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Truck reportedly on fire in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

The Bergen Fire Department is responding to a reported truck fire at the Sugar Creek store on Route 19 and Route 33.  The truck is reportedly unloaded.

Repaving project announced for Route 262 in Elba and Byron

By Howard B. Owens

The DOT today announced a $585,737 project to pave a portion of Route 262 in Elba and Bryon.

The contract is expected to be awarded to Hanson Aggregates New York of Jamesville.

The section will stretch from Route 98 to Route 237.

The announcement was contained in a press release that announced several projects across WNY. All of the projects will take about two weeks each, with most of the work being done before the end of the summer, but all projects completed before 2010.

Also from the press release:

The economic-recovery funds coming to New York State for transportation projects must follow the same process required for distributing all federal transportation funds. The funds are allocated to projects that are selected by the 13 regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) across the state, which are comprised of local elected officials, local transit operators and NYSDOT representatives. MPOs vote unanimously on projects for their Transportation Improvement Program, and the projects are candidates for economic-recovery funds.  These paving projects were approved by the Genesee Transportation Council to be eligible to receive ARRA funding.

Today's Deals: Shop and Dine on Friday

By Howard B. Owens

Valle Jewelers, 21 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: An exquisite store with quality merchandise to fit any budget. At Valle Jewelers you get exceptional customer service from a business that has been serving Batavia for three generations. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 S. Main St. Road, Batavia, N.Y.: Another fun place to shop. There are items for the home and gift items of great variety. The two-level store has everything from incense to garden ornaments. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, N.Y.: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. Alex's is best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $50 gift certificate for $25.

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans St., Batavia, N.Y.: If you're looking to try a perfect neighborhood eatery, check out Delavan's. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, N.Y.: Ribs, brisket, steak, prime rib -- Center Street is a meat lover's paradise. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Picasso's Pizza, 419 W. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: A great variety of pizza, subs and salads -- and try the wings, too. We have three $5 booklets of $1 gift certificates ($15 value) for $7.50. The gift certificates can be used collectively or individually.

Eclectic Creations, 625 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y. Do you like fashionable purses? Maybe a unique watch is more your style. Eclectic Creations a variety of items that you won't find in any other local store. This is a $20 gift certificate for $8.

A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10. The fee is 50 cents on items below $10.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value. People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before. Gift certificates cannot be combined with other offers without prior approval of the merchant. Gift certificates bought separately cannot be combined for a single purchase. By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. The winner has up to 48 hours to make arrangements to pick up the gift certificate at The Batavian office in Downtown Batavia, or, unless other arrangements are made, the gift certificate will be mailed to the address associated with the PayPal account.

Valle Jewelers

SOLD

Alex's Place

SOLD

Center Street Smoke House

SOLD

Delavan's

SOLD

Picasso's

SOLD

South Main

SOLD

Eclectic Creations

Committee ready to release final report on consolidation

By Howard B. Owens

After two public meetings and collecting feedback online, the consolidation study committee is ready to release its final report on a possible merger of the town and the city of Batavia.

The title of the report: Plan for Consolidating the City & Town of Batavia in One Government.

I guess "A Tale of Two Cities" was taken.

The report will be released Wednesday night at 7 o'clock in Batavia Town Hall.

A copy of the report will be made available to the public on the consolidation Web site on Thursday.

Following release of the report, it will be up to the governing bodies of the city and the town to decide how and when to proceed. Each body must hold a public hearing and then agree to schedule a ballot proposition asking "should there be a consolidation." 

If both jurisdictions approved of such a measure, we still wouldn't have consolidation, because each jurisdiction's voters would then have to approve a new charter.

Meanwhile, the city has its own City Charter revisions to consider and if that goes on the November ballot, city residents won't get the opportunity this election cycle to vote on consolidation.

By state law, no other ballot questions can appear when the charter revision is up for vote.

Two people injured in accident on Countyline Road in Darien

By Howard B. Owens

The lack of a turn signal may have been the cause of an accident in Darien on Thursday afternoon that sent two people to the hospital.

Charles V. Kopp, 51, of 2996 Countyline Road, was northbound on Countyline Road when he reportedly slowed to make a left hand turn into a private driveway. Kopp reportedly told Deputy T.G. Wescott that he did not use a turn signal.

Jeremiah W. Stanek, 20, of 9806 Allegheny Road, Corfu, was also northbound. He told Westcott that he didn't see a turn signal of Kopp's 1995 Chevy pickup.

