they are deserving of this award.

Tomorrow is the first of three singing auditions for students in grades 8 to 12 in Genesee and Orleans counties who would like to participate in a professionally recorded music project with renowned local artist Lisa Barrett.

The Batavia singer/songwriter wrote a poignant song called "Everyday Hero" -- about youths who choose to be drug, alcohol and tobacco free, and who are positive leaders. She is sponsored by GCASA, where she is a prevention educator, and received a Reach Grant this year from GO ART!

Barrett is hoping to gather a choir of about 30 students to perform this song on Saturday, April 30, at the Linden Oaks Studio in Rochester where it will be professionally recorded.

After the recording is complete, the song will then be turned into a You Tube music video.

Along with the audition, potential choir members will be asked to submit a short essay. The essay content should include why they want to be a part of this project, as well as their views on tobacco, drugs and alcohol use.

Either email completed essays to lbarrett@gcasa.org or bring a copy to the audition.

The auditions will be held at GCASA’s Batavia site, 430 E. Main St.

The audition dates are as follows:

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 10
• 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 14
• 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 22

For more information, contact Lisa by phoning 815-1879 or by email at lbarrett@gcasa.org

The Everyday Heroes Project is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

UPDATED 1:39 p.m.

For a brief time overnight and this morning, a page appeared on Facebook called "Batavia Fights," which promoted itself as a place for students to post videos of their friends and classmates fighting.

One video was posted of two girls reportedly at Batavia Middle School involved in a fight as classmates cheered them on.

Christopher Daily, assistant superintendent of the school district, said the district was aware of the page and video and were investigating possible student involvement.

"Obviously, we don't condone it," Daily told WBTA. "We will work with the authorities as well to make sure that our students' safety is of utmost concern."

The school district contacted Batavia PD this morning and according to Det. Todd Crossett, the PD used a special law enforcement phone number to contact Facebook and alert the social network to the page.

Crossett he didn't have information on whether Facebook removed the page or if the original poster removed it.

There's nothing criminal, Crossett said, about shooting or posting the video and the actual fight itself is a school disciplinary matter and at this point law enforcement isn't involved.

Comments on the video were mostly approving, calling it "cool" and "funny."

At the end of the video an adult appears to enter the shot and break up the fight.

The video appears to have been posted around 5 p.m., Thursday.

By 11:40 p.m., the page was no longer available on Facebook.

A screen shot and the video were saved by WBTA's Geoff Redick before the page disappeared. Redick blurred the video to make it harder to identify individuals in the shots.

Reason Magazine: On the race between Romney and Obama

Even two new Greek yogurt plants in Batavia won't be of much help to small dairy farmers, which are finding it harder to survive in a globalized market and stringent regulatory environment.

Dale Stein, who operates a large dairy farm in Le Roy, said his heart is with the small dairy farmer, but knows they need to make some tough choices to stay in business.

"I have great sympathy for the small dairy farmer," Stein said. "We were a small dairy farm once. My brothers and I did the milking while my father worked in the fields. He went 20 years without a day of vacation."

The Batavian spoke with Stein Thursday and asked him about a New York Times story that said small dairy farms throughout the state are struggling.

How could Robert and Fred — who produce so much more milk than their dad — end up making less money? There are a number of reasons, some obvious, others less so. Milk went from a local industry to a national one, and then it became international. The technological advances that made the Fulpers more productive also helped every other dairy farm, too, which led to ever more intense competition. But perhaps most of all, in the last decade, dairy products and cow feed became globally traded commodities. Consequently, modern farmers have effectively been forced to become fast-paced financial derivatives traders.

In other words, if a dairy farmer doesn't hedge -- buying options to bet against an increase in prices -- they can't make money. (In hedging, if prices increase, the farmer profits; if prices decline, the farmer offsets losses on product with gains on the options.)

Stein said his farm is big enough to manage the fluctuations in commodity prices, but small farmers simply can't do it.

