There are few easy decisions when it comes to getting a new kitchen for your home and Mike Adams said understanding how taxing the process can be is why Kreative Design Kitchen & Bath is now its its 20th year of business.

"I think there are several reasons we've made it 20 years," Adams said. "First we are very patient. Kitchen planning takes time and you have to allow your customers to make decisions at their pace. Second, we have great employees that treat our business as their own. Third, we have very good product lines which we have been working with for almost the entire 20 years."

Mike and Debbie Adams opened Kreative Design in Batavia in 1993 and have been running the business together every day since.

It's a rewarding line of work, Mike Adams said. A new kitchen is a big decision for a customer, but it's also often a dream come true.

"I really think seeing customers 100-percent satisfied is very rewarding," Adams said. "A kitchen remodel is quite involved and can be very stressful on the customer, so seeing that satisfaction at the completion is very rewarding."

Last year, Mike and Debbie moved their business to a larger location in a building they now own at 5582 E. Main Road, Batavia. The larger showroom allows them to better display their products from Omega and Diamond.

The move has worked out very well for Kreative Design, Adams said.

Press release:

Nate Cornell of Batavia High School won the "Dash For Cash" race at Batavia Downs Saturday night (Sept. 14) and the $3,000 first-place scholarship check.

Sponsored by the Harness Horse Breeders of New York, the Western New York Harness Horsemen Association, Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs, five high school seniors are paired up with professional drivers and battle for $7,500 in scholarship money. It was the fourth year of a competition. The high school seniors have been working with the horsemen since Aug. 1 in preparation for race day, learning all aspects of racing and the care of the horses.

Cornell and driver Ron Beback went wire-to-wire with "Nate Lobell" to take the victory while Kelsey Bezon, of Elba, and driver Ray Fisher Jr. finished second aboard "Lady Lancer" and won $2,000.

Brian Borkholder, of Oakfield-Alabama, and driver Jim Graham finished in third and earned $1,200. Notre Dame student Dylan Cory, of Batavia, and driver Mike Baumeister finished in fourth -- good for $800, while Dylan Scharlau, of Alexander, and driver Shawn McDonough finished in fifth and received $500 for college.

A Medina woman died and three Batavia residents were hospitalized following a two-car accident at Oak Orchard River Road and Waterport Road, Town of Carlton, yesterday evening.

Sun glare appears to be a leading contributing factor to the accident, according to the Orleans County Sheriff's Office.

Ashley D. Morehouse, 28, of Medina, was driving a 2000 Pontiac sedan west on Oak Orchard River Road when she failed to stop for a stop sign, according to the Sheriff's Office. Her car was struck by a northbound 2003 Pontiac SUV driven by Lorrie D. Kuhns, 52, of Batavia.

Morehouse was pronounced dead at the scene by Orleans County Coroner Scott M. Schmidt.

Her passenger, Gary L. Weese, 40, of Batavia, was flown by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Dominic Amrhein, Morehouse's 4-year-old son, was transported by Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance to Strong. Dominic was strapped into an approved child safety seat in the rear passenger seat, the Sheriff's Office said.

Thomas S. Kuhns, 61, of Batavia, and Lorrie Kuhns were taken by a Medina FD ambulance to ECMC.

The accident remains under investigation and is being conducted by Deputy M.J. Emens, Deputy J.J. Cole, Deputy K.J. Colonna, Lt. R.E. Perry, Investigator C.L. Black and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan.

Carlton and Albion fire departments responded to the accident.

Coming into the second half Saturday in Elba, it seemed like anybody's game.

Turnovers helped stymie both offensives in the first two quarters of the Elba/Byron-Bergen vs. Pembroke matchup and the Lancers held a slender 7-0 lead.

Mike Cintorino, head coach for Elba/BB, said his team made some adjustments at the half and came out ready to play.

That play included two key interceptions by Austin Yockel. On one, Yockel returned the ball to the red zone, setting up a core and in the other he went the distance himself for six.

The Lancers were dominant in the second half in a way they weren't last week in a 23-6 loss to Alexander.

"It's a home opener," Cintorino said. "Just like Alexander was fired up last week to open up at home, I think our guys were excited to open up at home. We've always opened up better at home. I think we've never opened up on the road and won a game, at least since I've been here."

Turnovers are what doomed the Dragons, Head Coach Justin Loeber conceded.

Twice in the first half, Pembroke snagged the ball from the Lancers only to give it right back, and turnovers in the second half were directly related to Elba/BB scores.

"We played a good, young football team," Loeber said. "They hit hard. They're physical. We made too many mistakes on the defensive side and too many turnovers on offensive. Too big plays on defense, other than that, it's a 13-7 ball game."

Lancers QB Garrett Chapell was 6-12 for 172 yards and three TDs. He had one interception and one fumble. Kyle Dougherty caught four passes for 135 yards and two TDs (including the first quarter score in the top picture). Yockel had two catches for 37 yards and a TD. Brandon Naylor rushed for 76 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown. Steele Truax had 13 tackles and two forced fumbles. Dougherty had 13 tackles. Andy Underhill had 11 tackles and one forced fumble. Hunter Tayler had six tackles and two sacks. Mike Shanley had three tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.

