The story of Geoffrey Balkam dying has nothing to do with Genesee County. Or maybe it has much to do with Genesee County.

Reading the story I thought about the little dust up we had earlier in the week about a Pavilion superintendent earning a rather sizable paycheck.  Residents from Pavilion defended the salary, saying Ed Orman has done a great job for many years.

The Climax-Scotts school district in Michigan is now wondering what it's going to do with out Balkam, who has led the school district through some tough times, including recent economic constraints.

The untimely death of Superintendent Geoffrey Balkam not only is a personal tragedy for Climax-Scotts Community Schools, but could hasten the demise of a small, rural district already struggling to survive.

"The fear is real. There's no denying it," said Climax-Scotts athletic director Kevin Langs, who delivered the eulogy at Balkam's memorial service Tuesday.

"I don't know what the future holds. I don't," Langs said. "I believe, and Geoff felt the same way, that there is a niche in today's world for small, rural public schools. But just because I believe that doesn't mean it will happen."

The story kind of illustrates the idea that the complexity of running a school district is not necessarily tied to the number of students in the district. Small, rural districts have their own unique challenges.

The Senate has passed legislation designed to make it easier for people like you and me to get into the packaged food business.

S3594 is supposed to promote small business start ups, such as maybe somebody looking to can an old family sauce recipe or gourmet cookies.

Glich: You or I can't benefit unless there's already a government or non-profit production facility available in your neck of the woods.

Know of any of those in Genesee County?

It's nice that the Senate wants to throw some money in the direction of start-up businesses, but would lowering taxes have the same stimulating, and maybe more, effect?  Or how about a state program to off-set the inescapable self-employment tax that makes starting a small business so difficult and risky?

We need more small businesses, more entrepreneurs getting a start in New York. It's the best long-term solution for economic growth, but maybe Malcolm Smith could start at the taking end rather than the giving end.

Crews are being called out to a reported mulch fire in front of M&T Bank, 54 Main St., Oakfield.

In California, any temblor less than 4.5 on the Richter Scale isn't even worth a little chit-chat by the water cooler, but in New York, anytime the earth shakes, people notice.

A reader sent in this message:

Workers at the Attica Prison have reported feeling an earth tremor that shook the building and has also been felt in other areas of attica. Has this been felt in other places as well or just Attica?

The USGS Web site, which notes any tremor of 1.0 or greater, does not list any earth movement in Western New York.

UPDATE: We just received this e-mail:

My mom just called me and told me there was a very large boom at her house  outside of attica and it shook her house pretty good and my aunt who lives in  the town of attica also heard it and it shook her house also.  Do you know  what it was???????

UPDATE II: I just called the Attica Police Department. They've receive reports, too. The boom was about an hour ago. "We have not been able to confirm what it was," a dispatcher said.

UPDATE III:  USGS now confirms an Earthquake:

Magnitude: 2.9
Date-Time: 11:07:52
Location: 42.828°N, 78.248°W
Depth: 3.1 miles

Three miles from Attica, five miles from Alexander.

The rumors flow in almost weekly: St. Nick's Social Club on S. Swan is closed, is closing or will close.

The latest rumor had St. Nick's with doors shuttered as of June 1.

I stopped by St. Nick's yesterday and today: Still open.

"We have no intention of closing," said Mike Rimmer, president of the board of directors. "Things have been tough financially, but we're still here."

He added, "Things are tough for a lot of clubs and restaurants. We're all hurting in this economy, and of course, people like to start rumors."

If St. Nick's were to close, the announcement would be made publicly at a monthly membership meeting.

Daily News reporter Tom Rivers spoke to the Elba Historical Society yesterday evening about his award-winning series on farm labor.

Rivers gave an energetic, anecdote-laden, hour-long talk on the series in which he explained that he set out to really understand what it's like to work in the fields, doing the work that migrant workers do, and whether an average American could handle the task.

His conclusion: Not only can't the average American not handle the jobs (and they rarely apply, and when  they do, they usually wash out after two hours of work), most world class athletes couldn't handle what immigrant workers do every day.

"After being out in the fields with these guys for eight hours a day, professional sports seems pretty lame," Rivers said.

He's used his experience picking cucumbers and tossing cabbage to help him get through running a marathon, which he said wasn't nearly as difficult compared to his work among the migrants.

The work ethic of the migrants astonished him, Rivers said. He explained that in picking berries, it's important to get the ones at the right stage of ripeness, otherwise the suburban housewife will be unhappy if she arrives home with bitter berries.  At the berry farm where Rivers worked one day, the owners had tried hiring teen-age workers once, but they just didn't take enough care about which berries they threw into baskets.

"The Mexican workers impressed me with their quality control," Rivers said. "Among themselves there is a lot of pride, you could even say perfection."

Such praise for the migrant workers didn't always win Rivers fans, he said. He said people actually called the paper to complain about his stories.

