Press release:

The Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football & Cheer program will hold its 4th Annual Extreme Youth Football and Cheer Camp. This year’s camp, sponsored by Extreme Streetwear, will be held at Kibbe Park on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday July 11th – 13th. Cheer Camp will be Friday and Saturday July 13th and 14th.

Registration for the camp will be Friday June 28th from 6 to 8 p.m. and again on Saturday June 29th from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Batavia City Centre. Cost is $30 for football and $25 for cheer camp.

Camp on Thursday and Friday will run from 4 to 6 p.m. with check-in at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 to Noon with check-in at 8:30 a.m.

The camp is open to ALL athletes no matter what league affiliation between the ages of 6 to 13 years old by Dec. 1st. Birth certificate is required.

Camp is a stationed-based training where campers are divided by age and experience level so each athlete receives the right level of instruction and support. The Bulldawgs staff and volunteers will teach techniques, skills, and appreciation for all football positions and cheerleading in a fun, positive way!

All campers will receive quality instruction from certified coaches, a camp T-shirt, and lunch at the end of camp on Saturday July 14th.

A car, pedestrian accident is reported at Ellicott and Swan streets.

Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 11:42 a.m.: The accident involves an adult male complaining of leg and knee pain.

"Copperhead," the movie with the screenplay by local author Bill Kauffman, opens in theaters around the United States today and the film has received mostly positive reviews so far.

A screening in Gettysburg, billed as the world premiere, earned director Ron Maxwell a standing ovation.

Writer James Simpson, in a piece of PJ Media, takes a detailed look at the historical and political context of the movie and concludes,

This is a movie well worth seeing; both for its accurate depiction of the times, its rich narrative, and the unique, rarely discussed subject matter, which was in fact a major component of the days’ controversies. It is also completely family friendly – a rarity in Hollywood these days.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the L.A. Times critic comes off as a bit of a snob and calls the film "lugubrious."

Another Hollywood-based critic says the film is purely for history buffs (while too narrowly constricting the scope of the audience, may be a bit of a left-handed compliment -- this isn't "Fast & Furious 6").

That writer, John DeFore, seems to believe only "Tea Party" types care about the Constitution, writing, "Beech is a dairy farmer who's opposed to slavery but, in language that will resonate with Tea Party-affiliated viewers, argues that Lincoln's war is unconstitutional."

Apparently, one must not color outside of the lines in Mr. DeFore's world.

Though, one of the more favorable reviews has come from Katie Kieffer, writing for the conservative Web site Town Hall.

Copperhead is worth seeing because it re-tells American history with an intimate, engaging and non-textbook approach.

It will be interesting to watch the different reactions to the film from America's various political factions -- especially the simple-minded red state/blue state divide -- to a film that challenges pat answers to questions about the Civil War.

Kauffman has said the movie isn't intended to be preachy or a message movie, except maybe to reinvigorate the lost notion in America of the value of dissent.

In his own lengthy piece about the film for Front Porch Republic, Kauffman writes about the constricting nature of political debate in the country these days.

We live in a time and in a country which finds principled dissent of the sort exercised by Eugene V. Debs and Abner Beech almost incomprehensible. In one sense, freedom of expression knows no bounds: Internet pornography, snuff-game videos, libelous tweets – laissez faire, man. But with respect to politics, art, culture…seldom in American history have the limits of permissible speech been so narrow, so constricting. True, our Eugene Debses aren’t usually thrown into gaols, but nor do they become cause célèbres, like Debs. Their prison is the red state-blue state idiocy under which the limits of acceptable opinion are demarcated by Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, and writers live in the fear (which, I can tell you as one who has long worked with members of the DC punditocracy, absolutely paralyzes careerists) of saying the wrong thing and running afoul of the hall monitors and tattletales who police American discourse.

In media coverage closer to home, Jay Moran interviews Kauffman for WBFO.

"Copperhead" is playing in Pittsford and Williamsville.

Previously:

• 'Copperhead' hits all of Kauffman's themes, and is a big hit with screening audience
• Screenwriter Bill Kauffman and film director Ron Maxwell discuss 'Copperhead'
• Trailer for Bill Kauffman's 'Copperhead' released, film opens June 28

D&C: Debate reignited over legalizing some fireworks in NY

Missing 13-year-old Chelsea Darnley Emondt-Fauel has been located in the City of Batavia and is safe, according to Det. Rich Schauf.

