A chimney fire is reported on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation at 7748 Sand Hill Road. Alabama Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments.
The location is between Hopkins and Shanks roads.
UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Alabama command is holding the assignment to units now on the road.
Information from press releases.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated 43 New York counties, including Genesee County, as primary natural disaster areas.
This designation allows the Farm Service agencies in affected states to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.
The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Sept. 29.
Excessive Rain
Producers in Albany, Allegany, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Livingston, Monroe, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Sullivan, Tioga, Washington, Wyoming, and Yates counties, who suffered losses due to excessive rain that has occurred since April 1, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous New York counties of Broome, Cattaraugus, Cortland, Dutchess, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Orange, St. Lawrence, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, and Wayne, along with Berkshire County, Mass.; Bradford, Erie, McKean, Pike, Potter, Susquehanna, Tioga, Warren, and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania; and Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Grand Isle, and Rutland counties in Vermont, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
"The farmers in Genesee County were certainly affected by excessive moisture in the spring," according to Molly Preston, the GC executive director of the local Farm Service Agency, which has an office on Liberty Street in Batavia.
"However, many of the farmers were able to get crops planted, even if it was a bit later than usual. 'The cows need to be fed' was the response from many farmers when asked if they were able to get all their crops in.
"In Genesee County there were approximately 12,500 acres reported as prevented (from being) planted. There are roughly 150,000 acres reported (as planted) annually in Genesee County.
The main crops affected locally were corn and soybeans, but some vegetable crops were also affected. In addition, some new seeded forages were delayed from being planted during the normal planting period, Preston says.
Excessive Rain, Flash Flooding, and Flooding
Producers in Cattaraugus, Jefferson, Lewis, and Madison counties, who suffered losses due to excessive rain, flash flooding, and flooding that has occurred since April 15, 2019, are eligible to apply for emergency loans.
Producers in the contiguous New York counties of Alleghany, Chautauqua, Chenango, Cortland, Erie, Herkimer, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, and Wyoming, along with McKean and Warren counties in Pennsylvania, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.
FSA will review the loan applications based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program;Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.
Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.
Faced with the possibility of losing out on more than $400,000 annually from Video Lottery Terminal revenue generated by Batavia Downs Gaming, the Batavia City Council has called a Special Conference Meeting at 7 tonight to consider an additional property tax increase in its 2020-21 budget.
A memo dated Feb. 5, 2020 from City Manager Martin Moore to City Council undoubtedly will trigger strong debate among Council members during their meeting at City Hall.
The regular Business Meeting that includes the setting of public hearings on Feb. 24 for the budget ordinance as well as water rates, meter fees and capital improvement fees is scheduled after the Conference Meeting.
Moore’s memo suggests that Council needs to “come up with a combination of $700,000 in cost savings and revenues to pass a sustainable budget” by reducing expenses by $350,000 and increasing the property tax levy by $350,000 from the currently proposed levels.
Doing this would require an override of the state-imposed property tax cap, which also is subject to a public hearing (that would be slated for Feb. 24).
Moore’s original proposed budget lists a tax rate increase of 0.97 percent (below the property tax cap) -- $8.92 per thousand of assessed valuation last fiscal year to $9.01 per thousand.
The revised proposal would raise the tax rate to $9.60 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value – a jump of 7.5 percent.
Originally, Moore recommended, along with the 0.97 tax levy increase, the following:
-- Using $259,100 in General unassigned funds;
-- Using $225,000 in Water unassigned funds:
-- Transferring $257,400 in unassigned funds from workers’ compensation into the General fund;
-- Reducing funding requests by $500,000 (vehicles, new positions to cover bail and discovery law requirements, capital project and equipment reserves, travel costs, etc.).
With Gov. Cuomo’s proposed budget calling for the elimination of VLT money to municipalities, the outlook has changed dramatically, Moore contends.
Moore’s memo states that after an extensive review of past City budgets, his original recommendation for the use of $257,540 unallocated cash from workers’ comp is “unsustainable.”