"Margins are tiny and getting smaller each year," Stein said. "The only way to survive is to sell more product, and if the size of your herd is limited, the less you have to sell."

EPA regulations define a small dairy as 199 head of cattle or less. If a farmer wants to milk a 200th cow, the amount of equipment, technology and infrastructure required to comply with government regulations would cost at least $250,000, Stein said.

Few small farmers want to take that chance.

Especially in today's labor market with fewer qualified migrant workers available.

"It's very difficult for them to compete for labor and for land," Stein said. "We started small. My dad started with two cows. We've slowly grown our business so we can employ more people and give everybody a middle-class wage. It's not that we wanted to be big, but we had to grow to survive."

John Gould, owner of Har Go farms in Pavilion, decided to go a different direction in his effort to keep a farm going that his father bought in 1956.

It's a decision many small farmers have made to survive, according to the Times article.

As tough as it might be to grow from a small dairy farm to a large dairy farm, Gould made the equally daunting decision to switch his farm to certified organic.

Making the switch, which he began in 2005, took three years. It involved building fences (because cows would graze rather than be confined to feed lots), put in water lines and pave drive ways. It takes time for the herd to adjust to a different diet -- corn and soy raised without pesticides or herbicides -- so milk production can drop to nothing for a time. Fields that once relied on chemicals to be productive must be slowly turned back into fields that are mechanically tilled for weeds and can tolerate a few bugs.

"You've got to think those things through and plan how you're going to handle all of that," Gould said.

But Gould said he got what he wanted out of the switch to organic: A profitable and viable small dairy farm.

"It seems to have been a good decision for us," Gould said. "It's certainly a different lifestyle from the type of farming we had been accustomed to, but we continue to make very high quality milk, which is very important to us and important to our customers."

Gould is philosophical about the choice for small dairy farmers -- spend the money to comply with environmental regulations or take a loss for three years and switch to organic.

"Nothing in this business is simple or automatic," Gould said. "That's the life we chose. If we're going to be in the business, we have to make those kinds of decisions."

Small dairy farms that decide to grow would indeed help New York meet the anticipated demand for milk created by two new Greek yogurt plants in Batavia. But Stein said obstacles to growth for small dairy farmers will hold back the industry.

Even now, before Alpina and Pepsi open their plants, the local supply of milk is limited.

"Chobani (operating a Greek yogurt plant near Albany) already uses so much milk that we don't have any extra milk now in our market," Stein said.

It would help the New York dairy industry tremendously, Stein said, if it were easier for the small dairy farms to grow and help meet increased demand.

"We all want to protect the environment, but current environmental regulations are stopping growth of the dairy industry in New York," Stein said. "Pepsi's milk may well have to come out of Michigan because they have enough milk and we don't, which is a shame, because we could use the jobs."

Firefighters did their best Thursday to try and save dozens of pigs caught in a barn that burst into flames at about 1:30 p.m., but some piglets were killed, according to officials.

A quick response by Darien and Corfu firefighters along with a State Trooper helped keep the fire from spreading north in the barn and destroying more animals.

Willow Ridge Pig Farm, owned by Charlie Miller, housed at least 1,000 pigs, but the number killed is not yet available.

The fire apparently started in the nursery, but the cause has not yet been determined.

Some pigs from the burned structure were moved to other barns on the property, and some pigs were relocated to climate-controlled facilities at other barns.

After the fire was largely knocked down, more than two dozen piglets were carried out of the nursery by firefighters. They were covered with soot and Indian Falls Chief Ed Mileham feared some were overheated, so he sprayed them with water.

Miller's staff then put the piglets in another barn.

One firefighter familiar with hog farming and Miller's facility said normally people not wearing protective garb would not have access to the young pigs. The animals who survived the fire may yet be susceptible to disease.

Besides Darien, Corfu and Indian Falls, responding to the scene were Pembroke, East Pembroke, the Town of Batavia, Attica, Alexander, Bennington, Oakfield, Akron, Alden, and Crittenden, and the city's Fast Team.

