Le Roy public  safety officials are starting the education process for village and town residents about the changes coming to police and fire dispatch.

Starting on Oct. 1, the Le Roy dispatch office will consolidate with the Genesee County dispatch center and the Le Roy office will close.

The dispatch number of 768-2527 will be answered by an automated attendant and callers will be guided through menu choices.

Of course, 9-1-1 will still get callers immediately to an emergency dispatcher.

Here's a message from Chief Chris Hayward:

Effective Thursday, October 1, 2009 the way you contact the Village of LeRoy Government, as well as police, fire, and ambulance will fundamentally change for Village and Town residents.  The Village of LeRoy Dispatch Office will officially close as of that date, and the public safety portion of the dispatch center will be fully consolidated into the Genesee County Emergency 911 center.

-    EFFECTIVE 10/01/09 IF YOU NEED A POLICE OFFICER, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR AN AMBULANCE YOU SHOULD DIAL 911.  IF YOU DO CALL 768-2527 YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THESE SERVICES THROUGH AN AUTOMATED ATTENDANT, HOWEVER WE DO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF 911 TO ASSURE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.    

-    768-2527 WILL NO LONGER BE ANSWERED BY A DISPATCHER.  IT WILL BE ROUTED TO AN AUTOMATED ATTENDANT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH MENU CHOICES.  WHILE THERE WILL BE OFFICE PERSONNEL DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS OF MONDAY THRU FRIDAY FROM 8:30 AM TO 4:30PM ALL CALLS TO 768-2527 WILL BE ROUTED TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICE THROUGH THE AUTOMATED ATTENDANT.   

As with any major change we expect issues to present themselves despite our every effort to make the transition as smooth as possible. We ask for your patience and support during this transitional period. 

For more information on how consolidation may affect you, please go to the Village of LeRoy website at www.villageofleroy.org

A U.S. Senate hearing on dairy prices is scheduled Thursday at 2 p.m at GCC.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant & Animal Health, called the hearing to gather testimony on dairy prices and how government regulations impact pricing and what changes may need to be made.

This is a formal Senate hearing and only invited panelists will be given an opportunity to speak and ask questions, but any member of the public can attend the session. RSVP by contacting Gillibrand's office (see below). Also, anyone can submit written testimony to be included in the official record if received within five days of the hearing.

The panelists providing testimony represent producers, processors and economists.

A letter from Sen. Gillibrand's office lists the panelists:

Panel I – Producers and Processors
 
Barb Hanselman – Barb served on the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) committee and is a candidate for the state FSA committee. She owns a dairy farm in Delaware County and is actively involved in the farming community.
 
Robert Church – Robert is the herd manager of Patterson Farms, a 980 cow farm just west of Auburn, NY. The farm was the first in Cayuga County to complete a voluntary certification through the New York State Cattle Health Assurance Program.
 
Robin Keller – Robin and her husband, Kip, milk 100 cows in Byron, NY. She is the director for the New York Jersey Cattle Club and the President of the Genesee County Farm Bureau. She volunteers with the local 4H and Holstien clubs as well. 
 
Bruce Krupke – Bruce is the Executive Vice President of the Northeast Dairy Foods Association, which is a full-service trade association that includes processors, distributors, cheese and ice cream manufacturers, and producers.
 
Ron McCormick – Ron is a former representative on the National Dairy Board, which develops and administers a coordinated program of dairy promotion, research and nutrition education. They are funded by a 15-cent-per-hundredweight fee levied on all milk marketed commercially by producers.
 
Panel II – Economists and Experts
 
Dean Norton – Dean is a dairy farmer and agricultural consultant from Batavia, and was elected President of New York Farm Bureau in 2008.
 
Andrew Novakovic – Andrew is a professor at Cornell University who specializes in the economics of dairy markets. He is the director of the Cornell Program on Dairy Markets and Policy.
 
Bob Wellington – Bob has represented Agri-Mark at all Federal Order hearings since joining the cooperative in 1989. He serves as a member of the National Milk Producers Federation Federal Order and Price Support Committees and is a director and treasurer of the Council of Northeast Farmer Cooperatives.
 
Kim Pickard-Dudley – Upstate Niagara Co-op is a full-service dairy co-operative located in Western New York and owned by dairy farmers. They operate milk processing plants in Buffalo and Rochester and have a distribution center in Syracuse.