Toward that end, he writes that his new proposal of balancing the $700,000 burden equally between expenses and revenues “retains our ability to accomplish the following”:
-- Maintain a high credit rating and keeping the tax rate below $10;
-- Cover unexpected budget cost overruns and emergency purchases;
-- Maintain room in the budget to provide for a school resource officer, salary and benefits for all employees, and increases in repeated criminal offense due to bail reform;
-- Cover insurance-related deductibles and potential claims;
-- Assign fund to capital, retirement and/or insurance reserves;
-- Maintain lower levels of “fiscal stress” by maintaining the total General fund balance and assigned and unassigned General fund balances as a percent of gross expenditures, the cash position of the combined funds, and reducing the likelihood of operating deficits.
Press release:
Nate McMurray, the Democratic candidate in NY-27, has issued the following statement in response to Governor Cuomo calling for a Special Election today.
“After months of uncertainty, Western New Yorkers will finally get representation in Congress," McMurray said. " It is clear that our base is fired up and ready to send a message to Washington: The people of NY-27 aren’t simply going to fall in line behind a single party while Washington robs us of our Social Security and healthcare.
"We are going to remind them that we’re not sheep -- we are farmers, veterans, and hardworking taxpayers and we deserve real representation from someone who will stand up for our working families. I’m not going to Washington for any Party or political insiders, I’m going for the people of Western New York."
Mike Rapone is retiring this spring as the varsity baseball coach at Notre Dame High School in Batavia after a 12-year stint as head coach.
Rapone will remain in his other roles at Notre Dame: as assistant principal; as athletic director; and the varsity basketball coach. Rapone is also Genesee Region Boys Basketball chairman.
While head coach of varsity baseball, Notre Dame teams posted a record of 163-92 winning Sectional titles in 2008 and 2014. Both of those years, they also advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Final Four.
His teams won six Genesee Region titles and lost in the Sectional Finals four times.
Notre Dame is accepting applications to replace him through Saturday, Feb. 29 -- the deadline.
Applicants must have or be willing to secure NYS Coaching Certification.
Please send cover letter and resume to michael.rapone@ndhsbatavia.com
Or mail them to:
Notre Dame High School, Attn. Mike Rapone, Athletic Director, 73 Union St., Batavia, NY 14020.
(File photo by Jim Burns of Coach Mike Rapone, January 2017.)
The news division of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. has released an in-depth documentary about Chris Collins and his insider trading of the Sydney-based company Innate Immunotherapeutics.
It contains new -- at least new us -- as well as previously reported but largely overlooked information about the Collins, the trade, the company, and, most importantly, Australian law, and how Collins and Innate allegedly broke it.
The documentary also suggests, though doesn't spell it out, that Innate was itself a fraudulent scheme (while making no suggestion that Collins was aware of the scheme; rather, in fact, he may have fallen prey to it).
Jerry Zremski, the Washington bureau chief for the Buffalo News, and Michael Caputo, a political and marketing consultant who is a longtime friend of the former congressman, make several appearances in the documentary.
Alexander Edward Seegar, 30, of East Main Street, Corfu, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. He was arrested at 8:45 p.m. on Feb. 6 following the investigation of a domestic incident that occured at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon. It is alleged that Seegar acted in a manner likely to be injurious to a child under age 17 and that he prevented a person from being able to leave the incident by restraining tham. Seegar was arraigned in Village of Corfu Court and released. He is due back there on March 2. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush.
Thomas J. Wolcott, 35, of Buffalo Street, Bergen, is charged with second-degree harassment and obstruction. He was arrested after a disturbance at 7:10 a.m. Feb. 5 on Bank Street in Batavia. He was processed at Batavia Police Headquarters and arraigned in Batavia City Court. He was then released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on Feb. 11. The case was handled by Officer Felicia DeGroot, assisted by Officer Alec Roberts.
Anthony Wade Travis, 56, of South Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle without the owner's consent, and grand larceny in the third degree -- a Class D felony. He was arrested and arraigned in Le Roy Town Court on Feb. 7 for allegedly using a vehicle without permission at 7:07 p.m. on Jan. 18 in the 9300 block of South Street Road in Le Roy. Travis is due to return to Le Roy Town Court on Feb. 20. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Brock Cummins, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.