"Some people have a problem with showing the humanity of farm workers," Rivers said.

It's a dining extravaganza this Friday as we offer up gift certificates from five of the Batavia's best restaurants.

Larry's Steakhouse: A good meal among good friends is always on the menu at Larry's. I've tried several items at Larry's and never been disappointed. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Center Street Smoke House: When you need a good southern meal, Center Street is the place to go. Even the BBQ aroma of the place will take you down to North Carolina. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

T.F. Brown's:  From hamburgers to great pasta dishes, T.F. Brown's offers a range of fabulous meals, with a great selection of beers on tap. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Alex's Place: Alex's is known far and wide for its unique and flavorful ribs.  The seafood gets high marks, too. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Main St. Pizza Company: Main St. is popular with Batavians for a reason: Every item on the menu is expertly prepared. For Main Street, we have three $5 gift cards ($15 total) for $7.50.

Paypal Service fees, $1 each on all items, except Main St., which is 50 cents.

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.  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. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street before 5:00 p.m. to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

T.F. Brown's

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Main St. Pizza Company

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Larry's Steakhouse

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Center Street Smoke House

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Alex's Place

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Stephen W. Quigley, 55, who is reportedly homeless and traveling from Texas to Ohio, was arrested by Sgt. Timothy Hays of Detective John Condidorio of the Le Roy Police Department yesterday on a charge of petty larceny. Quigley is accused of entering a local church and attempting to steal money from the candle prayer offerings. He is being held on $500 bail.

Robert W. Walsh, 22, of Rochester, was stopped by Corfu police for allegedly driving without headlights. Upon further investigation, officers suspected he was driving while intoxicated. He was charged with DWI and issued an appearance ticket.

Alana M. Thompson, 18, of Lockport was charged with DWI following a traffic stop by Corfu police for allegedly speeding in the village. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly J. Hinkle, 20, of Addison, Maine, is charged with DWI. Hinkle was reportedly spotted on Route 33 in Batavia making an unsafe lane change and then stopping. He is accused of having a BAC of .08 or higher. Hinkle was issued an appearance ticket.

There were two arrests at last night's Kenny Chesney concert at Darien Lake:

Jordon E. Burns, 18, of Orchard Park, is accused of taking a wallet with a debit card in it from a parked vehicle. He is being held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Jessica A. Sheer, 18, of Caledonia, is accused of slapping another person in the face.  She is charged with disorderly conduct. Sheer was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Recently the Gilliam-Grant Community Center Board presented information to the Byron-Bergen Public Library Board and to representative of the Towns of Bergen and Byron concerning their current financial situation.  Due to the economic impact on the Gilliam-Grant Community Center's endowment, the Gilliam-Grant Community Center is forced to severely cut their operating budget and reduce overhead costs to preserve their future within the community.  Gilliam-Grant Community Center  inquired whether the Byron-Bergen Public Library and the Towns would consider library consolidation as an option.

 The Library Board is, in concert with Board officials from Bergen and Byron, researching the financial aspects, location possibilities, and public support of options in response to this financial challenge as presented by the Gilliam-Grant Community Center.  Please contact Gilliam-Grant Community Center for further information about their financial situation.

Public forums in Bergen and Byron will be conducted for the residents to
voice their support or concerns will be held at the following locations and times....

Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 7:00pm at the Byron Town Hall
Thursday, June 18th - 7:00 pm at the Bergen Town Hall

For more information, you can go to either library and pick up an information packet.

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I work at the Byron Bergen Public Library, part time----now here is my opinion.

Keep the library in the village of Bergen. 

So many people enjoy walking to the village library, whether it's summer or winter, it makes no difference.  Where is the sense of taking our village library and moving it out to the boonies?  Not just that...but move our library out there, and it will loose it's identity.  People won't call it the Byron Bergen Public Library any more...  it will become, by nickname, the Gillliam Grant Library, even though we'd be paying rent and not funded by them.   And to move it to the Gilliam Grant will cost the tax payers even more money than to just move some book from the Gilliam Grant Library.  Not all of the Gilliam Grant Library books will be moved, some will be sold and the monies will go back to Byron.  The relationship betewen the two librearies is as such...

The Gilliam Grant Library is a contracting library under the auspices of the Byron Bergen Public Library.  This means that the charter to maintain and provide services for both libraries is held by the Byron Bergen Public Library.  Funds from the towns of Bergen and Byron and from Genesee County are used to pay the operating costs (saleries, rent, books, materials, etc.) of the library located in the Village of Bergen.  A portion of the Byron funds is designated to Gilliam Grant Library to purchase books and materials and provide programs.  Beyond that, the overhead and general operating costs of the contracting library, located at the Gilliam Grant, are included in the Gilliam Grant Library's budget

This is why people of Byron and Bergen NEED to come to these meetings.  They need to hear both sides.  So far, to me, the information packet is one sided... the Gilliam Grant Library's side.  Not once does it mention how the Library benefits from being where it is..... in the Village of Bergen

So people..... PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

The City Council meeting set for June 8^th was cancelled after being scheduled for almost six months. The reason given was that some of the Republicans wanted to attend a $50 a plate party and there would not be a quorum for the meeting.

