Owner Christine Crocker reported the alleged theft to police last weekend after confronting a person she believes took a bottle of booze from the store. Crocker chased the man down and recovered a bottle of alcohol, but the man then fled.

Crocker said she had refused to sell liquor to the man, citing state law, because she believed he was already intoxicated.

The man in the photos is wanted for questioning in connection with the incident.

The suspect is described as a white male, thinner build, with a shaved head and a goatee. He was said to be wearing a dark zip-up jacket and white and black Nike sneakers.

The anonymous tip line for BPD is (585) 345-6370.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has joined the growing opposition to the expansion of casino gaming in Western New York.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors has unanimously passed a resolution opposing any new proposed casino in New York west of Route 14 and specifically the location of a new tax-free, Las Vegas-style casino in Monroe County owned and operated by the Seneca Nation.

The addition of another casino located in Western New York would over-saturate the regional gaming marketplace and would have negative impact on Batavia Downs Gaming and its operations. Batavia Downs Gaming is located in Genesee County and has shown to be an outstanding partner in the community and is directly and indirectly responsible for thousands of jobs in our region.

An additional casino in such proximity to Batavia Downs will greatly jeopardize the livelihoods of those thousands of individuals who rely on the continued operation and success of Batavia Downs Gaming. Not only would Batavia Downs Gaming be affected, but the addition of a full Las Vegas-style casino has shown to have a negative impact on surrounding restaurant, hotel and other hospitality businesses as well.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has asked fellow business organizations in the region to join in opposition to expanding gaming in Monroe County and all other locations in New York west of Route 14.

Press release:

The Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation donated its first installment of $10,000 to the new Golisano Children's Hospital which is currently under construction in Rochester, NY, with opening date slotted for 2015.

This is the first installment as the foundation has pledged a total of $50,000 to the project. The monies will be earmarked for the Child Life Office in the new facility. Child Life provides the hospitalized children with therapeutic programs, play and other activities to help children and families cope with the challenges of illness or hospitalization.

This is another way the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation continues to fulfill its mission and Lend a Hand for Hope. For more information on fundraising events, or to see how you can help, go to www.michaelshope.org.

Brittany Hodge sent his picture of the rekindle of this morning's fire at 1363 Broadway, Darien.

There have been a couple of rekindles today, but this one required both Darien fire and Corfu fire to be dispatched, along with a fill-in by Pembroke at Corfu's hall.

UPDATE 6:10 p.m.: Alexander fire has been dispatched to the rekindle.

Previously:

• Apartment on fire with three people possibly trapped inside on Broadway Road, Darien
• 'Training just kicks in' as volunteers help evacuate their burning apartment building in Darien

A car smashed into a tree in the area of 7587 Griswold Road. The female driver "was not sure on injuries but is quite shaken up." Le Roy fire and ambulance are responding.

Howard Owens, publisher and photographer for The Batavian, won a second-place award for photography in the spot news category in a monthly contest sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association.

NPPA sponsors a monthly clip contest in its 11 regions. Genesee County is part of Region 2, which comprises all of New York, the eastern half of Canada and international members based overseas.

Owens won the award for his coverage of the Baskin Livestock fire in November.

The award for Owens was announced last week along with a third-place award in October in sports for Mark Gutman, staff photographer for the Daily News.

In 2013, Owens received a third-place award in March for general news coverage and third place in June for feature/multiple photos.

NPPA awards points throughout the year for photos chosen in first through fifth place (only first through third winners are publicly announced), as well as a single point for each entry.

For the year, Owens was awarded 154 points, good for 15th place in Region 2. Tops was Steven Russell of the The Toronto Star, with 1,132 points.

Gutman had 90 points and Nick Serrata, who freelances for the Daily News, as well as other publications, had 80 points.

Owens, Gutman and Serrata were the only photographers in WNY to place in the top 20.

A classic, fully restored Harley was lost, as well as a restored Jeep. Six residents lost their personal belongings. The apartment building at 1363 Broadway, Darien, was destroyed.

Sadly, a dog lost his life.

But no people were seriously hurt, or worse.

That bit of good fortunate is a credit, it seems, to the professionalism of two members of the Darien Volunteer Fire Department who lived in the apartment building.

Joshua Reeb and Paul Redden were home when the fire broke out sometime around 4:30 a.m.

Redden smashed through Reeb's door and woke his fellow volunteer. He said he smelled smoke. Reeb felt the door into the hallway. At that point, he said, his fire training kicked in.

"It was all fire training," Reeb said. "I knew right away from the smell and the heat it was a real one. It wasn't somebody burning something. It was real."