Stanek reportedly struck Kopp's vehicle from behind causing it to travel off the west side of the roadway, where it left the pavement and struck a tree.

Stanek reportedly suffered an injury to his lower leg and was transported to UMMC.

A passenger in Stanek's 1998 Chevy pickup, 23-year-old Jeremy M. Kasprzyk, was also taken to UMMC with a possible chest injury.

The accident occurred about 4:12 p.m. yesterday.

Police Beat: Woman accused of striking girl

By Howard B. Owens

Nicole M. Wenzel, 18, of 2 Goade Park, Batavia, is charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. Wenzel allegedly slapped a young girl in the face.

A 17-year-old from Batavia has been charged with possession of stolen property. The youth was found with the property, which had been reportedly stolen from a Town of Batavia residence on Thanksgiving Day, 2008.

Driver in afternoon accident in Pembroke taken by Mercy Flight to Strong

By Howard B. Owens

The report below was submitted this evening by Bruce Ross of the Indian Falls Fire Department:

There was a semi vs car MVA in front of 404 Main Rd. Pembroke at approx.  3:30 this afternoon.

The car traveling West on Rt. 5 was struck by a semi tanker that was  traveling East on 5.  The impact caused severe damage to both vehicles driver  sides.  The car spun around at least 180 degrees once coming to rest in the  ditch facing East. A City of Batavia Ambulance that was on its way to Buffalo  on a transport was first on scene.  Pembroke and Indian Falls Fire Dept. used  the jaws of life to extricate the driver of the car which took approx. 15  minutes to complete.  The driver was then flown by Mercy Flight to Strong  Hospital in Rochester with multiple face lacerations and possible internal  injuries on top of a pre existing medical issue that may have been aggravated  in the accident.

Mutual aid fire dept called to the scene was Akron to shut down East bound  traffic at 5 and Crittenden Rd, Corfu to shut down West bound traffic at Lake  and 5 and to set up a Mercy Flight landing zone behind Pembroke Fire Hall, Darien for a ambulance.

Young thespians to perform "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown"

By Gretel Kauffman

The Stuart Steiner Theater at Genesee Community College has hosted many quality college productions over the years. However, these past three weeks, a younger group of thespians called it home.

They are members of GCC's theater camp who'll be performing “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” this Friday and Saturday.

The musical comedy features the beloved Peanuts characters from the late Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip. The gang's all here -- Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally, Schroeder and Snoopy, of course.

Maryanne Arena, director of Fine and Performing Arts at the college, says she picked the show because of its wide appeal and because it is a full-length musical.

“I felt we were ready to do a full-scale show,” she said. 

The 22 campers, who range in age from 8-16, say the past three weeks have been fun, but challenging. 

“It’s a great experience to be onstage, and it gives the kids the idea of what it’s really like," said Margaret Gayford, who is playing Lucy. "Everyone works really hard." 

This is the 13-year-old Warsaw native’s fourth year at the camp, and she says she enjoys seeing old friends year after year.

“We’re all like a family from working together so much,” Margaret said.

Spencer Hubbard, also 13, has the role of Linus. He says the camp has made him realize his love of live theater.

“I’ve learned that I really, really want to be an actor," Spencer said. "And now instead of acting on TV, I’d much rather do Broadway.”

“You shouldn’t be afraid to come out and show the world what you can do,” added 11-year-old Alix Young, with a grin, spreading her arms theatrically.

Alix has the part of Sally.

Arena says that she hopes the children will take away from the camp an appreciation for more than just the applause at the end of the show.

“I try to teach love for the process, not just the end result,"  said the director. "I try to teach respect for what goes into making a show.”

Performances of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” are Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at  2 p.m.. The college is located at 1 College Road in Batavia. Tickets are $5. For ticket reservations contact the Box Office at (585) 343-0055 x6814 or by email to BoxOffice@genesee.edu.

Gas leak reported on Cedar Street

By Billie Owens

UPDATE: Cedar Street was reopened at 2:05 p.m. and the gas line is no longer leaking.

UPDATE: At 1:58 p.m. the leaking gas line was shut off at the street. Cedar Street is being closed temporarily because of the emergency work.

At 1:35 p.m. a gas line was reported leaking at 109 Cedar St. in Batavia. At 1:43 p.m. emergency responders ask that traffic be rerouted because of the "significant gas leak."