Schauf said it's confirmed that she was a "willful runaway."

She was turned over to the care of Social Services, Schauf said.

Two men who were found wandering on Transit Road after a burglary on Shepard Road, Pavilion, were questioned by State Police and released, according to Trooper Victor Morales, public information officer for Troop A, Batavia.

The first man was taken into custody while State Police were still trying to determine if anybody was in the house on Transit Road.

He was questioned and denied any knowledge of the house.

The burglary was reported just before noon. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded. A witness hadn't seen the suspects leave the house, so as a precaution before sending troopers in to search the house, robots were used to check inside.

The robots were able to help investigators determine that the house had, in fact, been broken into, but it took a contingent of troopers actually going inside to confirm the house was unoccupied.

The burglars apparently managed to escape before back-up law enforcement units arrived.

Hours after State Police cleared the scene, at about 7:30 p.m., dispatchers received reports of a man approaching residents on Transit Road, not far from the burglary scene, asking for directions to Texaco Town and asking to use a telephone.

Deputies and troopers converged on the area and the State Police helicopter was called in.

At about 8 p.m., while a trooper was talking to a resident and the subject of the search walked toward them and was taken into custody.

He was taken to the Batavia Barracks and questioned, but was later released from custody.

The investigation is continuing.

State Police have not said whether any physical evidence that could aid the investigation was recovered inside the house.

Previously:

• Law enforcement scours Pavilion for burglary suspects
• Quick State Police response thwarts burglary in Pavilion, but suspects slip out before dragnet in place
• Second suspicious person taken into custody in area of Pavilion burglary

Batavia native Gina Peca has written a book entitled "I Wouldn't Change a Thing" -- about her daughter's life journey after being diagnosed at age 6 with a rare pediatric cancer, neuroblastoma. She will be at Coffee Culture on Court Street in the city on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to sign copies of the book, which sells for $25.

But it's not a book about a deadly disease which took Catie Hoch's life when she was 9.

Rather, it's about how this little girl's courage and vitality taught others valuable lessons and how she wound up being penpals with author J.K. Rowling (who wrote the hugely popular Harry Potter books). Peca says Catie was an inspiration to Rowling who told her "Catie left footprints on my heart."

Proceeds of book sales will go to the Catie Hoch Foundation which helps children with neuroblastoma. In addition to being available at the book signing, it can be purchased at the Holland Land Office Museum, and at amazon.com, as well as the Catie Hoch Foundation's Web site.

Three teenagers from Medina are facing criminal charges following last night's high speed chase through the City of Batavia.

Angel T. Calderon, 16, of 23 S. Main St., #2, Treyvon K. Johnson, 17, of 816 S. Main St., and Syed A. Baity, 18, of 221 Commercial St., were all jailed without bail pending a court appearance tomorrow.

They are charged criminal possession of stolen property, 4th, and obstruction of governmental administration, 2nd.

The incident began around 9 p.m. when dispatchers were informed that a red pickup truck had been stolen in Medina and the truck was last seen southbound on Route 98 heading into Genesee County.

Immediately, an Elba resident reported seeing the truck pass through the village.

Soon after, Deputy Matt Fleming spotted the vehicle southbound on Route 98 and began a pursuit that reportedly reached speeds of 70 mph heading into the city.

Once on Oak Street, the truck drove over a curb by the Hess Mart and struck a pole.

Witnesses said the light pole crumbled and the truck missed by inches two young women at the gas station. The falling pole narrowly missed a Batavia resident's brand new Porsche sitting next to a gas pump. 

The truck also struck another vehicle in the area and then continued eastbound on Main Street.

After racing through city streets, the truck crashed into a fence in a residential yard at 9 Buxton Ave. and the three occupants tried to flee the scene on foot.

The occupants are allegedly Calderon, Johnson and Baity.

Two of the teens were taken into custody almost immediately. A third was captured on the track at Woodward Field/Van Detta Stadium. 

The suspect who ran toward Van Detta reportedly ran through a yard were a family was gathered and nearly ran into a pregnant woman holding another mother's baby, according to witness statements on Facebook.

