Le Roy PD investigators are trying to determine what may have caused the death of a 5-month-old child inside a Main Street business late Saturday afternoon.

Emergency dispatchers received a call at 5:13 p.m. of an unconscious woman and an infant not breathing inside the tattoo shop at 72 Main St., Le Roy.

The initial report was that the woman had fallen on the child. Dispatchers initially told a responding Le Roy PD officer, and repeated it with other emergency responders, that there may have been an assault.

Police Chief Chris Hayward would not confirm this morning whether the case was being investigated as related to an assault.

He said the only information the police department is officially releasing about the investigation right now is what was put out in a press release this morning.

The press release does not discuss the possible circumstances of the infant's death except to say, "This investigation is continuing and natural causes or accidental death has not been ruled out."

The first officer on scene found one adult female "having medical issues," the release said, and CPR was being performed on the infant.

The officer assisted with CPR until an ambulance arrived.

The infant was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead at the hospital.

Reason Magazine: More Americans Than Ever Are Free to Gamble

Jalen Smith scored 25 points as the Batavia Blue Devils rolled over Newark in the Section V Class B1 title game Sunday, 58-41

Here are the photos from the game. We'll have a game story later.

UPDATE: Story by Nick Sabato

Batavia captured their third sectional championship in five years after defeating Newark, 58-41.

The top-seeded Blue Devils stymied the Reds with strong defense to jump out to an early lead in the first quarter, helped by the hot shooting from Class B1 MVP Jalen Smith, and never looked back.

Newark struggled to score all game and was held to 6-of-23 shooting and committed 11 turnovers in the first half, while Smith scored eight points in the first quarter to give Batavia a 26-14 halftime lead.

“We built our program on defense,” said Batavia Head Coach Buddy Brasky. “We stress every single day in practice that every single possession counts on defense. That’s what we believe in.”

Coming out of the half, Newark began to gain some momentum as Batavia’s shooting went cold, including cutting the lead to eight with two minutes remaining in the third quarter before sophomore Jeff Redband, who was playing in his fifth varsity game of the season after leading the jayvee team in scoring, hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 11.

Justice Fagan would add a three-point play to push the lead to 37-23 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Reds would open the scoring in the final frame on a three by Anthony Lombardi. Smith would answer with a three of his own.

From that point Smith would go off.

After another three from Lombardi, he connected on back-to-back threes to give the Blue Devils a 17-point lead.

In total, Smith would score 13 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, after only four in the second and third quarter combined.

“Coach (Brasky) always tells me to keep shooting, keep playing my game and trust my teammates to get me open,” Smith said. “It’s pretty much continuous for every game.”

Leading scorer Justin Washington struggled with his shooting touch all game, but he once again made up for it by stuffing the stat sheet for the Blue Devils, scoring 11 points, grabbing nine rebounds, five assists, five blocks and three steals.

“Points don’t ever tell the story for Justin,” Brasky said. “He rebounds, he defends, he helps relieve pressure from the other team, he makes great passes in transition and that’s how Jalen gets quite a few of his shots.”

For Batavia, it was their fifth sectional championship in school history. It was also the first since 2010, a year that they made it all the way to the New York State semi-finals.

“There is a very proud tradition here with our ex-players,” Brasky said. “They built the program and pass it along every year to the young guys and now this year’s team can pass it along to the young guys coming up. That’s how good programs stay good.”

The Blue Devils’ roster is comprised of six seniors, five of whom are starters, which means they are a very tightknit group on and off the floor.

“We have been thinking about this day since we came together in fourth grade,” Smith said. “It feels great to get out there and finally achieve one of our goals. We work hard and play together as a family.”

Brasky, who was named the Section V Class B1 Coach of the Year, is also the father of one the seniors on the team, Jake Brasky.

Coach Brasky won a sectional championship in 2005 with his oldest son, Adam, and has coached this group of seniors since the fourth grade when they began to play organized basketball together.