Darien Fire went back in service at 5:26 p.m.

(Initial report, with more pictures)

Today, students and staff gathered at the college's pool for the annual Duck Derby.

Here is a press release from Genesee Community College:

Genesee Community College students in the Business Forum Club made a big splash for a local charity. The fourth annual Ducky Derby raised $2,523 for the United Way – $293 more than collected last year, and the most money ever for the event.

Students sold 1,080 numbered rubber ducks, which were then set free in the Olympic-sized pool at the Batavia campus. With the help of a "current" created by members of the college’s Swim Team, the first duck that made it to the end of the pool won the race to the hooting, hollering and cheers of a captive fan base of staff, students and faculty. 

The winner of this year’s race was a duck purchased by student Taylor Schmieder who won $504.60. The remainder of the money, $2,018.40, will benefit the Genesee County United Way, which is also higher than last year’s donation of $1,561.

Here's a video from GCC:

Heavy smoke is spewing from the chimney of a church in Pembroke that has been converted into a house, according to a Pembroke firefighter on scene. The location is 690 Main Road on the corner of Lake Road. It looks like it's confined to the chimney. Corfu and Darien are also responding.

UPDATE 5:29 p.m.: The address is determined to be 8576 North Lake Road. Indian Falls is responding, too. All incoming units are to stage at Pembroke Engine 85, which is in a driveway across the street.

UPDATE 5:32 p.m.: They are trying to contact the homeowner regarding entry to the house but "have not heard back."

UPDATE 5:34 p.m.: An unlocked door has been located on the north side of the structure. Interior firefighters are going to enter "to see what we can see." A firefighter warns that dogs can be heard barking inside. Akron is on scene. They are putting up ladder(s) on the roof.

UPDATE 5:37 p.m.: Two dogs are seen locked in the basement along with a cat. There's no smoke. The furnace is on. The cat is running around. They'll need to gain front entry to get to the basement. They have not been able to contact the occupants. Animal control is not available, according to dispatch. A code enforcement officer is called. There are multiple renovations under way. They are putting up a light tower and taking statements from people at the scene.

UPDATE 5:43 p.m.: They are going to contact the owner of the building, who lives in Indian Falls. The interior crew has reached the stove in the center of the building and they have knocked the fire down, now checking for extentions. Firefighters have to be careful inside as there are places where flooring is missing and there are open beams.

UPDATE 5:45 p.m.: They are shutting off the gas to the stove, which was "jerry-rigged," according to a firefighter. National Fuel has been contacted.

UPDATE 5:52 p.m.: One of the occupants has been located at the Union Hotel and firefighters are speaking with him. They are getting into the basement. They are all set with manpower and will begin releasing some of the responders.

UPDATE 5:55 p.m.: The Town of Pembroke's building inspector is going to be contacted. "It's definately needed," says the firefighter making the request. The female occupant is heading to the scene.

UPDATE 6:03 p.m.: "You can disregard contacting the building inspector. We're on the phone with zoning now." Once the occupant arrives, she can "take care of the dogs so we can get in there."

UPDATE 6:10 p.m.: A zoning officer is on scene.

UPDATE 6:14 p.m.: Corfu units are leaving the scene, in service. A National Fuel rep is on site.

UPDATE 6:30 p.m.: Darien is back in quarters. The zoning officer has been provided the appropriate paperwork from the fire chief and there will be no further use of the chimney allowed at the residence until proper repairs are made and there is a re-inspection.

A barn fire is reported at the Miller farm in the Town of Darien. It's located at 9697 Ridge Road. Darien Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Alexander and Corfu.

Caller is the owner who says flames are shooting out of one end of the barn and there's a possibility other structures nearby could be compromised.

UPDATE 1:37 p.m.: The fire has gone to a second alarm and mutual aid is called in from Pembroke, East Pembroke, the Town of Batavia and the city's Fast Team. The city's first platoon is called to stand by in quarters. There are three sites of fire inside the barn.