Members of the public who wish to provide testimony can do so in writing:

However, if you have written comments you would like to submit, feel free to bring them to the hearing, where they will be collected at the end, email to: dairyhearing@gillibrand.senate.gov or mail to our Rochester Office at Kenneth B. Keating Federal Office Building, 100 State Street, Room 4195, Rochester, NY 14614. If received within five days of the hearing, these comments will be submitted for the official record.

Gillibrand's office is asking  anybody who wishes to attend to RSVP:     

If you would like to attend the hearing, please RSVP to our Rochester regional office by calling (585) 263-6250 or sending an email to dairyhearing@gillibrand.senate.gov.

Main St. Pizza Company, 206 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Pizza, wings, subs and even hamburgers and hot dogs, Main St. Pizza makes everything deliciously. We have four $5 gift certificates ($10 value) that can be used together or separately for $10.

The Enchanted Florist, 202 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Brighten up your home or office with flowers! We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.50.

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.

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

Amelia's Antiques and Collectibles, 5213 E. Main St. (Rte 5), Batavia, N.Y.  In addition to the deal of the day, here's an offer for any customer: "Receive a FREE large primitive beeswax star tart with any purchase." And: Click Here to download an entry form for a drawing to win $75 in merchandise from Amelia's. We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.50.

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 $7.50.

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

SOLD OUT

While this is a sight that is for Batavia and our community, I would think this sad event would know no boundaries. The loss of two professional firefighters in Buffalo this morning stopped me in my tracks. These upstanding and outstanding citizens went to work, like any other day, and they won't be going home to their families at the end of their shift.

As the son, nephew, grandson and great grandson of paid firemen from the city of Rochester, I know the pride these folks put into what they do. And to do the job so unselfishly, with little regard for themselves, makes a day like today so tragic. Please take a moment to pray for the families of these fallen heroes, then give your kids a hug. And thank God that we have such wonderful individuals in our world willing to do the tough jobs. God bless the Buffalo FD, and all firefighters everywhere.

Demon Dillon, one of the three men accused of robbing the M&T Bank in Elba on June 18, is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.

The court docket lists the appearance as "plea."

When a defendant is scheduled for a plea, that often means his attorney, in this case, Gary Horton, and the District Attorney's office have reached a plea agreement. 

If local farmers are finding it harder to make a living, the cause may not be just a recession cycle.

The industry is changing, and in ways that appear not to be good for farmers, and may ultimately be bad for consumers.

The four largest grocery chains now control more than 36 percent of all food sales in the U.S., according to a GAO report. In 1982, the same chains controlled only 16 percent of the market. They are Wal-Mart, Kroger, Albertsons and Safeway.

At the same time, the share of the food dollar that goes to food producers has declined, and the gap between what consumers pay and what farmers receive has never been bigger.

The consolidation of retail chains has not yet led to higher prices for consumers, but that could change once the advantages of greater efficiency have been wrung out of the market place.

The Government Accountability Office said the gains in efficiency experienced by large firms may begin to diminish, “while market power could continue to increase,” the agency wrote. “In the retail sector, one expert expressed concerns about the effect on food prices in the future if food retailing becomes dominated by a handful of larger chains.”

Two experts counter that the increasing concentration in the food industry has already lowered prices paid to farmers, ranchers and dairy owners.

C. Robert Taylor, an ag economist at Auburn University, and Fred Stokes, executive director of the Organization for Competitive Markets, have asked the Department of Justice to examine this area of the economy for violations of antitrust laws, and it has agreed to open an inquiry.

Town of Batavia Fire Department is being dispatched to a possible structure fire at 3740 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

There is reportedly a smell of electric wire burning in the house.

UPDATE 11:26 a.m.: First responder reports, no flames or smoke showing.

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I go to Dewitt park every morning to walk  I have been walking there twice a day all summer as part of my routine (before and after my knee surgery the end of June) .   I think it's a beautiful park.  Here are a few pics from a recent walk. 

My grandson Christopher came for a walk with me friday morning.

Veiw from the path.

another veiw from the path.

Christopher took this sunny veiw from the dock.

Mirror image.

Stacy R. Bechtold, 31, of 1429 East Drive, Alden, is charged with DWI and criminal impersonation, along with several other charges after being stopped by Sheriff's deputies at 10:29 p.m. Saturday. Bechtold was reportedly seen driving erratically from Alabama to Maltby Road in Oakfield. When stopped, Bechtold allegedly provided deputies with a fake identity and false birth date. It turns out, she reportedly was driving on a suspended license and an outstanding arrest warrant from Monroe County.  Additional charges: Driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, reckless driving, aggravated unlicensed operation, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, failure to notify DMV of an address change, uninsured vehicle and failure to keep right. Deputies Chris Parker and Brad Mazur investigated the incident. Bechtold was released to the Monroe County Sheriff's Department on the outstanding warrant.