“Since these guys have been in fourth grade I have been coaching them a lot in the off-season and in youth tournaments,” Brasky said. “So I have grown close to this group, partly because my son is in the group. So it is special to share this moment not only with my son but with these seniors.”

Smith was joined on the all-tournament team by Washington and senior Jamesson Etienne (eight points and four steals) for Batavia.

Lombardi, who was also named to the all-tournament team, led Newark (14-7) with 13 points and seven rebounds in defeat.

Batavia (18-3) will now face the Class B2 champion, Hornell (19-2), on Tuesday at the Blue Cross Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.

To purchase prints of photos from this game, click here.

Press release:

The annual Honorary Membership drive of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute is under way in Genesee County, according to Sheriff Gary T. Maha.

The Institute was established in 1979. It is a not-for-profit corporation, tax exempt organization, and contributions to the Institute are tax deductible.

While the Sheriff’s Office is a unit of county government, many of the concerns of Sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies are best addressed on a statewide level. The Sheriffs’ Institute provides centralized training programs and services for all Sheriffs’ Offices, where those programs and services would be unavailable or impractical on a single-county basis.

The flagship program of the Sheriffs’ Institute is the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp for economically challenged children. The Sheriffs’ Camp, in its 37th year of operation, is located on Keuka Lake and 840 children from across New York State attend each summer. The Sheriffs’ Institute pays the entire cost of the camp stay and transportation. Most children attending wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity for vacation travel or a summer camp experience.

The Sheriffs’ Camp program combines summer recreation with activities designed to teach an understanding of, and respect for, our laws and the men and women who enforce them. The strong camper-to-counselor ratio allows for individual attention with an emphasis on the development of self-esteem.

“In these difficult economic times we cannot forget our youth who will not have the opportunity for a summer camp experience or a summer vacation,” Sheriff Maha said. “By becoming an honorary member, you are supporting the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp for economically disadvantaged children.”

In addition, the Sheriffs’ Institute operates a scholarship program that provides one scholarship to each of New York State’s Community College’s Criminal Justice Programs. This program is designed to help attract the best and the brightest to the criminal justice vocation.

For more information about the Sheriffs’ Summer Camp and other Sheriffs’ Institute programs, visit our Web site, www.sheriffsinstitute.org or simply Google “Sheriffs’ Institute kids” and it will be your first option.

Financial support for many of the Sheriffs’ Institute programs comes from Honorary Membership dues. Invitations for Honorary Membership are extended on a nonpartisan basis, and the invitees are selected at random. Any persons interested in supporting the efforts of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute by becoming an Honorary Member should contact the Sheriff if they do not receive an invitation in the mail, or visit our Web site at: www.sheriffsinstitute.org to download an application.

All donations made to the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Institute are tax deductible. In addition, Sheriffs’ Institute is registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.

A two vehicle accident, one blocking, and minor injuries reported, at Route 77 and Lewiston Road, Alabama.

Alabama fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.: All three people involved are sign-offs. The Mercy EMS ambulance is back in service. One flatbed tow truck requested to the scene.

One vehicle reportedly rolled over and crashed into water on the north side of the Indian reservation "where the bridge is out." The driver is out of the car and is headed to a residence at 6392 Meadville Road, south of Owen Road. Alabama Fire Department and Mercy Medic #3 are responding.

UPDATE 8:51 p.m.: The lone victim is now at the house on Meadville Road.

UPDATE 8:54 p.m.: The unoccupied vehicle is upside down in a ditch in the vicinity of Klossen and Feeder roads.

The Notre Dame girls put an exclamation point on their upset victory over Elba by claiming the Section V Class D2 title Friday in Gainsville against #3 seed Romulus, 56-41.

The Fighting Irish entered sectional play as the #4 seed, with only two losses on the season, both to the defending state champions and #1 seeded Lady Lancers.