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: County emergency coordinators are called to the scene. Monroe County Water Authority is notified of the fire, and tanker personnel are communicatinn on the "water channel."

"I have the owner heading up toward you. All the barns are full of pigs."

UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: Indian Falls is also responding along with Attica. "I need all available manpower to the back of the barn."

UPDATE 1:51: All available manpower from the Town of Batavia is called in.

UPDATE 1:53 p.m.: Wyoming County offers Bennington's "Super Tanker" and it is called in.

UPDATE 1:58 p.m.: Akron,  Alden, and Crittenden are assisting or called to assist.

UPDATE 2:01 p.m.: Oakfield is responding.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.: "The fire is contained to the center of the building." This is a hog farm. The pigs are in their pens and the roof over them is on fire. They are frantically working to save the livestock. Stafford is called to stand by in Town of Batavia's Station 2.

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: Firefighters on scene are saying the first responders did a good job of knocking down the fire's progress northward where most of the hogs are penned.

UPDATE 2:11 p.m.: The power is on in the building. All incoming responders are told to take their time getting to the scene because they'll be waiting in line. The staging area is behind City of Batavia's Engine 12. Some firefighters are working to ventilate the buildings so the pigs can breathe more comfortably.

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.: A gas-fired ventilation fan is requested to the staging area, but the one on hand is electric.

UPDATE 2:42 p.m.: Firefighters are overhauling the burned barn then the plan is to shut water down there, dismantle and bring in a truck to transport the hogs.

UPDATE 3:04 p.m.: The farm is owned by Charlie Miller. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. It appears to have started in the nursery.

UPDATE 4:06 p.m.: All available manpower from Darien is called to the scene. Crews are breaking down their equipment and preparing to clear out.

UPDATE 4:16 p.m.: Darien and Corfu are to remain at the scene. All other tankers and equipment from mutual aid responders are released.

UPDATE 5:26 p.m.: Darien went back in service from this scene at 5:14 p.m., but is now providing mutual aid at a chimney fire in Pembroke.

Joseph Henry Schenk, 20, of Overlok Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Schenk is accused of possessing a watch and refusing to give it back to its owner.

Martin Robert Maye, 36, of Johnson Mill Road, Berkeley Springs, W. Va., is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Maye allegedly had contact with a child he is barred from visiting unless a supervisor is present.

Jordan James Bennett, 18, of Tinkham Drive, Darien, is charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under age 21.

A 26-year-old Batavia resident suffered a head injury in an overnight rollover accident on Townline Road in Byron and was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Michelle T. Crawford, of 7963 Batavia Stafford Townline Road, is listed in guarded condition.

Charges are pending against Crawford, according to the accident report prepared by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

Crawford was reportedly westbound on Townline Road at 12:55 a.m. when her vehicle spun counterclockwise and traveled off the south shoulder near Ivison Road. Her 1999 Ford sedan went into a ditch and continued into a field, overturning and coming to rest on its wheels.