John Patrick Cummings, 39, Dodgeson Road, Alexander, is charged with: operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more -- first offense; driving while intoxicated -- first offense; failure to use designated lane; failure to keep right (on a two-lane road); and failure to stop at a stop sign. Cummings was arrested at 1:37 a.m. on Feb. 5 on Ross Street in Batavia. Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis noticed a vehicle that was driving erratically and she stopped it. After an investigation, Cummings was arrested on the charges. He was issued multiple tickets and is due to be arraigned in Batavia City Court on Feb. 19. McGinnis was assisted by Officer Joshua Girvin.
Jacob M. Paige, 19, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt in the second degree. Paige was arrested after allegedly being found in the presence of a protected party at 8:11 a.m. on Feb. 4 on Bank Street in Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Feb. 18. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Alec Roberts, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.
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In boys basketball on Saturday:
In girls' basketball, O-A beat Pavilion 53-40. MaKena Reding scored 16 points. Brianna Smith scored 13 and had six rebounds. Brooke Reding scored 12 and Kelsey Schlagenhauf scored nine and had 10 rebounds.
The Oakfield-Alabama cheerleaders also won the Genesee Region Division II championship.
Photos by Kristin Smith.
For more Oakfield-Alabama photos click the links below:
Roxanne Noeth took this picture of an eagle in the area of Lockport Road, Oakfield.
Press release from AAA:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.43, down 4 cents since last week. One year ago, the price was $2.28. The New York State average is $2.63 – down 3 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.47. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia -- $2.62 (down 1 cent since last week)
- Buffalo -- $2.57 (down 1cent since last week)
- Ithaca -- $2.64 (down 2 cents since last week)
- Rochester -- $2.59 (down 3 cents since last week)
- Rome -- $2.63 (down 1 cent since last week)
- Syracuse -- $2.50 (down 4 cents since last week)
- Watertown -- $2.64 (down 3 cents since last week)
The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $2.43 per gallon, which is 4 cents less than last week, 16 cents less than a month ago, and 16 cents more than a year ago. Data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that a high level of gasoline stocks and low demand continue to put downward pressure on pump prices across the country.
From GasBuddy:
"The nation's gas prices continue to fall to fresh lows as coronavirus fears continue to put a choke hold on oil prices, leading to the fourth straight weekly decline in the national average," said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "All but a handful of states saw their averages decline over the last seven days, leading to plenty of smiling faces, but especially in the 21 states where at least one station is offering gasoline under $2 per gallon.
"It's impressive that in those 21 states, a total of over 10,000 stations are offering such low prices. With continued worries of economic slowdown due to the spread of coronavirus, I don't think the impact to oil is done yet, and for now, motorists are poised to see another week of falling gas prices."
Le Roy's varsity track and field teams swept the LCAA Championships. It was the eighth straight championship for the boys and first-ever for the girls.
Photo and information submitted by Tim McArdle.
Andrew Englerth, Le Roy, is the Section V Class B2 wrestling champion at 160 pounds. He also won the most outstanding wrestler. His season record is 43-0 as he heads to the state quarterfinals.
The Oatkan Knights were fifth overall in the Section V championships.
Sec V Class B2 Wrestling Championships Team -- fifth overall Top Knights:
The state qualifiers are Friday at SUNY Brockport.
Information and photos submitted by Tim McArdle.
Statement from State Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer:
As you may know, the federal government recently announced that it will no longer process new NEXUS applications from New York State. While this is extremely disappointing, it is not a surprise. Many senators, including myself, raised concerns with provisions of New York State’s Green Light Law, which ban the federal government from accessing DMV records.
Despite warnings from the federal government when Green Light was being advanced, the Democrat majorities in the Senate and Assembly passed the bill. Meanwhile, the Governor dismissed warnings as nothing more than divisive, fearmongering. While the Governor continues to claim bias and point to a limited number of states that issue licenses to illegal immigrants, he fails to mention that these states do not prohibit law enforcement from accessing DMV data. Even California has agreements in place to share data with federal law enforcement.
The federal government has sole authority and enforcement power over immigration and border security policies. If New York State decides to withhold information that federal agencies deem necessary for entry into the United States, the federal government has every right to deny travel privileges. In the end, NEXUS is a federal program and the federal government can decide who is eligible and what guidelines must be meant. If New York State chooses to pass policies that go against such guidelines, the state must accept the consequences.
It is important to note that if you currently have NEXUS, you may not be effected immediately. However, you will not be able to renew when your current card expires.
I am hopeful that New York State will take appropriate steps to ensure that residents again have access to NEXUS.