Rather than an emotional letdown after beating the school's biggest rival, the Notre Dame girls came out fast and aggressive against Romulus, maybe a little too aggressive.

Riley Norton and Emma Francis seemed to knock down every three-point jumper they took and Romulus had a hard time scoring early in the game.

Midway through the first quarter, though, momentum started to shift and at the half, Notre Dame trailed 26-23.

Foul trouble dogged Notre Dame, with Norton and Laurie Call forced to sit because of two early fouls apiece.

Head Coach David Pero said he had his team trying some new defensive schemes, which ended up getting players out of position. Call said she was just had too much adrenaline pumping.

"I have a tendency to be aggressive, to put a lot of pressure on defense," Call said. "I had to calm myself down, dial my adrenaline down, and say, 'what do I need to do for my team,' and calm down, not try to get a steal, but get them to turn the ball over."

In the second half, Notre Dame went back to the defensive scheme that proved so successful against Elba -- the first time Notre Dame used it -- playing man-to-man.

And Pero was also able to put Norton and Call back on the court.

It was a whole different game through the final two quarters, with the Fighting Irish dominating the Lady Warriors, including a 10-0 run to finish the game.

"They struggled getting the ball up the floor and we knocked down some shots, made some free throws and the rest is history," Pero said.

Norton finished with 15 points, including 10 in the second half and was named tournament MVP.

She said the championship and the award were real special achievements as a basketball-playing senior.

"It's the best feeling in the world," Norton said. "It (the MVP trophy) means my hard work and my dedication to basketball since I was very young has paid off. I want to keep going and I want to keep winning, but this right now feels amazing."

Melanie Taylor scored 14 points,  had seven assists and six steals, while Call nabbed nine rebounds.

For Call, she's building quite a collection of trophies at home. She was on the Section V and state champion softball team and has a Section V title in cross-country.

"It’s been so fun," Call said. "Honestly, it’s the best thing ever because the girls I’m winning with are my best friends. They’re like sisters and it’s just like this family that keeps on helping each other and we’re successful in the end."

All-Tournament team: Jamie Marshall (Elba), Zoe McDonald (Romulus), Laurie Call (Notre Dame), Melanie Taylor (Notre Dame).

Notre Dame will play Class D1 champions Mt. Morris on Monday in Pavilion. The consolidated Class D champion will then represent Section V in the state tournament, starting with a regional championship game against the Section VI champion.

To purchase prints of these photos (parents, you want to make sure you always have copies, right?), click here.

It's all about relationships, says Guy Clark Jr., owner of Cedar Street Sales and Rentals.

Clark's business turned 20 today, and he said the enterprise has lasted because the people of Genesee County have trusted him and his staff.

"We owe a big thanks to the community," Clark said.

Raised in Stafford, Clark opened his first tool shop in Le Roy in 1985. He described it as an under-capitalized one-man operation, and he struggled, but he also started to gain a good reputation.

As the calendar flipped to 1993, the people at Cummings & Bricker, a Batavia-based wholesaler of farm equipment, approached Clark about opening a rental business on Cedar Street. Cummings and Bricker already owned the property, so they along with Clark and Ricky Palermo joined forces and opened Cedar Street Sales and Rentals March 1, 1993.

After a few years, Cummings and Bricker pulled out because both businesses shared the same peak seasons, Clark said, and that caused a little tension.

Another partner entered the picture for a few years, but seven years ago, Clark became sole owner of the business and has operated it successfully since, despite a recession and increased competition from the likes of Home Depot and Lowe's.

Clark said Home Depot went after the local rental business pretty hard a few years back.

Whatever Clark set as his rental price, Home Depot would offer the same tool for $1 less.

"They were attacking us pretty hard, but then they closed (the rental business) about three years ago," Clark said. "I was thrilled for that. I was proud of that."

Cedar Street has become one of the top Cub Cadet dealers in the nation, but there was a time when Clark didn't sell lawn mowers.