A police officer suffered a minor injury during the foot pursuit.

Police believe Calderon was the driver and he is charged with reckless endangerment, 1st, unlawful fleeing a police officer, 3rd, and 33 vehicle and seven traffic law violations.

Baity was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

The defendants are scheduled to appear in City Court at 11 a.m. tomorrow for a bail review.

A resident on Ross Street complained to dispatch that a neighbor on that street dumped dog feces on the complainant's lawn. A police officer is responding.

Here are the latest indictments issued by the Genesee County Grand Jury:

Kyle H. Morse is indicted on four counts, all stemming from alleged actions on Sept. 21, 2012 in the Town of Elba.

He is accused of criminal sexual act in the first degree, a class-B felony, for allegedly engaging in oral sexual conduct with another person by forcible compulsion.

In count two of the indictment, Morse is accused of sexual abuse in the first degree, a class-D violent felony, for allegedly subjecting another person to sexual contact by forcible compulsion.

In count three, Morse is accused of criminal sexual act in the third degree, a class-E felony, for allegedly engaging in oral sexual conduct with another person without that person's consent. This alleged lack of consent was by reason of some factor other than incapacity to consent.

In count four, Morse is accused of sexual misconduct, a class-A misdemeanor, for allegedly engaging in oral sexual conduct with another person without that person's consent, and the person was deemed incapable of consent by vurtue of being less than 17 years old.

John J. Slack and Penny S. Sprague are both indicted on two counts each stemming from alleged actions June 16-17, 2012 on Knowlesville Road in the Town of Alabama.

In count one, they are accused of second-degree burglary, a class-C violent felony, for allegedly  entering and remaining unlawfully in a dwelling with the intent to commit a crime. In count two, they are accused of grand larceny in the third degree, a class-D felony, for allegedly stealing property having a value in excess of $3,000 -- in this case, jewelry, money, electonic devices and other property valued at about $11,000.

Franchesca A. Barrome is accused of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a class-E felony. It is alleged that during Feb. 5-17, 2013, in the Town of Batavia she knowingly possessed stolen property with intent to benefit herself or a person other than the owner, or to impede recovery of the property by the owner. The property was a college ID card.

In count two of the indictment, Barrome is accused of petit larceny, a class-A misdemeanor, for allegedly stealing property by using the ID card to make unauthorized purchases. In count three, she is accused of criminal trespass in the second degree, a class-A misdemeanor, for allegedly entering and remaining unlawfully in a dwelling.

Gary W. Woronowski is accused of driving while intoxicated, a class-E felony, for allegedly operating a 2000 Subaru while intoxicated. This allegedly occurred Feb.1, 2013 on Main Road in the Town of Pembroke. In count two, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, per se, as a class-E felony, for allegedly having a BAC of .08 or more at the time.

Woronowski is also accused of having been convicted of DWI, as a misdemeanor, in 2007 which is within 10 years of the crimes alleged in this indictment.

Chad M. Dart is accused of driving while intoxicated, a class-E felony, for driving a 2013 Chevy pickup on Route 33 in the Town of Stafford on March 10, 2013 while intoxicated. He is also accused of having been convicted of DWI, as a misdemeanor, in 2004, which is within 10 years of the crime alleged in the indicment.

Lastly, the Grand Jury returned a No Bill on DWI charges against Ronald J. Tombari III stemming from alleged incidents which occurred Dec. 12, 2012 in the Town of Pavilion.

A motor-vehicle accident, with no injuries, is reported at the intersection of Transit and East Bethany / Le Roy roads. It is blocking traffic. Fire police from Bethany are called to handle traffic.

The driver of a Chevy S-10 dark-colored, older model pickup is said to have forced another vehicle off the roadway and then left the scene. Law enforcement is looking for that vehicle. It did not have any damage.

UPDATE 2:17 p.m.: The fire response from Bethany is cancelled. A trooper on scene reports one lane is closed, the other is open and the scene has been mostly cleaned up. Tow(s) is in route.

