A new national database designed to let consumers check on the health of regional banks shows the Bank of Castile in a relatively strong position.

According to the site, Castile has a troubled asset ratio of 3.4 percent, compared to a national median of 9.9 percent. The report also says as of December 2008, the bank had no loans more than 90 days past due.

You can check on all of New York's regional banks from this page.

M&T Bank, of Buffalo, which received $600,000 in TARP bailout money, has a struggling subsidiary. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company has troubled asset ratio is 17.1 percent. It has more than $44 million in delinquent loans.

You can find out more about the Bank Tracker on the site's Q&A page.

Rural towns may find it hard to compete against metro areas for stimulus funding, according to an Associated Press report.

Big cities have more shovel-ready projects and deeper pockets to fund staff time to make applications.

"I feel that we're at an unfair disadvantage because I can't put a staff of 10 on to go out there and see what we can qualify for," Silver City Manager Alex Brown said.

Gov. Bill Richardson and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish said at a news conference last week rural communities need help to get their share of the federal money.

"Some rural communities, they don't have the staff and the expertise, in some cases, to make some of these submissions" required to apply for stimulus money, Richardson said.

Meanwhile, on small town in Vermont was surprised to find that it had to come up with 20 percent matching funds to qualify for stimulus aid on a project.

The town submitted its applications and learned it must come up with 20 percent in matching funds.

"We are at a definite disadvantage there is no way we can raise that kind of money," Viskup said.

The town says the 20 percent match was never mentioned and expected the stimulus money would fully fund the projects.

The County's 9-1-1 Center received accreditation this week in a presentation at the County Legislature meeting. The presentation was made by Peter R. Kehoe, Executive Director of the New York State Sheriffs' Association. Pictured with the plaques and certificates are Deputy Deborah Snyder, Accreditation Program Manager, Deputy Ed Vlack, Civil Officer, Peter Kehoe, Sheriff Gary T. Maha and Director of Emergency Communications Steve Sharpe.

Bake Sale at St. Paul's: I stopped by the rummage and bake sale at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Stafford this morning. Pictured are Audrey Chessman, Mary Waterman and Betty Ward.

Rummage Sale Stafford: The rummage sale this morning at St. Paul's in Stafford. After a I took my first picture, a lady told me "I don't want my picture in the paper." So that's not the one I used.

Pamela Schunk couldn’t have stood up faster when she started talking about learning strategies and plans for students.

She grabbed Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for teaching book. She lit up as she talked about the education consultant and talked about how powerful the book is.

“There’s no more taking a test and you’re done,” said Schunk.

Schunk is the director of learning for pre K-12 grade. She is responsible for keeping up to date on all new research and strategies. Communicating she said, is a big piece of her job. She addresses state standards and is responsible for the professional development for teachers, training and implementing quality instruction.

The district uses assessments to drive what they teach. Although the district is required to follow New York's Comphrehensive District Education Plan (CDEP), Schunk said they stive to go above and beyond.

Today teachers and administrators listen further and involve each student.

“When you do poorly on a test you are less motivated,” saying how important it is to help students do well on assessment tests.

Some assessments include a study group to involve students. This will allow the teacher to communicate to the student explaining where he or she struggled on a test and why. Then the pair will decide a learning goal, and the teacher will commit to helping the student succeed in meeting his goal.

She agreed that motivation is key.

Schunk, who has been director since July, is excited to be able to break information down for the student. She got her motivation from Rick Stiggins who founded the Assessment Training Institution.

She  said you have to try every option with every child.

“It’s motivating,” she said.

Teachers and administrators have a pretty good idea  from the time they are hired their potential salaries. Schunk broke down the APPR (Annual Professional Performance Review) and said teachers are observed at least once every three years. Non tenure is three times the first year.

“If you enjoy education there isn’t a better place to be, preparing kids for the future,” said Schunk, “It is a huge responsibility but so rewarding.” 

We are ready for spring: Everytime I drive past this sign outside the Ace Hardware on Route 19 in LeRoy, I wonder: Is the store saying,"We've got all the products you'll need this spring -- we're ready for you"? Or, are they saying, "Man, glad winter's over!"? Or both?

State Senator Mike Ranzenhofer called The Batavian this morning to explain his co-authorship of legislation on the issue of separating New York into two states.

"This is essentially a statement about what's going on right now in Albany," Ranzenhofer said. "The state is being run by three New York City Democrats in a room, working behind closed doors, out of view of the public and the press, and it's very frustrating."

He doesn't hold much hope that the three men in a room will really act in the best interest of Upstate counties.

"What actually happens in the budget process is the counties outside of the New York City metro area are shut out," Ranzenhofer said. "Yet, they will suffer the repercussions of decisions I anticipate will be made."