On Saturday afternoon, Doug Palmer, owner of Major Stash Cigar, cut the red ribbon in front of his cigar lounge at Liberty and Ellicott (behind the Pok-A-Dot) to celebrate the grand opening of his business.
Teammates Jim Pursel of Batavia and Matt Balduf of South Byron were in the groove on lanes 15-16 during the Toyota of Batavia Thursday League at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia this week, with both right-handers taking their shots at a 300 game and 800 series.
In the end, they came up a bit short but only because of a couple of stubborn 10-pins.
Balduf started with back-to-back 279 games -- rolling the front nine strikes in the second game before leaving a 10-pin on his first ball in the 10th frame.
Needing a 242 game for the 800 series, a couple of taps early in the third game prevented him from reaching his goal as he posted a 217 game for a 775 series.
Pursel began with a 227 game before catching fire in game two for a 278 game. With 505 after two games, the right-hander put together nine straight strikes to give himself a chance going into the 10th frame.
Two strikes and five pins in the 10th would give him 800, but unfortunately, he left a wobbly 10-pin on the first ball in the 10th. Still, he ended the night with a 279 game and sparkling 784 series.
In other league action at Mancuso's, Roger Stone of Batavia conquered the Route 66 oil pattern used by the Turnbull Heating & Air Handicap Doubles League to the tune of a 745 series. His games were 235-244-266.
On Monday night, Dave Carlson rolled games of 269 and 277 en route to a 724 series on the last night of the Synergistic Online Solutions MNF League, while Laurie Waite popped a big 266 game in the Monday Independent Ladies League.
At Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, Rodney Jopson registered a 298 game and 740 series and Robert Manners had 278--760 in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League.
For a list of high rollers for the week, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.
A 23-year-old man who was released from custody in December after entering a guilty plea to stolen property charges and went on an apparent crime spree starting New Year's Day is facing new charges.
Daniel Jon Lewis, sometimes of Lima, sometimes of North Chili, also listed in arrest reports with no permanent address, has been charged with five counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th.
The property was allegedly stolen from vehicles in Stafford prior to Jan. 28 when the Sheriff's Office received complaints about items being stolen.
Lewis was arrested in Pavilion on Memorial Day after he and another person were found sleeping in a car that was filled with stolen property. In December, Lewis entered a guilty plea to criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree as a second felony offender and as a result, he faces a minimum prison sentence of one and a half to three years and a maximum sentence of two to four years.
However, citing the bail reform law that would be implemented in New York before sentencing, Judge Charles Zambito released Lewis from custody. Lewis would have been released from custody on Jan. 1 under terms of the bail reform law.
New accusations against Lewis for alleged crimes that took place in January:
The Stafford crimes were investigated by Investigator Chad Minuto, Deputy Austin Heberlein, Deputy Ryan DeLong, Deputy Brook Cummins, Deputy James Stack, Deputy Chris Erion, and Trooper Hersee (first name not provided).
A possible structure fire is reported in Stafford at 8538 Route 237. A snowmobile is ablaze inside a barn where a lot of hay is stored. Stafford Fire Department is responding. The location is between Barthof and Morganville roads.
UPDATE 3:41 p.m.: Working structure fire. Byron Fire Department and ambulance are called for mutual aid, along with South Byron, Bergen, Le Roy, Bethany, Pavilion and city fire's Fast Team. The city's second platoon is called to headquarters on Evans Street. Town of Batavia Fire Department is asked to stand by in their own quarters.
UPDATE 3:55 p.m.: Alexander Fire Department is asked to stand by in Stafford's fire hall.
UPDATE 3:58 p.m.: Fire police are told to shut down Route 237 between Bartof and Morganville roads. Oakfield fire is requested to stand by in their hall for Town of Batavia fire. Elba asked to stand by in their hall for Stafford.
UPDATE 4:38 p.m.: Donny Branton told us his parents bought the property in the 1940s. The main barn was built around 1900, he says, and the barn on the south side of the property was built with wood Donny Branton's father cut into timber from trees on the land that he cut down himself. The property now belongs to Donny's son, Chad and his family.
UPDATE 4:57 p.m.: Le Roy Fire Department's Women's Auxillary requested to the scene to provide refreshments for the firefighters.
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