On offensive for Pembroke, Tyler Bruning was nine for 17 for 79 yards and one TD. He threw three interceptions. Dakota Swimline carried the ball 16 times for 28 yards. Zack Kelsey had one 14-yard TD reception.

One of Yockel's two second-half interceptions.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Information and photos provided by Tipping Point Media.

This weekend, Darien Lake Theme Park is hosting a Festival of Nations, celebrating cultures and heritages from around the world.

The festival features 19 various bands and dance teams from across Western New York from a variety of backgrounds – Middle Eastern, Brazilian, Irish, German, Polish, African American, Asian, and classic American Country.

The festival continues on Sunday with 11 different live performances from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In these parts it doesn't get much better than beer and wings, which makes T.F. Brown's right now the place to be.

T.F. Brown's, Main St. Pizza Company, Big Pauly's and Batavia's Original have teamed up to create the first ever Yuengs and Wings fest to raise money for Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The event goes until 8 p.m.

Pictured are Brenda Marchese, Rick Mancuso, Kathy Ferrare, Vic Marchese, Tom Scott, Paul Bernardini, Jamie Ingersol, Mike Bernardini and Racheal Cook.

Friday evening John Kennedy School hosted its annual Community Night. Nearly two dozen local businesses participated along with the police and fire departments and Mercy EMS. It was a chance for parents and children to enjoy some free pizza, play games and learn more about what the Batavia community has to offer.

NOTE: I'm a bit slow in getting these posted because the SD card in my camera turned out to be damaged, so it was a bit of a task getting the pictures off.

Batavia police responded to Jackson Street after receiving a complaint by a woman who says a man on the street threw things at her, knocked her down and threatened her with a knife. She said he then went and sat out on a nearby porch. Police are out with the suspect at 113 Jackson St. This was not a domestic violence call.

A large propane tank toppled over and is on fire near the house at 7615 Dublin Road, just west of Jerico Road. A state trooper at the scene says she's trying to get someone away from the fire and the person is refusing to leave. Bergen Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 4:06 p.m.: The officer reports the person is now away from the fire.

UPDATE 4:09 p.m.: Fire command reports a 100-gallon cyclinder is on its side, free burning, with no exposure to the house.

UPDATE 4:19 p.m.: Griffith Oil is called to help its customer at that address.

UPDATE 4:25 p.m.: A rep for the oil company asked if the tank was still free burning and fire command says it is but the fuel level is low at this point.

An Airstream travel trailer is reportedly on fire on the westbound Thruway near mile marker 397.0. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: The fire is "going pretty good." According to caller reports, the location is closer to 392.2, which is in Town of Batavia's district. All manpower from East Pembroke is called in along with units from Town of Batavia.

UPDATE 3:03 p.m.: Traffic is backed up to Kelsey Road. The trailer fire appears to be fully involved. The vehicle is disconnected from the trailer and both are roadside. There are still conflicting reports as to the location, now said to be by mile marker 396. It's determined to be in East Pembroke's district, which will therefore be in command.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: Firefighting equipment is not yet on scene. The trailer is probably going to be a total loss, according to fire command. Traffic is snarled.

UPDATE 4:16 p.m.: The East Pembroke / Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A person wearing a clown mask and driving a car downtown caught the eye of another driver, who called 9-1-1. Police are checking out the "suspicious condition" somewhere off Ellicott Street.

A caller to dispatch complains that a woman who appears to be in her 40s is pushing a baby in a stroller, and has two small children trailing behind her and she's allegedly screaming obscenities. The caller says she can "hear her all the way down the street," but she can't tell if she's allegedly screaming at the kids or something / somebody else. The caretaker was seen walking on Pearl Street in the city. Police are responding.

A bicyclist reportedly fell on off his bike and was lying unconscious in the roadway at Griswold, near Caswell Road. Law enforcement on scene says the man is a "little out of it" and cannot recall what happened. He is not intoxicated. He is conscious and alert. Mercy medics and Stafford fire were dispatched and Mercy Flight put on ground standby.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: Mercy Flight is cancelled and the other responders are told to proceed non-emergency.

UPDATE 2 p.m.: The Stafford assignment is back in service.

A woman from Akron is accused of selling crack cocaine to an agent of the Genesee County Drug Enforcement Task Force on Friday afternoon in the Village of Oakfield.

The woman and a passenger in her vehicle were allegedly found in possession of drugs and cash when they were arrested.

Taken into custody were Cindy Ann Battistoni, 41, of Greenbush Road, Akron, and Sakeel D. Hilson, 20, of Stevens Avenue, Buffalo.

Battistoni was allegedly found in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana.

Hilson was allegedly found in possession of crack, morphine and $1,050 cash.

The charges against Battistoni are criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and aggravated unlicensed operation.

Hilson is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 4th, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.

Both suspects were arraigned in Oakfield and jailed on $25,000 bail each.