A persistent salesman kept trying to get him to stock a few, until finally, Clark recalled, the salesman said, "Look, let me put six in your store and if they don't sell by fall, I'll take them back, no hard feelings."

Clark added, "That was about 5,000 lawn mowers ago."

Clark was all smiles during the 20th anniversary party at his store today and said he does feel like he's accomplished something getting this far, even if you don't always notice the time sliding by.

"You don't think about it, and I didn't start thinking about it until I started looking at a calendar," Clark said. "Until people start coming in and saying, you've been here a long time, and you think, 'hey, I have been here a long time,' you don't think about it. You just go to work every day and never give it much thought."

The celebration continues Saturday with food, games, prizes and a chance to ride an all electric zero-turn mower from Cub Cadet. Clark said Cedar Street is the only dealership in the United States with the new mower in the store. They will go on sale this spring. The photo above is of Clark riding the mower. Customers who test drive it get a free hat. Food will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friends and family of Scott Paul gathered at Center Street Smoke House this afternoon to pay tribute to the man who help found the restaurant with his brother, Cregg Paul.

We convinced some of the gathering to come out for a picture with the Bluesmobile.

Previously: Scott Paul: Golfer, musician, photographer, co-owner of Center Street Smoke House, dead at age 57

All area students and teachers are invited to compete in a talent show to raise money to fight pediatric cancer. Deadline for entries is March 4.

Go to this Web site for more info. and to download an entry form: <http://www.makesomenoisetalentshow.weebly.com>

It can be e-mailed to: makesomenoise2013@gmail.com

The Make Some Noise Talent Show is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 at the Notre Dame High School gym in Batavia. It's located at 73 Union St.

There are no entry fees and donations will be accepted at the door.

The First Place prize is $150 and there will be other awards presented to the top talent.

All monies raised will be donated to a new local chapter of the Make Some Noise Foundation, which raises money and awareness to defeat pediatric cancer.

For more information, contact Sharon Korzelius of Notre Dame High School at: sharon.korzelius@ndhsbatavia.com

Press release:

The HomeCare & Hospice Guild’s 19th Annual Spring Bouquet Sale is set for March 5-7.

“The Spring Bouquet Sale really demonstrates the power of a flower. By purchasing a Traditional Bouquet for $8 or a Bouquet of Hope for $16, you can make a difference and know that your dollars go towards care for HomeCare & Hospice patients in your community,” said Linda Cummings of HomeCare & Hospice.

Traditional bouquets, consisting of nine vibrant floral stems, cost $8 each. The larger Bouquet of Hope, consisting of 18 floral stems, costs $16.

Bouquets will be sold at HomeCare & Hospice offices in Batavia and Warsaw, as well as the following locations:

• Batavia Downs, 8215 Park Road – 3 to 6 p.m. (March 5 only)
• United Memorial Medical Center North Campus, 127 North St. -- 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Batavia office is at 550 E. Main St. Phone is 343-7596.

Proceeds from the annual sale benefit terminally ill patients and their families in Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties. HomeCare & Hospice is the only Medicare-certified Hospice provider in those counties.

Proceeds will also support services for the frail elderly, disabled and those recovering from advanced illness. Contact  Linda Cummings at 343-7596 or visit <http://www.homecare-hospice.org> for additional information.

HomeCare & Hospice, a United Way Member Agency, is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Robert Augustus Hilchey, 60, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with theft of services. Hilchey is accused of installing a water supply line at the Oakfield Fire Department at a location prior to the Village of Oakfield water meter, allowing himself and others to use water before it could be measured.

Lisa Sue Metcalf, 33, of Batavia Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Metcalf was arrested at her residence on a warrant out of Town of Oakfield Court. She was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Bryan S. Harris, 30, of 50 Montclair Ave., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Harris is accused of pushing another person against a vehicle.

Michael L. Titus, 28, of 71 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with strangulation, 2nd, and harassment, 2nd. Titus is accused of choking and punching a victim during an argument. Titus was jailed without bail.