Christopher A. Saddler, 25, of 3 Lydun Drive, Albion, is charged with criminal mischief. Saddler allegedly punched a candy machine inside Tenney Laundry.

Gregory Seppe, 51, of 19 Manhatten Ave., Batavia, is charged with trespass. Seppe allegedly entered the Salvation Army after previously being told he was not allowed on the premises. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Vincent J. T. Dell, 21, of 17 Thorpe St., Batavia, and Nateeka M. Gibson, 20, of 13 Thorpe St., Batavia, are both charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting at 3:07 Saturday morning. Jerell J.T. Jones, 20, of 17 Thorpe St., Batavia, was charged with littering during the same incident. Officers Dan Coffey and Frank Klimjack handled the call.

Vincent Michael Esten, 27, of 10998 Transit Road, Pavilion, is charged with filing a false report with the Sheriff's Office. Esten allegedly reported that another individual had opened a cable television account using his name. After further investigation, the report allegedly turned out to be false. Deputy Joseph Graff investigated the report.

Jody L. Beaumont, 39, of 8557 East Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.  Beaumont reportedly hit some trees on York Road and then allegedly left the scene. He was later located at his residence. He is also charged with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from a lane unsafely. The accident reportedly occurred at 5:40 a.m., Sunday. Deputies John Weis and Frank Bordanaro investigated the incident.

Patrick S. Waldron, 21, of 1590 Edgewood Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from a lane unsafely. Waldron was reportedly stopped Sunday at 1:15 a.m. at Route 237 and Walkers Corner Road.

Nicholas R. Harig, 19, of 170 Trowbridge Street, Buffalo, is charged with DWI following a traffic stop in Corfu by Officer Edward Caton for allegedly tailgating. Harig was also cited for having an inadequate muffler on his vehicle.

Dustin D. Say, 18, of 1952 Perry Road, North Java, and a 17-year-old companion from Alexander are charged with a felony count of burglary. Say and his companion allegedly entered an unlocked garage in Alexander and stole alcoholic beverages.

Sarah J. Patrick, 19, of Lockport, is charged with DWI. Patrick was stopped by State Police on Route 77 in Pembroke at 9:28 p.m. on Friday.

Chad A. Plante, 25, of Rochester, is charged with DWI, unlicensed operation and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Plante was stopped by State Police on Route 77 in Darien at 9:45 p.m. on Friday.

Benjamin P. Greene, 21, of Basom, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to stay in designated lane. Greene was stopped by State Police on Galloway Road in Batavia at 2:31 a.m. on Sunday.

Daniel N. Brown, 36, of Le Roy, is charged with two counts of possession of a forged instrument. Brown was arrested by State Police on West Saile Drive in Batavia. The initial report was taken on June 7.  Brown was released on his own recognizance.

A roll-over accident has been reported at about 9835 Lake Street Road, Route 19, Pavilion.  The initial report said the vehicle was on fire with at least one person trapped in the car, but a first responder reports there is no fire and extraction will not be required.

Mercy Flight will not be required.

Saint Nicholas Social Club president Michael Rimmer wrote a letter to the editor in The Daily News in early December saying that he planned on the club remaining open for another 65 years.

But, after many decades of being a meeting place for friends and a place for social groups to gather, St. Nick's will be closing its doors for good on Monday.

Rimmer expressed concern but said the club was trying its best to stay open in a June 5 story on The Batavian. He talked about how the poor economy has hurt many local businesses.

The rumors that have been passed around for many months are finally becoming true, adding yet another sad chapter that is the current state of Batavia.

St. Nick's will stay open for Monday night's Lions Club meeting and then will be shutting down. The Lions have been meeting at the club for many years and are searching for a new meeting place.

The word tragedy is loosely defined as “when bad things happen to good people.” The Fitzsimmons family lost all their possessions and their home in Oakfield on July 30. Luckily, Steve, Alicia and their two boys, Collin, 16, and Tyler, 11, escaped the blaze with their lives.

“When it was over, they literally had nothing but the clothes on their backs...the kids didn’t even have shoes on their feet,” said Tracine Lundmark, a friend of Alicia's.

Lundmark was at the scene the night of the fire and said: “We were all just glad that everyone was alright. I kept telling her that things can be replaced – it’s family that matters.”