But one Republican stated she would do her duty and attend the Council meeting and that was Marianne Clattenburg. With her and the four Democrats, that would have been 5 out of 9 members, a quorum. Councilman Bill Cox will be away on a trip, so the meeting was really cancelled so that three members, Tim Buckley, Frank Ferrando and Bob Bialkowski can go to a party. By the way, they still get paid for that meeting also. Thanks guys, nice way to do your sworn job.

Two of them, Ferrando and Buckley, are running for office again this year, so I hope some people take that into consideration.

A thanks goes to Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian for trying to force the meeting to be held as scheduled and to Councilwoman Clattenburg for putting her duty before a party.

One odd question, why didn’t the City Democratic Chairwoman, Cathy DeJannerio, stand with her candidate, Rose Mary Christian, on this issue instead of siding with the Republican Party?

Today, I toured the Sheriff's Office with Sheriff Gary Maha and got to hang out in the high-tech dispatch center for a good deal of time, learning all about both the technology and work flow. It was very imformative. Steve Sharpe, director of emergency communications, provided great insight into dispatch operations. I spend a lot of time listening to the scanner and I depend on the dispatch center for news, so it was useful to see how it actually works and meet the people behind the professional-sounding voices I hear every day.

Photo details here.

Paul R. Tenney, 39, of Batavia, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from his employer, Elcon Inc., located on Alexander Road in the Town of Batavia.

Between January 2008 and March 2009, Tenney allegedly forged business checks and falsified business records.

Tenney is charged with three felonies: grand larceny in the second degree, forgery in the second degree and falsifying business records in the first degree.

He is being held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

The investigation was conducted by Kirsopher Kautz with the assistance of the Genesee County District Attorney's Office.

Today: South Main Country Gifts, 3356 S. Main St. Road, Town of Batavia.

Need a gift for a birthday, wedding or anniversary? South Main Country Gifts is a great place to start. South Main features a large selection of merchandise on two floors.

We have a $20 gift certificate for $10, plus $1 PayPal service fee.

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.  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. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street before 5:00 p.m. (today or tomorrow) to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

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Only a minor injury was reported following a two-vehicle accident Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Norton Road and Route 262.

Kenneth D. Kowalik, 49, of Elba, was reportedly driving a 2006 Honda pick-up north on Norton when he failed to yield for a stop sign, striking a 2004 Pontiac driven by Gina M. Johnson, 30, of Bergen.

Johnson complained of abdominal pain, but was not hurt seriously enough to be transported to the hospital.

Amanda T. Sterzick, 37, of 3 Maple St., Batavia (pictured), allegedly sold 20 hydrocodone pills to an undercover agent with the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force. Sterzick has been charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance. At the time of her arrest, she had $1,237 in cash. She is held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

Jarrett M. Hoffman, 20, of 9307 Asbury Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggrevated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Hoffman was stopped for allegedly making two turns without a turn signal. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

UPDATE: Just in:

Timothy O. "Cricket" Lee, 28, of 20 Ross St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is accused of selling crack cocaine while being observed by members of the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force. At the time of his arrest, Lee allegedly had $1,840 in cash. Lee is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. He is being held without bail.

Tankers and crews are being dispatched as mutual aide to a house fire in the Town of Alden.

The fire is reported at 12773 Uebelhoer.

Manpower and equipment is being requested from Corfu, Darien and Pembroke.

UPDATE: A reader reports that it shoulds like two structures are on fire. He sends along a link where you can listen to Erie County fire dispatch online. iTunes is required.

UPATE II: Lucille notes in comments, WBKW reports that at least one person is dead at the fires.

UPDATE III: Beth Kinsley provides this link: Sibling dispute ends in suicide.

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The local leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run was held this morning in Genesee County. The Law Enforcement Torch Run helps raise awareness and funds to benefit Special Olympics throughout the nation.  

Runners started at the Genesee ARC Day Habilitation Center in Elba, and ended at the Administrative Offices and Work Center at 64 Walnut Street, Batavia.

At the start of the race, Dale Baldwin helped officers carry the torch before the group headed south down Route 98 towards Batavia. 

In the city, due to road construction along Walnut Street, runners entered the ARC property via Franklin Street. 

Martin Gielow, in his wheelchair, helped runners carry the torch for the final stretch, completing the almost 7 mile trek.

According to event coordinator, Detective Todd Crossett of the City of Batavia Police, runners from his department were joined by The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, LeRoy Police Department and the U.S. Army. “It’s a real team effort, for a great cause,” the Detective said.