Crawford reportedly was bleeding from her head and was in shock when transported to Strong.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Alli's Cones & Dogs, 7063 Lewiston Road, Oakfield, NY: Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu; all-you-can-eat salad bar; ice cream served year-round; eat-in or take-out. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Bohn's Restaurant, 5256 Clinton St., Batavia, NY: Fine dining in an atmosphere of casual elegance. Lunch and dinner, steak, prime rib and seafood. Ask about Bohn's catering services and banquet facility. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Bourbon & Burger Co., 9 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: Batavia's newest burger joint offers more than two dozen different types of tasty hamburgers. Our menu also includes a variety of sandwiches, appetizers and an extensive beer list, plus a full bar. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Delavan's, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently so you can try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Greg'ry's Bakery, 13 N. Lake Road, Bergen, NY: The bakery offers a variety of the finest cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes, breads, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and so much more. Each treat is made the same as it has been for decades and baked right here. Come in and sample some for yourself! We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Jagged Edges Salon, 4140 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, NY: Jagged Edges Salon is a walk-in and appointment salon for men, women and children. It is a fun, welcoming salon that offers all hair care services including cuts, color, highlights, lowlights, perms, styling/updos, treatments, and facial waxing. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Larry's Steakhouse, 60 Main St., Batavia, NY: The name says it all -- Larry's is a great place for steak. Larry's has a fine dining atmosphere with a great menu and outstanding service. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Log Cabin Restaurant, 1227 Gilmore Rd, Corfu, NY: Overlooking the picturesque Indian Falls on the Tonawanda Creek, the Log Cabin is known for casual dining, beef on weck, burgers, steaks, prime rib and mouthwatering BBQ baby back ribs. The Log Cabin is located off Route 77, 1.7 miles north of Exit 48 on the Thruway. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Present Tense Books and Gifts, 101 Washington Ave., Batavia, NY: Whether your taste runs to local authors, the finest in fiction or nonfiction or you're looking for a unique and special gift, this charming store in a cozy Victorian house on the edge of downtown is a great place to stop and shop. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Rancho Viejo, 12 Ellicott St., Batavia, NY: Traditional Mexican cuisine, from tacos and burritos to pollo norteno, Rancho Viejo brings a bit of "South of the Border" to Batavia's restaurant scene. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Salsa & Curry, 13 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: An authentic Mexican restaurant, offering all of your favorite dishes from enchiladas and burritos to tacos and fajitas, as well as daily Indian food specials. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Scooter's Family Restaurant, 3711 W. Main St. Road, Batavia NY: Nestled just outside of the Village of Batavia, Scooter's offers a homestyle menu, daily specials, kid's meals and homemade desserts! We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Settler's, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Spirits, 78 Lake St., Le Roy, NY. Le Roy's favorite sports bar, where fun and good food are always on tap. Come try one of our many delicious burgers that we have to offer, as well as our HUGE Bomber Sandwich, homemade chicken fingers made to order, and the all-time favorite Dumpster Plate with many choices. We deliver. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

T.F. Brown's, 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." Stop in and check out our jumbo chicken wings, roast beef on weck and Friday night fish fry. The original family spaghetti sauce still adorns all of our Italian specialties. The other popular selections from our menu range from super salads, butcher cut strip loin and South of the Border items. We offer daily lunch and dinner specials as well as a full adult and children’s menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Viking Valhalla Restaurant & Rose Garden Bowl, 21 Buffalo Road, Bergen, NY: Open for lunch Monday through Sunday, and dinner Friday and Saturday evenings. Dinner favorites are our succulent prime rib and Friday fish fries! We are always happy to help plan your special occasion -- wedding, shower, rehearsal dinner, stag party, graduation, company function, banquet, family or class reunion. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

SOLD OUT

Note: if you've never purchased Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

Taken this evening on the Tonawanda Creek behind the Kiwanis Park on West Main Street Road, Batavia.

Susan Dominus, writing for the New York Times Magazine, has produced a lengthy article looking at Mass Psychogenic Illness in Le Roy, which resulted in at least 19 people developing motion symptoms and verbal tics.

Dominus covers not only the personal history of some of the girls involved, but also the sociological and economic changes that have taken place in Le Roy in recent years.

In some detail in a couple of cases, Dominus reveals significant stresses in the lives of some of those afflicted -- stress factors that a few of the girls and their families still seem to dismiss as irrelevant.

Dominus summarized her findings:

A common thread emerged among the five girls I interviewed extensively: none had stable relationships with their biological fathers. And the father of a sixth girl had seen little of his high-school daughter until his concern about the tics galvanized their relationship. Another student was a foster child who switched foster homes shortly before his tics came on; yet another is in the custody of an older sibling. Another two have spotty contact with their fathers. One young woman I interviewed was close to homeless after she and her mother left her father’s trailer. They’re staying with a friend of a friend while her mother, who was laid off two times in the last year, tries to scrape together first and last month’s rent so they can get a place of their own.