Task force members were assisted by uniformed deputies and the District Attorney's Office.

A deputy has been asked to check on two young women hitchhiking on Route 19 near Parmalee Road, Le Roy.

The deputy asked, "Is there a problem with them?"

The dispatcher replied, "The caller was concerned for their reason for hitchhiking."

Jason Whitehead is a missing teen from Le Roy. Whitehead is missing from foster care. He's considered a likely runaway. He may have headed to Olean or Oakfield.

There is no available clothing description. He is 6' 2", 185 pounds with sandy hair and hazel eyes. If you have information that could help authorities locate Jason, call the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.

Press release:

Batavia City Manager, Jason Molino, spoke to approximately 75 attendees at a roundtable discussion on Tuesday during the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) 2013 Fall Training School that took place this week in Saratoga Springs.

Molino addressed the group as part of a discussion about budgeting and finance, a topic which Molino has been asked to speak about before. Molino shared Batavia’s budgeting process and outlined the way in which it has been successfully linked to the City’s Strategic Plan the past three years. He also shared Batavia’s achievements in developing a progressive employee wellness plan, successful water loss program and cost-effective sewer infrastructure improvements.

Last year Molino was invited to address attendees at NYCOM’s 2012 CFO Summit about Batavia’s Wellness Initiative.

“Our wellness initiative has resulted in higher employee and spouse participation as well as aggressive pursuit to minimize future healthcare costs for the City,” Molino said, “and after the summit last year, I received multiple phone calls from other cities and villages requesting more details about our wellness initiative.”

“One of NYCOM’s core functions is to educate and train local officials, and the September conference is our largest conference of the year,” said Barbara VanEpps, NYCOM’s deputy director. “During this conference, it’s important that our members walk away with a wealth of knowledge. We keep inviting Jason (Molino) to speak to our members because he has provided many good ideas regarding initiatives that the City of Batavia has undertaken that not have only helped Batavia to reduce expenses and function more efficiently, but that can also be replicated in other cities and villages across the state.”

“We are thrilled that Jason has been asked to represent Batavia on the state level for three years in a row,” said Batavia City Councilwoman Patty Pacino. “Jason is constantly pushing the envelope seeking to make Batavia a better, more viable place to live and work, and he is also an excellent teacher. The fact that NYCOM continues to invite Jason to help educate others clearly demonstrates the respect Jason has earned from other city, village and town leaders. This kind of recognition is important for Batavia, because while we realize that the programs we are doing and the decisions we are making are effective, being recognized by the state serves to reinforce the quality of those decisions.”

NYCOM, founded in 1910, has 1,579 members which include counties, cities, towns and villages across New York State. NYCOM’s mission is threefold: to serve as an advocate for city and village governments and their taxpayers before the state’s government; to serve as a readily accessible source of practical information for every area of municipal activity; and to serve as the preeminent provider of training for local government officials.

Press release:

The City of Batavia released a request for redevelopment proposals to reinvest at one of the City’s strategic Batavia Opportunity Area (BOA) sites. The one-acre parcel is located in the heart of downtown. Market research reports a demand for new office space and downtown market-rate residential.

The RFP deadline has been extended to Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Please review the attached proposal or visit the Web site for more details. Questions? You may contact our office or the City Manager’s office at 585-345-6330.

http://www.batavianewyork.com/

PDF Files:

• 2013-08-05 - RFP Della Penna (final)
• 2013-09-13 - ADDENDUM NO 1

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) announced today additional grant funding for the Genesee County Airport and a separate grant for the Le Roy Airport.

The Genesee County Airport is receiving a $200,000 federal grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to build a new terminal building. According to the FAA, the existing terminal has "exceeded its useful life" and needs to be replaced. Earlier this week, Collins announced additional FAA grants for the Genesee County Airport totaling more than $1 million. That money will allow the County to relocate the airport’s apron and design a new taxiway.

Collins also announced $137,773 in federal funding for the Le Roy Airport (Le Roy Aviation Services). The money will allow the airport to remove trees and other obstructions near the Runway 10 approach to ensure clear navigation and enhance safety.

Press release:

The United States Constitution was crafted to protect the rights of individuals. An Eminent Domain clause was entered into the 5th Amendment to protect individual property owners from seizure of their property without the just cause of “public use,” and not without "just compensation."

We at the Genesee County Libertarian Party (GCLP) stand firmly against the seizure of the Douglas family home in East Bethany, NY. There can be no "just compensation" for a family who is forced to sell their home against their wishes. This violation of rights affects all taxpayers as well, since there is no justice in forcing said taxpayers to compensate property owners for a theft committed by bureaucratic means.

While it may be so that a roundabout will reduce the chances of accidents at this particular intersection, the GCLP believes that there are less expensive, and less intrusive solutions available to the NYS DOT which would could help alleviate this issue, while still respecting the individual rights of its citizens.

The GCLP urges the NYS DOT to explore those options, save the taxpayers undue expenses, and offer the Douglas family the security of knowing they are safe from government eviction.