Within minutes of the initial call, occupants at the Time-Warner Cable Co. facility had the gas line turned off at the building, although the rest of the line continued leaking.

Firefighters responded in roughly three minutes and asked for National Fuel Co. to come out and shut off the leaking pipe.

Construction crews reportedly hit the gas line while working there.

The wind was noted as being 11 MPH out of the southeast, with the temperature at 72 degrees.

GCEDC veep "discouraged" by job loss at Pioneer Credit Recovery

By Billie Owens

"We're losing a hundred jobs -- and that's difficult in any day and age," said Chris Suozzi, senior vice president of business development at Genesee County Economic Development Center. "We're very discouraged.

"We offered to do what we could to change their minds. But there are not a lot of tools at our disposal. It's a leased facility (Pioneer's Mill Street Offices). The good news is that Pioneer invested $2 million in it and it's now Class A grade space.

"We're very hopeful we can back fill this space. We've reached out to our marketing partners, who give us tips about companies who might be interested in a space this size."

It's set up as "back office" space and is equipped as a call center. It has 13,500 square feet of renovated space on the ground floor and another 8,500 square feet of unfinished space on the second floor.

GCEDC sold the building to Scott Harris late last year. He's the owner of a door company called Millworks Solutions and, Suozzi said, Harris knew Pioneer was leasing the building on a year-to-year basis. Later this year, Pioneer's lease would have been up for renewal.

Even though Harris will have lots of empty space for awhile, Suozzi said it's prime space, thanks to Pioneer.

Pioneer Credit Recovery says it didn't get money for a new site

By Billie Owens

Pioneer Credit Recovery's spokesman Rick Castellano wrote us email clarifying the taxpayers' money it got.

It says "...Pioneer only received economic incentives for the commitments that we met in Batavia. No incentives were received for the project to construct a permanent site for the company’s work on the IRS Private Debt Collection Program.

"...The $350,000 loan Pioneer received was repaid. We did not receive any of the grant money for (a) new facility."

The repaid loan was used to upgrade Pioneer's Mill Street offices.

Furthermore, although Pioneer was awarded a great deal more money as part of its contract, the company never got it. That's because the plan to expand and build a new facility was not viable after the government cut the program in which private firms could collect some IRS debts.

Oakfield teenager accused of breaking into Yellow Goose store

By Howard B. Owens

A teenager from Oakfield was arrested last night on a felony charge of burglary for allegedly breaking into the Yellow Goose store in town at about 2:16 a.m.

A 14-year-old companion was also taken into custody.

An anonymous caller tipped the Genesee County Sheriff's Office to the alleged crime in progress. When officers arrived on scene they allegedly found the two youths exiting the store.

The investigation is ongoing as to whether another young male was involved in the incident.

The investigation was conducted by Deputy Howard Carlson with assistance from Sgt. Brian Frieday, Deputy Kevin McCarthy, Deputy Ron Medes, Investigator Timothy Weis, Juvenile Officer John Dehm and members of the State Police. 

GCEDC passes along statement about Pioneer Credit Recovery's closure

By Howard B. Owens

We just received this press release from Chris Souzzi, senior VP for business development at GCEDC. It reads like something he is passing on from Pioneer Credit Recovery.

The wind down of the IRS Private Debt Collection Program has caused Pioneer  to restructure and consolidate our business operations in Western New York. Batavia was not only the disaster recovery site for the IRS Private Debt Collection Program but was also intended to be a permanent home for  Pioneer’s work on that contract once it grew to its full potential. Unfortunately, Congress and the Administration halted the program.

While it is always a difficult decision to close a facility, our 100  employees in Batavia will all have the opportunity to retain their positions at our nearby Perry facility.

The press release is not yet on Pioneer's own Web site.

We're continuing to work on this story and get more information related to the closure of Pioneer Credit Recovery in Batavia.

UPDATE: Rick Castellano, spokesperson for Pioneer Credit Recovery, just e-mailed us to confirm this statement came from him.

Previously:

UMMC heli-pad to become new parking lot

By Howard B. Owens

By the end of the summer, city residents will no longer hear the wap-wap-wap of Mercy Flight helicopter blades flying in and out of UMMC, the hospital's spokeswoman Colleen Flynn told WBTA.

Flynn said the heli-pad at the hospital will provide new parking spaces.

She said patients requiring air transport from UMMC to Buffalo or Rochester would first be taken via ground ambulance to the Mercy Flight facility at the Genesee County Airport.