Dominus also reveals that Dr. Rosario Trifiletti, who has diagnosed a mysterious and ill-defined "PANDAS-like illness," was unaware of the trauma in his patients' lives:

When I spoke to him in late February, Trifiletti told me that the girls he was treating were showing dramatic signs of improvement. Katie’s parents said they believed that she was responding well to the antibiotics; Chelsey’s family reported that the drugs are helping her as well. But another patient of Trifiletti’s said she was still fainting.

When the subject of the girls’ personal backgrounds came up — the biopsychosocial factors that might be affecting their health — Trifiletti said he had not had the time to ask them about those kinds of things. The abuse, the troubling family circumstances — much of it came as news to him. “Jeez, I didn’t realize the extent,” Trifiletti said. “These aren’t things people want to talk about. I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong. It’s hard to distinguish between the drug and the placebo effect.”

Read the whole thing.

The Darien Fire Department is responding to a call to aid a citizen who accidently locked herself out of the house, located at 3564 County Line Road, with the stove on in the kitchen. Firefighters are advised to be aware of the small dog inside the residence. It is the second house south of the railroad tracks.

UPDATE 5:38 p.m.: Firefighters are on scene evaluating the best method to gain entry.

UPDATE 5:43 p.m.: "Genesee we're all set here. Got entry. Everything's fine.We're in service."

An elderly female has crashed her vehicle into the Dunkin' Donuts shop at 136 W. Main St. in the City of Batavia. She has a head injury. City firefighters and Mercy medics are responding. A code inspector is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 2:45 p.m.: The 89-year-old patient is being transported to UMMC. She is conscious and alert.

A grass fire is reported at 9624 Clipnock Road in Bethany. It's between Torrey and Little Canada roads. Bethany Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: A brush truck out of Stafford is requested to provide mutual aid.

UPDATE 1:14 p.m.: The fire has progressed to the woods. All available manpower out of Bethany Fire Department is requested. Plus, a tanker from Stafford is called in. Town of Batavia is called to provide a brush truck and one tanker.

UPDATE 1:18 p.m.: A tanker and Gaitors (fire-resistant leg protection wear) an all-terrain vehicle known as a Gator from Alexander, plus all its available firefighters, are called in.

From reader Destin Danser:

"It's actually a Gator from Alexander, as in the all terrain vehicle made by John Deere. Not gaitors. They have one outfitted with tracks and a water pump on the back that they use for fighting grass fires, plus a medical back for it to use for search and rescue."

UPDATE 1:27 p.m.: A full crew from Darien is standing by in its fire hall.

UPDATE 1:32 p.m.: A deputy was expedited to the scene because of a male-female domestic incident at the location. One of them left in a vehicle on Clipnock Road.

UPDATE 1:37 p.m.: A Pavilion pumper/tanker is requested to approach from Transit Road, as County Highway personnel report the fire is heading in that direction.

UPDATE 1:46 p.m.: A portion of the fire is out or nearly out. But there are hot spots along the swath eastward.

UPDATE 1:49 p.m.: Town of Batavia's response is cancelled and the unit(s) returning. The firefighters report the Transit Road area is under control.

UPDATE 1:52 p.m.: The fire near Transit Road is completely out. Mercy medics are called to the scene ASAP by the Bethany fire command. An adult male in his 50s is reportedly having trouble breathing, is passed out now and has a history of heart problems.

UPDATE 1:55 p.m.: Fire command directs a unit to the staging area to provide oxygen.

UPDATE 2:01 p.m.: All traffic is being shut down at East Bethany Le Roy Road.

UPDATE 2:13 p.m.: The roadway is reopened.

UPDATE 2:24 p.m.: Pavilion units are back in service. Mercy transported a patient to UMMC.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Stafford units back in service. Some of Bethany's personnel clearing the scene.

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: The fire is out. Darien is standing down from standby duty in its quarters. Alexander is back in service. Bethany is back in service.