Reeb and Redden helped alert the other residents, including the landlord, who owned the building and had lived in the main apartment for 30 years. Reeb helped him down the second-floor fire escape.

"I knew I had to get out and I had to get out now," Reeb said.

The two volunteers then rushed to the Darien fire hall -- less than a half-mile away -- and got their trucks "ready to rock and roll."

"I knew I wasn't going to be able to fight this fire," Reeb said. "But I knew I could get to the hall, open the doors, get the truck ready and let other people take over."

It was pitch black coming out of the apartment onto the fire escape. Knowing the layout, staying calm, not trying to grab his belongings, and being aware of what was going on around him made all the difference, said the 22-year-old Reeb, who has been a volunteer for five years.

"The training just takes over," Reeb said. "There's no fear. It's just respect for the fire, knowing I've got to do this and I've got to do this. All of that training just kicks in. It didn't hit me until I saw the flames coming out of my bedroom window and then it took me to the ground."

The initial investigation indicates the fire originated in the basement garage where fumes from spilled gasoline may have ignited when a hot water heater kicked on.

The building was owned by Scott Gielow, a mechanic who had converted his basement into a garage where he restored the vehicles he loved -- Harleys and Jeeps. In addition to losing the restored vehicles, he had two Jeeps that were still projects.

The fire was reported at 4:35 a.m. and as soon as Darien Chief Jim Marino got on scene he called for a second alarm. Flames were shooting out of the back of the building.

Two residents suffered minor burns and were treated at the scene.

The century-old structure was balloon construction with no insulation. Aluminum siding helped contain the fire to the interior of the building, but the flames just shot up the walls, unhindered by the kind of blocks between floors used in more modern buildings.

New hot spots seemed to flare up faster than firefighters could pour water on other involved parts of the building.

"The nature of the fire, the wind, the balloon construction, where it started, just made it hard to attack," Marino said.

Marino said it sounded like Reeb and Redden did a good job of making sure everybody got out of the building safely.

"It could have been a lot worse," Marino said.

Responding departments included Darien, Alexander, City of Batavia (Fast Team), Town of Batavia, Corfu, Pembroke, Alden and Bennington. Marcy EMS and Darien Ambulance also responded and deputies were on scene.

The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: Darien has been dispatched for a possible rekindle of the fire. It's the second rekindle this afternoon.

UPDATE 4:54 p.m.: Per chief, all units can remain in quarters.

UPDATE 5:29 p.m.: Darien and Corfu dispatched for a rekindle.

Joshua Reeb looks over the damage to the apartment building where he had been living.

To order prints of photos, click here.

Yes, it's true CABLE has done it AGAIN!!  Raising their rates 6.4 percent recently.  

A tractor-trailer has hit a pole in the aera of 29 Liberty St., Batavia.

No injuries are reported.

City fIre and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:03 p.m.: National Grid notified. No ETA.

A person reportedly suffered a foot injury after her foot was run over by a car at the 7-Eleven in Oakfield.

Oakfiled fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 10:51 a.m.: Oakfield chief on scene. Mercy EMS is cancelled.

Smoke in the basement is reported at 10423 Bethany Center Road. The location is between Cackner and Jerico roads. Bethany Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Stafford.

UPDATE 6:26 a.m.: Stafford is told to stand down.

UPDATE 6:36 a.m.: Issue resolved. Bethany is back in service.

Pictured Lisa Ann Scott with her children, Jack (13) and Riley (10)

It all started with a conversation with a 5-year-old.

Lisa Ann Scott, of Batavia, had just lost her job as a news anchor for Channel 4. Understandably, she was very upset.

With a determined look on her face, Scott's daughter, Riley, came into her bedroom to talk to her.  The conversation went something like this:

"Mom," she softly said, "you need to stop being so upset. This is just a job."

"Yes, but it was a job I really loved," Scott said.  "I kind of feel like I was in a party bus, and they kicked me off without food, water or a map."

"I'll be your map."

"All right, 'map,' what do we do?"

"Go chase the bus."

"Honey, they don't want me on the bus."

Riley had to think about that one for a minute, but then she shrugged and said:

"Wait for the next bus."

Then she patted her mom on the head and said:

"Put that in your imagination and dream about it tonight."

Today, Scott describes these as "just the right words at the right time."

"She made realize, 'Of course this is not the end of my life. Something else that's great is going to come along.' "

That "something else great" turned out to be writing fiction. HarperCollins recently published Scott's "School of Charm," a novel for middle-grade readers.