Craig Russell Williams, 32, of Greenway Boulevard, Churchville, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely. Williams was stopped at 12:49 a.m. on Rochester Street, Bergen, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Ryan Christopher Riggi, 18, of Lake Street, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, unlicensed operation and failure to signal. Riggi was stopped at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday on Main Street, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

More than $1 million in automobile was parked at the Northside Deli this afternoon, according to owner Dave Stupp. Dave said the cars stopped while on a route from Toronto to the Hamptons as part of a California to East Coast Tour. The drivers told Stupp they worked for Aston Martin.

Photo submitted by Dave Stupp.

Update on the burglary in Pavilion today: A second person of interest was taken into custody by State Police on Transit Road about 8 p.m. less than two miles from the burglary location.

The man was identified as an individual who had approached two residents on Transit Road looking to use a telephone and asking for directions to Texeco Town.

After residents reported the suspicious behavior. State Police and the Sheriff's Office set up a perimeter around the area and the State Police helicopter was called in to assist in the search.

A trooper who had just joined the search stopped on Transit Road to talk with one of the homeowners and while they were talking, the subject of the search walked toward them and the trooper ordered him onto the ground.

The subject was taken back to the Batavia Barracks for questioning. No word yet confirming whether he was involved with the burglary.

Previously: Quick State Police response thwarts burglary in Pavilion, but suspects slip out before dragnet in place

Less than 10 minutes elapsed from the time local law enforcement was informed of a suspected stolen pickup truck heading into Elba from Orleans County to the time three men were taken into custody by Batavia PD.

The report hit the scanner and an Elba resident apparently heard the APB and contacted dispatchers when the truck passed through the village.

Within two minutes, a Sheriff's deputy was behind the truck heading south on Route 98.

The truck was reportedly traveling at 70 mph. It headed into the city and struck a pole near the Hess station at Oak and Main. It then turned left onto Main and reportedly struck another vehicle.

The truck was next reported making a left onto Prospect, was reported on Richmond, then New York Place and then Genesee Street.

Sgt. Jason Davis drove north on Buxton and blocked southbound Buxton. The truck couldn't make the turn from Genesee to northbound Buxton and crashed into the fence of a front yard on Buxton.

Three men jumped from the vehicle and ran. During the foot pursuit an officer suffered a possible knee injury. 

Two suspects were taken into custody almost immediately. A third suspect ran west and was apprehended on the track of Woodward Field/Van Detta Stadium.

Sgt. Dan Coffey said it's too soon to determine what charges might be filed against the men, but they're facing possible multiple charges in Orleans and Genesee counties and the City of Batavia.

We'll provide more information about the arrests once it is available.

(Initial Report)

The Genesee County Dispatch Center just received a complaint from a Le Roy resident displeased with a neighbor mowing the lawn at this time of night.

The dispatcher asked if is there is an ordinance about noise which might prohibit lawn mowing after a certain hour. The officer says he's not sure -- the town was looking to pass a noise ordinance which would address such an issue, but he was uncertain whether or not it passed.

Regardless, the policeman is responding to the complaint.

A possibly stolen red Dodge pickup truck from Orleans County was driving at a high rate of speed from Elba south on Route 98 into the city, reaching speeds of 70 mph. One of the male occupants is now in custody at Buxton Avenue and Genesee Street. The vehicle came to rest at 9 Buxton and an officer is down with a knee injury in the back yard there. Mercy medics are responding.

Another occupant was located in the bleachers at Van Detta Stadium and after officers gave him directives, he was subsequently arrested at 9 Pickthorn Drive.

There are three suspects altogether. Another address involved is 21 Vernon Verona Ave.

UPDATE 9:31 p.m.: A police officer was taken to UMMC for treatment of an injury.

For nearly five hours today, State Police commanders figured time was on their side after receiving a report that would-be burglars were still inside a residence on Shepard Road in Pavilion.

A neighbor saw an older tan minivan pull into the driveway of the residence and two men got out and appeared to enter the house. The minivan then left.

Trooper John Szymkowiak arrived on scene within minutes of the initial report and a witness told him that the men he'd seen enter the house hadn't left.

Szymkowiak, who was dispatched just before noon, immediately called for backup and requested assistance to establish a perimeter around the house. He also requested an investigator from the Batavia Barracks and a K-9 to the scene.

State Police were assisted by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office and the uniformed and plain clothes members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. Deputies also set up road blocks on both ends of Shepard Road for a couple of hours and patrolled the area looking for the minivan.