The house on Maple Avenue was a point of pride for the Fitzsimmons – they had revamped every room in their home except one. Even the firefighters that night commented on their immaculate backyard, but Alicia was only concerned about her family. “We’re all ok," Tracine said her friend kept repeating, “We’re all ok.”

One of the only things that survived the flames is Alicia's MP3 player. She had just added all her favorite songs and put it in a drawer in the kitchen.

“It’s like God knew she needed some comfort to get her through all this, so he let her have her music," Tracine said with tears in her eyes.

Tragedy can strike at any time – even on a quiet evening at home. Alicia said she left the bathroom that evening to see a haze in the hallway. She thought the smoke from the grill had somehow gotten in the house, so she went to the bedroom to investigate. When she saw the fire, she yelled for Steve and they tried to put it out and called 911.

About 45 minutes into the blaze, Tracine said it was apparent that the house would be a total loss: “When they start knocking down walls and tearing things up with an overhaul… you know there won’t be a house left.”

For now, the Fitzsimmons family is staying with Alicia's mother in Bergen, but they’re looking for a temporary apartment in Oakfield. They don’t want to let this awful turn of events uproot them from their community, especially since Collin will be entering his senior year at Oakfield-Alabama Central School.

The community is working hard to help the family get back on their feet, too. Tracine and her daughter made “spare change buckets” to put throughout the town for people to “give what they can in this economy.” Buckets can be found in the local churches, Yellow Goose, Santino’s, Ally’s Cones and Dogs and the Oakfield Pharmacy.

When Tracine gave Alicia the first round of donations, she said Alicia got teary and asked quietly, “How can I possibly thank everyone?”

Alicia and her family are grateful for their lives, all the genorosity they've been shown, and for everyone's thoughts and prayers.  She says that Tracine has truly been an angel.  She also wants to thank Matt and Debbie Maritan, the Chase family, Mandy McAvoy, their neighbors, the Barnes (for the walmart gift card and the Nintendo DS for Tyler) and the Oakfield community.

She says:

"These are just a few of the people who have been so giving and willing to do as much as they can for us. We are eternally grateful to everyone who has helped us out. Complete strangers have been so kind and giving. It's amazing how this community and even people outside the community have been so selfless, and willing to do something for a family they don't even know. God bless them all." 

A car has reportedly run into a pole at 2 Munger St.. A minor injury -- to the driver's chin -- is reported. An ambulance has been dispatched.

UPDATE: Unsure of the function of the pole, but it is broken and will need to be replaced. The village has been notified.

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Susan, Bob & Mark found chatting in front of the Fuel Cell car.

There is a house fire at about 19 Maple Street.  City fire crews are on scene.

Smoke began pouring out of the front of the house a little before the first 911 call at 8:14 p.m. and the smoke detectors could be heard throughout the neighborhood.

At one point, the front living room of the multi-unit complex burst into flames, but fire fighters already had a hose in place and quickly doused the flames.

Engine 12 reports fire knocked down and now checking for extensions.

UPDATE: I spoke to a resident of the complex. She said the mother in Apt. #2 was cooking and a pan caught on fire. She tried carrying it outside, dropped it and then tried kicking it. The woman I spoke to, who did not want to be identified, said the woman grabbed her baby and carried her out to the front lawn.  The woman I spoke to then grabbed her broom and tried pushing the pan out the door. Eventually, the two women got the pan out the door.  The baby is OK. The mother reportedly suffered burns on her hands. She and the baby have been transported to the hospital for evaluation.

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Pictured above, Jerry Smith, Jr., Kenneth Griffith, Edward Woods and James Soggs from Batavia Youth Football. They wanted their picture on the home page of The Batavian, so here it is!

Fresh off a sweep of the Ironbirds in Aberdeen, the Muckdogs return home to take on State College tonight at 7:05. UFC Fighter Matt "The Hammer" Hamill will sign autographs from  6pm-8pm. The first 500 fans through the gate will receive a Championship Souvenir Travel Mug. Should be a great night! See everyone at Dwyer!

I wish somebody had tipped us to the new grocery store opening in Pavilion.

It's the kind of local entrepreneur story I like -- seeing a need, seeing an opportunity and taking action.

The store is being opened by Jeff and Vicki Kingdon, a Pavilion couple with no prior grocery store experience. 

And it raises the question: If an entrepreneur is willing to take a chance and open a grocery store in Pavilion, why can't somebody do the same thing in Downtown Batavia?

There's some great retail space vacant downtown. There's no reason for it to remain empty.