"School of Charm" follows Brenda "Chip" Anderson, an 11-year-old girl who has recently lost her father, as she adjusts to a new life in Mt. Airy, N.C., after relocating from Upstate New York with her mother and two sisters. As an outdoorsy, nature-loving, tomboy explorer "in a family full of beauty queens" (quoted from the book's front flap), she is struggling to find a sense of belonging. 

Her fortune changes when she stumbles across Miss Vernie's "School of Charm," an unconventional beauty school, in the middle of the woods.

Scott answered questions about the book at her home:

Tell us about your protagonist, Chip.

She's an 11-year-old girl, and she's always been daddy's girl. She and her father always went on adventures together and played in the woods, whereas her two sisters are more girly-girl types who hang out with their mother. 

Chip is definitely the odd one out; she's not certain how she fits into the family. In fact, she trains in secret to enter a beauty pageant because her family is so convinced that she's not a pageant girl.  That's why she goes to this unusual school she finds. And the lessons she learns aren't quite what she thought they were going to be.

Can you talk a bit about the book's setting?

I picked Mt. Airy because it's where the Andy Griffith Show was filmed, and it's supposed to be the best little town in America. Chip is super unhappy about being there, because she doesn't want to move. So it's sort of ironic that she's moving to the "best little town in America." Plus I have a writer friend who lives there. After reading some of her work set in that area, I fell in love with it vicariously. I just loved her description of the area.

I also wanted Chip to have to face a big change, you know, a totally different setting, where they have Southern accents...something very different and unsettling from where she had lived.

Tell us about your first inspiration for the story.

I woke up from a very vivid dream of this elderly woman, with a knowing look on her face, in this woodland setting where she was holding class with these girls. I think that if you're a writer, when something intrigues you, you can't stop thinking about it -- what it means, what these people are doing there, etc. And so I just kept thinking about it and thinking about it, and it grew into "School of Charm."

Nature and the outdoors play a huge role in Chip's life -- how realistic do you think that will seem in a time in which children do not play outside as much?

That's why I chose to set "School of Charm" in the 1970s. I did a lot of exploring when I was a kid.  I grew up in Marilla, NY, which is in Erie County, and I was in the woods a lot of the time. When I imagined this girl out exploring and finding this school, I just couldn't conceive of it...kids really don't play outside too much, and they certainly don't get to disappear for the whole day like we did when we were kids. So I knew I needed to set this story in a different time and place. And I picked 1977 because there are a lot of unique things about that year...one of them is that Chip is expecting something magical to happen on July 7, or "7/7/77."

But the outdoors are really big in Chip's life. She looks for signs in nature -- she's looking for a "sign" from her father that everything is going to be all right. Plus a lot of the School of Charm's lessons are held outside in the woods.

Your first children’s story was turned down. What did you learn from that experience?

I only sent that one out a little bit. It didn't get any interest. When I took another look at it, I knew it had a lot of plot problems that I just wasn't sure how to fix. The next shiny idea is always more interesting than trying to fix what you've written that isn't working.

I've been to a lot of writer's conferences and groups, and I've read a lot of books, so with time I've understood more about plot, how a character needs to change over the course of the story, and how the story really needs to be propelled by the characters' choices rather than by the things happening to them.

Did you borrow either from yourself or from anyone you have known for the character of Chip?

I guess there's a little bit of me in her. I used to catch turtles all the time and run around in the woods. 

When I'm writing a book, I go on really long walks. I think about the story and who the characters are, and they slowly reveal themselves. As a writer, you start to understand why your characters are a certain way and what they want. 

What are you hoping readers will carry away from this story?

I would hope that after reading this and seeing Chip's strength, they will think, "Do I have this strength too?" Also, throughout the book I've tried to leave little wisps of magic to sort of make you look at the world differently, (to see that) magic is all around us if you're looking for it. I like to think that it's a book filled with hope and heart, and I just hope that when somebody closes the cover on the book their heart will feel full and happy.

Scott plans to hold book signings and appearances, but the details of those are still being worked out. People can keep up to date on this by visiting Scott's Web site, www.lisaannscott.com.

"School of Charm" is Scott's first children's book. She is the author of a self-published romance novel and a number of romantic short stories for different magazines. She also works as a voice actor.

Press release:

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a winter storm watch in effect from late Tuesday night through Wednesday night.

All Western New York can expect heavy snow with a potential accumulation of 7 to 12 inches.

Moderate to heavy snow may produce very difficult travel conditions with snow-covered roads and poor visibility. Increasing winds will produce blowing and drifting snow Wednesday afternoon and night.

Forecaster confidence is medium as there remains some uncertainty with the exact track of the system. Just a small change in the track would alter expected accumulations.

Remain alert to rapidly changing weather conditions.