With all the necessary support in place, State Police commanders took a very deliberate approach to determining whether the suspects were still inside.

"Once we have a perimeter set up, we know nobody is going to leave at that point," said State Police Lt. Kurt Schmidt. "Apparently they got out before we set up, but you can never help that. We set up a quick perimeter, so we're sure at that point that the house is ours. There's only a very few things that would make us want to hurry and none of those were present today."

The first step in the deliberate process of determining whether suspects were inside was to deploy a robot from the Livingston County Sheriff's Office. That robot, equipped with a camera, checked all around the house looking for any evidence of entry or exit.

Next, the robot unit from the State Police arrived on scene. So two robots were deployed. One was equipped with a key to the entry door from the garage. The other was used to drop a steel block in place to hold the door open once it was unlocked.

The robots then entered the house and began a room-by-room check of most of the downstairs.

With the owner watching a television over the shoulder of one of the robot operators, he could see that a TV was missing, drawers and been opened and other items were missing from their proper locations.

At that point, with confirmation that burglars had entered the house, Schmidt said the operation took an even more methodical approach to ensure no suspects were inside.

"We have technology and we're not in any big hurry," Schmidt said. "We have a visual on all sides. We have robots that go inside, so no troopers are in any danger. That takes time and you get kind of tired waiting around, but it's worth it because we don't want to take a risk."

As time dragged on, State Police began to increasingly believe the structure was empty, so members of the other agencies began to peel away and go back in service.

The robots continued to search the house and its operators told to any possible suspects inside that the robot was from the State Police and that K-9s would be sent into the house if they didn't surrender.

A door was closed to one downstairs room and a robot was positioned there, so if suspects were inside they wouldn't be able to open the door.

About this time, a man who had been found wandering down Transit Road was brought to the scene. The Rochester resident couldn't explain why he was in Pavilion, according to police, so he was taken into custody and transported to the Batavia Barracks for questioning.

"The person we're speaking to now stated he was never at this house," Schmidt said. "We believe he was, but we don't have any evidence to say he was, so he's not giving us anything -- as far as anybody else who might have been around."

The person being questioned is black. A witness could describe the skin color of the men who entered the house, but believed they were wearing colorful clothes.

The suspect vehicle is described as an older tan minivan, which was last seen on Transit Road.

After the suspicious person was taken into custody, the State Police helicopter was dispatched to conduct a search of the area.

Once the robots had searched the house a bit, Schmidt said police felt there was little chance the suspects were still inside, but as a matter of continued caution, K-9s on long leashes were sent in first.

It took about 20 minutes for troopers to clear the house and confirm the suspects were no longer inside.

It appeared that most, if not all, of the homeowner's belongings that the burglars intended to steal were stacked by the front door, waiting for the minivan to return for loading, but Szymkowiak had arrived on scene before that could happen.

Schmidt said troopers take crimes such as this seriously and do everything they can to bring the culprits to justice.

"For burglary in progress, I don't know the term, I guess, it's a hot call," Schmidt said. "That's somebody's home and it's broad daylight. None of the residents were at home, but it's a sensitive issue. Your home is your castle and somebody is entering that right during broad daylight so that gets our attention. We hope we can catch them. We hope to catch them today."

At 7:15 p.m., the helicopter was still searching the area and troopers and investigators were still on scene.

UPDATE 8:06 p.m.: A suspect law enforcement was looking for is now in custody. They had been looking in the area of Sparks, Shepard and Transit roads. They learned that a Hispanic male went to a couple of residences and asked to use the phone. One of the residents tried to keep the suspect in sight. The man asked for directions to Texaco Town.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a flood watch for Thursday through Friday afternoon.

Areas of heavy rain will spread across Western and North Central New York during that time, bringing total rainfall amounts between one and two inches. There is a potential for higher amounts locally, which could result in flooding, according to the weather service.

Rivers and creeks may continue to rise several hours after the heaviest rain has ended. There will be some ponding of water on roadways, especially in typically vulnerable low-lying areas. Locally, heavier amounts are possible in some locations, which could result in stream and small creek flooding as well as more widespread urban flooding issues.

A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warning. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.