The legislation, which we posted about yesterday, calls for counties to hold elections asking the question whether New York should separate into two states. Ranzenhofer said the same bill was proposed five different times from 2000 through 2004.

Amidst a negative employment report, Genesee County is a bright spot, according to a story in the Buffalo News.

While the region saw unemployment reach a 25-year high, Genesee County actually added .09 percent in new jobs, the biggest increase of any rural or metro county in the state.

The rest of WNY continues to struggle.

“Across the board, we have a lot of weakness,” said John Slenker, the labor department’s regional economist in Buffalo.

The job losses were widespread throughout all portions of the local economy, with particularly steep declines at local factories, where more than 5 percent of the region’s manufacturing jobs have disappeared over the last year. But service-providing jobs also took a hit, with the loss of 8,400 of those jobs, from banking to retail and hospitality.

UPDATE: The Daily News, like WBTA, is reporting different numbers than the Buffalo News. The Daily reports that unemployment in Genesee County rose from 9 per cent to 9.5 percent.

Students with an interest in the outdoors and the environment can win a week at an environmental education camp if they can compose the best essay in an environmental writing contest sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

The contest is open to students 12 to 17 years old.

The winner will be able to choose a week at one of four camps run by Department of Environmental Conservation.

Essays must be between 300 and 500 words long and submitted to Hawley's office by May 1.

Download a contest poster here (PDF).

Full press release after the jump.

Press Release:

As part of his ongoing constituent outreach program, Assemblyman Steve
Hawley (R, I, C - Batavia) is holding an essay contest to honor Earth Day
and to promote environmental stewardship.  The winner of the contest will
receive one free week at one of the Department of Environmental Conservation's
Summer Environmental Education Camps.

"As a child, I learned the importance of protecting our environment because
I was fortunate to grow up in Western New York where there are so many
beautiful places to enjoy the outdoors.  To continue that tradition, I am
proud to offer one student a free week at one of our state's fine
environmental education camps, where they can not only learn about
protecting our environment, but can develop a passion for the outdoors,"
said Hawley.

Students between the ages of 12 and 17 are eligible to enter the essay
contest.  Essays should be between 300 and 500 words and explain why the
environment is important to the student.  Last year's winner, Albion High
School student Rebecca Weller, used her essay to describe her passion for
spending time outdoors with her family and her efforts to protect the
environment, such as her innovative t-shirts promoting green living tips,
facts on global warming and Earth Day, in order to ensure the natural
environment is sustained for generations to come.

Assemblyman Hawley encourages educators to include the essay program as part
of their curriculum in order to highlight Earth Day on April 22.  Essays are
due to the Assemblyman's office by May 1, 2009.  The winner may choose from
the following four DEC summer camps:

a.. Camp Colby (near the Village of Saranac Lake in Franklin County)
b.. Camp DeBruce (in the southern Catskills near the Village of Livingston
Manor in Sullivan County)
c.. Camp Rushford (in the Genesee River Valley in Allegany County)
d.. Camp Pack Forest (north of Warrensburg in the southern Adirondacks)

For more information, visit the DEC Web site at www.dec.state.ny.us
(keyword: summer camps), call Assemblyman Hawley's district office at (585)
589-5780, or e-mail him at hawleys@assembly.state.ny.us.

Roland J. Reed, 37, of Batavia, was arrested Thursday for allegedly sending written letters to a person he was ordered not to contact by the Genesee County Family Court. Reed allegedly wrote the letters while in jail on a similar charge. The order was issued in January 2008. Reed is charged with 22 counts of criminal contempt in the second degree. He is being held on $1,500 bail.

Antoinette G. Fears, 18, of Holley, and Emilea G.Waters, 20, of Albion were arrested Thursday for allegedly possessing stolen property from K-Mart, Michael's Crafts and JoAnn Fabrics. The arrests came after the items were found during an investigation of an unrelated larceny dating back to March 5. Both women were charged with three counts of criminal possession of stolen property.

Cheryl J. Weber, 54, of Bergen, has been charged with identity theft, forgery and falsifying business records, all felonies. Weber is accused of using personal information of another person to secure credit cards and store credit over a five-year period. She allegedly forged the other person's signature on credit applications. Assisting in the investigation were the Experian credit reporting fraud/theft department and the Visa/Bank of America fraud department in Arizona. Weber was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Three students living at College Village on Batavia Stafford Townline Road in Batavia have been charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. According to a Sheriff's off ice report, deputies were at the housing complex on an unrelated matter when the investigation led to a dorm room. When security officers knocked on the door, "several subject fled the room by exiting our a rear window."  The three young men are suspected of smoking marijuana in the dorm room.  Charged where Patrick K. Wolff, 18; Anthony C. Timberlake, 20; and, Cody P. Mayer, 18.