A structure fire with possible injuries is reported at 1363 Broadway Road. There are flames coming from the basement of an apartment building and there are three people trapped inside. Darien Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 4:47 a.m.: All occupants are out of the building. It is a two-story wooden structure with flames now shooting out of the second story. The incident has gone to a second alarm, with two engines and a rescue unit from Corfu called to scene along with the city's Fast Team and equipment from Alexander. A fill-in crew from East Pembroke is requested to Corfu's Fire Hall. Traffic is being shut down at Route 77 and Warner Road.

UPDATE 5:04 a.m.: Traffic is also being shut down at Route 77 and Harlow Road.

UPDATE 5:56 a.m.: The fire is showing periodic flames at this point and heavy smoke. Interior crews from Pembroke and Indian Falls are called in.

UPDATE 6:19 a.m.: Town of Batavia fire is requested to the scene in emergency mode, to stage in Darien Fire Hall.

UPDATE 6:30 a.m.: Flames and heavy smoke still spewing from the structure, which is quite old and has "balloon construction." This is frustrating the firefighters' efforts to douse the blaze. They put out flames in one spot and the fire climbs up the wall to another place. Alabama is asked to fill in at Indian Falls Fire Hall.

UPDATE 6:49 a.m.: There were four six residents in this building comprised of five apartments. All got out safely, but one man's dog perished in the fire. Two of the tenants are volunteer firefighters for Darien and both were both home at the time.

UPDATE 7:47 a.m.: Howard, who is at the scene, interviewed one of the two volunteer firefighters, Joshua Reeb. Here's some of what he said:

"I was sleeping in my bed and my roommate, who happened to be awake, busted in my door, opened my door and said 'Come on, come on out. There's smoke. It smells like fire.' I woke up my girlfriend and said 'Grab your purse. You've got to go out the window.' I wasn't even going to try the door. I'm not going to risk it with that much smoke.

"I went to check on my neighbor -- he's older -- to make sure he could get out. He couldn't get out the front door so he went out the fire escape, which is connected to my neighbor's window. I came down the fire escape and made sure to get everybody out of the house. Got in my truck and went to the fire hall and got the (fire) truck prepped."

He credits his firefighting training with helping him to stay calm and provide direction. The other firefighter, "Paul," did likewise. Unlike another neighbor, Paul was able to save his dog. After making sure the occupants were safe, both went to the hall, which is just around the corner, to get things "ready to rock."

UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: They are still battling the fire, but there are fewer flames and a lot less smoke.

UPDATE 8 a.m.: The owner occupies the main apartment and has lived there 30 years. He's a mechanic and in his basement were a fully restored Jeep and a fully restored Harley-Davidson motorcycle and two other Jeeps that he was in the middle of restoring. All gone now.

UPDATE 8:09 a.m.: The Darien fire chief says the fire is knocked down. Overhauling the structure.

UPDATE 1:29 p.m.: The fire has reignited in some places and Darien Fire Department is responding.

Most viewed posts for January:

• Jacquetta Simmons sent to jail as defense plans appeal of restitution order
• Today's Poll: Do you hold a favorable or unfavorable view of Gov. Cuomo?
• Truck drivers assist deputy being dragged by suspect's car
• Investigators seek help in identifying woman who may have used stolen gift card
• Up to two feet of snow, dangerously cold air expected Monday and Tuesday
• Travel ban issued for Genesee County
• Child left in car in Batavia Downs' parking lot, by Billie Owens
• Pizza delivery driver says he was robbed at gunpoint on Jackson Street
• Sunoco on West Main robbed, suspect already in custody
• Sheriff tells SCOPE members that SAFE Act enforcement is a matter of officer discretion

In January we topped one million page views in a month for the first time.

Most viewed posts for February:

• Dog found malnourished showing signs of recovery, now in foster care
• Batavia couple were inseparable for 60 years, right to their final days
• Law and Order: Woman accused of mistreating pit bull
• Power out at Walmart, irate customer refuses to leave store, by Billie Owens
• Cat found on Thruway missing its owner
• Party broken up by Local Drug Task Force on Saturday in Le Roy
• Big fight in parking lot of Batavia's Original Pizzeria on East Main Street, by Billie Owens
• Burglary investigation leads to alleged drug stash discovery
• Package of meth allegedly shipped to address in Oakfield, Le Roy man arrested
• Former Marines in Batavia open personal defense training business

Have you ever heard the phrase "It’s not how start, it’s how you finish"?

Well, today that didn’t turn out to be true, as Sherman used a monster first half to end Notre Dame’s spectacular postseason run, 57-52.

The game began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm on offense, but Sherman found their touch midway through the first quarter, using a 13-0 run to end the period.