A deer and her fawn calling Batavia home

By Howard B. Owens

Anne Barone sent in this photo of a deer and her fawn that Anne says has been spending a lot of time at the back of the campus of Northgate Free Methodist Church near Bank and Vine streets.

Corfu man accused of statutory rape of 13-year-old girl

By Howard B. Owens

A 19-year-old Corfu man is accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Kenneth W. Neuer, of 8990 Boyce Road is in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 after being charged with statutory rape, endangering the welfare of a child and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

When Genesee County Sheriff's deputies tried to confront Neuer at his residence, he allegedly tried to flee in a car he didn't own.

The case was investigated by Deputy Patrick J. Reeves and Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Today's Deals: Settler's Restaurant, Batavia Downs, Carlson's Studio, Adam Miller

By Howard B. Owens

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

Batavia Downs Grandstand Bar & Grille: Enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the region's most popular entertainment venues. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Carlson's Studio, 39 Jackson Street, Batavia, N.Y.  Family photos are more than just photographs. When you need photos for that special occasion, Carlson's is a great choice in Genesee County. We have a $100 gift card for $50 (with $2 PayPal fee).

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycle, 8 Center St., Batavia, N.Y.: Here's a toy store suitable for your own fun, or your children's. From models to bikes, from board games to outdoor games, Adam Miller is just a fun place to shop. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10. The fee is 50 cents on items below $10.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value. People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before. Gift certificates cannot be combined with other offers without prior approval of the merchant. Gift certificates bought separately cannot be combined for a single purchase. By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. The winner has up to 48 hours to make arrangements to pick up the gift certificate at The Batavian office in Downtown Batavia, or, unless other arrangements are made, the gift certificate will be mailed to the address associated with the PayPal account.

Carlson's Studio

SOLD

Settler's Restaurant

SOLD

Adam Miller

SOLD

Batavia Downs

SOLD

Parade time at the Genesee County Fair

By Robin Walters

Well, this PR director of Care-A-Van can truly say she enjoyed the parade tonight. Reports have it that she did much better passing out candy, than she did videotaping their last parade event here in Batavia. Just a few pics to share of tonight's parade.

The Parking lot was a very busy place

CARE-A-VAN'S REMOTE CONTROL VEHICLE ALL READY FOR THE ROUTE

Kelly Cook, one of our teen volunteers joined us tonite to pass out candy

LARRY HICKS OUR DONATIONS DIRECTOR LEADS THE WAY

HERE THEY GO, OUR RESCUE VAN AND BUS ..

Got to love the Horses

Our Friends from Freedom village doing a few last minute things to their float.

I hope someone here got a picture of the whole complete presentation. I just saw it from a distance and do not have a great zoom lens!

The before picture.. man what this pile transformed into was amazing. Keep your fingers crossed that someone will share!

Gugel draws rally-starting walk to spark Williamsport win

By Howard B. Owens

Ryan Gugel may still be looking for his first professional hit, but he's still making a contribution to his new team, the Williamsport Crosscutters:

In the bottom of the 5th the Crosscutters rallied to plate two runs and take the lead as Cutter DH Ryan Gugel, in his first game for Williamsport, got things started with a walk. 3B Alan Schoenberger hit his second double of the season to left, allowing Gugel to advance to third. With CF Carl Uhl batting, Hudson Valley RHP Jordi Amargos uncorked a wild pitch that scored Gugel and tied the game at one. Schoenberger, who advanced to third on the wild pitch, scored the go-ahead run on a Uhl sacrifice fly to center.

Gugel made three plate appearances in the game, drawing the decisive walk and striking out.

Gugel, a BHS and GCC standout, will likely be with the team when Williamsport visits Batavia Aug. 2 and 3.

Meanwhile, the Muckdogs eeked out a 7-6 victory in Oneonta. 

Alan Ahamdy, playing first base, collected two hits and two RBI, as did Neko Vasquez.

The Muckdogs are now 17-16, three games out of first, trailing Mohoning Valley and Williamsport.

Top Items on Batavia's List

Part-Time Children's Library Clerk Haxton Memorial Public Library is seeking a Part-Time Children's Clerk 19 Hours a week $15.00/hr. Interested applicants please go to www.co.genesee.ny.us for an application or come to the library at 3 North Pearl Street, Oakfield. Any questions, please call at (585) 948-9900
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