John L. Taggert, 31, of 16 N. Lyon St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Taggert is accused of shoving a family member against a wall. Taggert was jailed on $1,500 bail.

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) recently joined the National Rifle Association, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, SCOPE and a large group of Second Amendment supporters at a rally outside of the Capitol that drew more than 5,000 attendees from Western New York and across the state. The event was held in opposition to the gun control legislation forced into passage in January. Approximately 48 hours after announcing the launch of his petition to repeal the law, the assemblyman has received more than 700 signatures.

“The attendance and response at the Second Amendment rally were like nothing I’ve ever seen during my time in state government,” Hawley said. “Between the enthusiasm at the event and the overwhelming response to my petition to repeal the gun control legislation, the people have spoken loud and clear, saying that ‘Our rights shall not be infringed!’ Democracy was betrayed by the hurried passage of this law, but the grassroots response from law-abiding gun owners continues to be a shining example of democracy in action.” 

Video of Assemblyman Hawley speaking about the Second Amendment can be found by clicking here or by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0aM_qWCIDI&feature=youtu.be. The petition to repeal the gun control legislation can be found at bit.ly/HawleyPetition or by visiting http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Stephen-Hawley/story/50987/.

Batavia is getting a little dusting of heavy, wet snow tonight. It starting coming down just after midnight.

A gas line at a residence at 699 Knapp Road was broken after being hit with an object, resulting in what a dispatcher called a "major gas leak."

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments responding.

A chief on scene reports that a regulator is snapped off and he'll be able to shut off the gas once he gets some tools.

National Fuel is being notified.

UPDATE 11:45 p.m.: A chief reports the gas has been shut off from outside the house. The regulator at the meter will need to be replaced. National Fuel is sending a crew. There is no gas inside of the house. Pembroke and Indian Falls going back in service.

UPDATE 11:48 p.m.: A chief reports on how the regulator was broken: "There was a broken chair inside the residence. He threw it outside and it caught the regulator just right."

The Wiss Hotel building was once again a topic of discussion at the Village of Le Roy Trustees meeting last night. I was unable to attend because of all the trash talk at the Batavia City Council meeting, so I called Mayor Greg Rogers and LLC proponent Bob Fussell for their take on the meeting.

The meeting started with a presentation by Town of Batavia Code Enforcement Officer Dan Lang (who is mentoring new Town of Le Roy Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Steinbrenner). Lang recommended going through the process of declaring the building an unsafe structure.

Former mayor Jim DeLooz gave about a 10-minute presentation on the Wiss and the likelihood it could be restored. DeLooz is against saving the building. The presentation was well documented and well prepared, Rogers said.

Jerry McCullough, a local contractor, also spoke. He favors saving the Wiss building and believes it can be restored. Fussell said McCullough has experience with building restoration and has said he's taken on projects in much rougher shape than the Wiss.

Joe Condidorio, from contractor Whitney East, also spoke in favor of saving the Wiss and expressed concern that once the Wiss comes down, other buildings will come with it, damaging the character of the village.

"I think it was very important that Joe Condidorio and Jerry McCullough spoke and spoke in support of the idea that restoration is very doable," Fussell said. "They are very well respected in the community."

Bill Farmer, who has his own restoration project in progress at the Creekside Inn, also spoke in favor of saving the Wiss, saying it was important to preserve the character of the village, Rogers said. Fussell said Farmer was very critical of the destruction of the buildings that were removed to build the Walgreens. 

Farmer did not address the status of his own project.

There were also other speakers in favor of saving the Wiss.

Fussell described the trustees as interested and engaged in the conversation.

"It was a very comfortable meeting," Fussell said. "It was non-confrontational and very relaxed."

He said the LLC supporters there came away feeling it was the most positive meeting to date about the Wiss.

There is an RFP in place for contractors to bid on taking down the Wiss building. Contractors are scheduled to tour the building tomorrow, Rogers said, and that's the last time there will be people allowed inside the building until this issue is resolved.