Monday, a couple dozen downtown business people gathered at Generation Center on Center Street to discuss ways to improve the business environment downtown.

John Roche, owner of Adam Miller Toys, made an especially impassioned plea for businesses downtown to promote other businesses downtown.

He noted that often times people wind up in Batavia without knowing much about all that downtown has to offer. He talked about when he finds an unfamiliar face in his business, he is sure to tell them about other retailers or places to eat.  He said all of the businesses need to support each other this way.

He noted that a personal recommendation from one business owner about another business carries a lot of weight with customers.

Today, the Daily News, has a story about BID efforts to bring more customers downtown.

It's a fine story, but I wish I had taken notes on John's speech (I was there to be a businessman, not a reporter).  John's impromptu address was full of vigor and community spirit. John isn't mentioned in Joanne Beck's story at all.

As a complete aside, I finally made the Daily News, though quite accidentally, I'm sure and not at all noticeable to anybody but my mother, if she saw the picture, but I'm sitting in front of Don Burkel in this photo.

Genesee County's state senator Mike Ranzenhofer has put his name on a bill aimed at asking New York voters whether the state should be divided into two states.

Capitol Confidential has a few snarky comments about the bill as well as the full text.

I have a call into Ranzenhofer's office seeking comment.

Old Barn and Tractor on North Road, LeRoy: Driving down North Road in LeRoy today, I came across this old barn and broken down tractor.

Dan Fischer at WBTA is working on these and other stories this morning:

• The Genesee County legislature sold some health department services to a Rochester company for $1.4 million. Six nurses will lose their jobs and another will retire.
• More than $800,000 in Federal stimulus package money will be spent on repaving Batavia-Stafford Townline Road and R. Stephen Hawley Drive. County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told WBTA why these roads were selected.

Tune in to WBTA 1490-AM for news updates throughout the morning.

Joy J. Bartel, 23, of Corfu, was arrested Tuesday for alleged shoplifting. She is accused of stealing $74.80 in items from K-mart. She is charged with petty larceny.

The Batavia Daily News got a little attention from the April edition of Reader's Digest, but maybe not in the way editors might appreciate.

In a feature called "Hold the Presses!" the Digest lists five headlines, with one of them being from the satirical publication The Onion.

Among such gems as "Smokers asked to keep butts off beach" and "Volunteers needed to hep abuse victims" is the Daily's surely unintended contribution: "Orleans seeks tenants for new jail."

(This item brought to The Batavian by an alert reader.)

Wooden cargo pallets were stolen Tuesday from the rear of Country Max garden and pet supply store on Main Street in Batavia.

And it's not the first time, either. But this time the folks at Country Max say they caught the pilferers on film.

“We think we know who it is,” said the store worker. “Now we're waiting to catch them if they try it again.”

The pallets pile up as retail shipments are off loaded. They come free with the merchandise, but they're still the retailer's property and not up for grabs.

Unlike previous stockpiles, the one stolen this week was to be sold. In this economy, every little bit of legal tender helps.

Cattle thieves were strung up by their necks once upon a time.

“Yes, they were,” Sarah Noble-Moag acknowledged softly with a smile.

Nowadays the law investigates the matter and hopefully justice is found, maybe even the livestock.

That's the hope of Noble-Moag and others at Noblehurst Farms, Inc., after thieves made off with three female Holstein calves, valued at about $500 each. Because they will become profitable milk cows, they are more valuable than bull calves.

Their pens along York Road in the Town of Pavilion were found empty mid-morning Monday. Genesee County Sheriff Deputy J.L. Baiocco is investigating the larceny.

“They'll be looking at the livestock market (auction), the one outside Pavilion toward Pearl Creek,” Noble-Moag said. “(The calves) are tagged in their ears, and the tags would probably be removed (by the thieves), but you'd still be able to tell they'd been tagged.”

Noblehurst Farms, whose corporate headquarters is in Linwood, also had several calves stolen three years ago. Genesee County sheriffs solved that case, Noble-Moag said.

The black and white female calves taken this week were among 615 cows at the farm. The calves raised to be milk cows are initially kept in individual pens to prevent the spread of disease. Once their immune systems are strong, they are put into small groups until they are two years old and ready for milking.

The individual pens are about the size of a large dog house and the calves are about the size of a large dog, 100 pounds. The calves are collared to a lead that hooks on top of the structure. The pens are only a few feet from the roadway.

What about security?

“We have a light out there at night,” Noble-Moag said.

PHOTO: Used for file photo purposes. It is not a photo of one of the stolen calves. Copyright Ian Hayhurst.