Bids are scheduled to be opened at 3 p.m., March 8, at the Le Roy Village Hall.

Looming federal budget cuts could mean cuts in one of Batavia City School's most needed programs, Superintendent Chris Dailey told WBTA today.

AIS (Academic Intervention Services) helps students in both math and English as well as special education.

Those are some of the students most in need of help, Dailey said.

The cuts could range from $75,927.40 to $121,283.84 and would be implented if the so-called sequester takes effect after a Friday deadline.

“It’s very scary because New York state still isn’t providing public schools with the level of funding that they did in 2009-10,” Dailey said. “On top of that now, the federal government is pulling out money that they give to schools that have students that are at or below the poverty rate and we are one of the districts that have a high percentage of that. They’re taking money away to help our highest-needs kids in a political game.”

There will be a rally in Geneseo Friday to encourage lawmakers to protect education funding. To reserve a spot on the transportation shuttle or more information on the event, call the district office.

Press release:

An Oakfield-Alabama Middle-High School senior has been named to Business First's 2013 All-Western New York Academic Team.

Jennifer Crossen (First Team) has qualified for this year's list of the 100 most outstanding high school seniors in the eight-county region.

Winners were chosen for their records of academic excellence, school leadership and community involvement. The top 25 were named to the First Team, 25 runners-up to the Second Team, and another 50 to the Special Mention list.

"This is an extremely exclusive award," said Jack Connors, president and publisher of Business First. "There are roughly 20,000 seniors in Western New York's high schools, and we've selected only 100 for this year's Academic Team. That's the upper one-half of 1 percent. They're truly the best and brightest students anywhere in our region."

Schools throughout the eight-county area were asked to nominate their smartest and most accomplished students for consideration by an eight-member committee, which included six admissions directors at area colleges and two Business First editors. A total of 121 schools responded with 437 nominees. (Each school was limited to four candidates.)

The complete list of 100 honorees -- along with their photos and profiles -- will be published in Business First's 2013-2014 Guide to Western New York Schools, which will hit newsstands on June 14.

Add Genesee County to the official list of government agencies and local organizations that are calling for a repeal of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's SAFE Act.

The legislature on Wednesday, in a unanimous vote, approved a resolution that will be sent to Albany and Washington calling on elected officials to protect the Second Amendment.

Local residents and gun-rights supporters attended the meeting to encourage the legislature to approve the resolution. Many said the SAFE Act was hastily enacted and infringes on the rights of citizens to own firearms.

“There’s no reason for having people who didn’t commit any crime be punished for something that never took place, especially in our state," Darien resident Dave Alvord said. "It’s just another way to take away their freedom.”

The resolution is merely advisory. It will take Albany politicians to make any changes or repeal the act.

“What we are doing here tonight is we are sending our message to those who are mentioned at the end of the resolution," Legislator Shelley Stein said. "So it would go to the president of the United States, the two U.S. senators, our U.S. congressmen, followed by our governor and our two legislative representatives.”

Voices are rising up across the state to protest the law, and that's a good thing, legislators said.

“It’s extremely important to send that message to our governor, to our legislature, to anyone that will listen," Legislator Esther Leadley said.

The state county clerk's association as well as the sheriff’s association have denounced the law already.

“There’s certain areas we’re in agreement with and there’s areas we’re not in agreement with," Sheriff Gary Maha said, "particularly the ban against assault weapons, the broad definition of assault weapons, (and) and the seven-round clips to me is kind of ridiculous. So there are areas that we feel infringe upon Second Amendment rights.”

It's unusual for legislators to meet before a full house of concerned citizens, but the bill already had proven to have strong backing from the legislators. It passed two previous committees unanimously.

Ray Cianfrini, who first brought the resolution to the legislature, was unable to attend Wednesday's meeting, so the final vote was 8-0.

WBTA contributed to this story.