In the second quarter the Wildcats picked exactly where they left off, outscoring the Fighting Irish 24-15, shooting 10-of-20 from the three-point line in the first half to take a 40-20 lead into the locker room.

While Sherman couldn’t miss, Notre Dame struggled to make baskets, as they shot just 26 percent from the field during the first 16 minutes, while Tim McCulley went 0-for-7 in the first half for just two points.

“They shot the ball extremely well,” Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Rapone said of Sherman. “I don’t think we defended like we have been. We gave them a lot of open looks but they knocked them down. You have to give them credit; they shot the ball extremely well. We tried every defense and it just didn’t work.”

The Fighting Irish also struggled to handle the Sherman press, as they committed 12 turnovers in the first half.

The lone bright spot in the first half was junior Josh Johnson, who scored all 13 points in the first half, including eight in a row during the second quarter.

“Josh had a really good game,” Rapone said. “He played really well tonight. We needed more offense in some of the spots than what we got and that was the difference.”

Notre Dame came out strong to start the second quarter, getting two quick baskets and a steal, but they failed to get that third shot in a row to fall, and the Wildcats quickly pushed their lead.

That would be a theme throughout the second half, as the Irish cut the Sherman lead to 10 early in the fourth quarter, but two quick baskets pushed the lead back to 15.

“That was the story of the whole game,” Rapone said. “We weren’t as mentally focused as we have been. We were supposed to be doing certain things that we didn’t do. I’ll take that load. I’m the coach, I’m supposed to make sure that they are in the right sets. We didn’t do what we talked about doing and that’s why we got beat.”

While the team struggled to remain consistent, McCulley struggled to find his offensive touch in the third quarter. He made his first basket of the contest with just two minutes left in the third quarter.

“Their wings were up on my side,” McCulley said. “So I wasn’t able to get a shot from the 3-point line or off drive and kicks. It was just tough to score.”

After a torrid first half, Sherman cooled off from the field in the second half, shooting just 5-for-24 from the field and 3-for-12 beyond the arc.

Andrew Graham, who entered as the Wildcats’ leading scorer, went just 1-for-7 in the second half after scoring 12 of his 14 points in the first half on 4-of-7 shooting beyond the arc.

Unfortunately for Notre Dame, they shot just 32 percent from the field in the second half, and the one statistic they own in the first half was matched by the opposing team in the second.

Sherman was out-rebounded 44-27 for the game, but they managed to grab six offensive rebounds in the second half that doomed the comeback dreams by the Irish.

“Rebounding in the third quarter killed us,” Rapone said. “At least four times they missed the first shot and got the ball back. Even if they didn’t score, they would run 20 to 25 seconds off the shot clock. So, second half rebounding, and especially in the third quarter really hurt us.”

The loss came as a surprise to many people after winning 10 games in a row and 15 out of the last 16.

McCulley entered the game with a 12-game streak in which he had notched at least 20 points, while Alec Covel had reached double figures in six straight games.

The two seniors combined to shoot 5-of-23 for the game and turned the ball over 10 times.

“It’s a little easier to accept to go out and play a strong game and get beat somebody else that plays a strong game,” Rapone said. “They played a strong game and we didn’t answer it. When that happens, you have to give credit to the opponent. Whatever they did worked well for them so we have to give them credit.”

Notre Dame clawed their way back late in the game, cutting the lead to just five but they simply ran out of time and ran out of magic.

McCulley finished his last high school basketball game with a team-high 15 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He ends his career with 1,210 points on 452 made field goals and 424 rebounds.

“It was a hard game to get to the hoop,” McCulley said. “They played good defense and we didn’t get a lot of good looks.”

Johnson finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three steals while Caleb Nellis scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds.

Sherman (21-1) will advance to the state semifinals in Glens Falls next weekend after getting a game-high 22 points on 5-of-9 shooting beyond the arc from Ryan Robson. As a team, the Wildcats connected on 13 three-point field goals.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame (19-4) hadn’t allowed more than 50 points since Feb. 12, and it was only the fourth time all season that they had scored less than 55 points in a game.

This was the first loss in a Far West Regional under Mike Rapone, as they had won their first five.

Photos by Howard Owens.

To order prints of photos, click here.

"We thought she was dead. Everytime I see her I can't believe she's here," says Jason Duffy.

Duffy and his wife, Christina, brought Willow, a 3-year-old Bernese mountain dog, home to live with them Nov. 11 after picking her out at a breeder's home in Ontario County.

After only living with the Duffys for a day, Willow charged the front door as Christina opened it about 5:30 that evening. Willow then took off outside and did not respond to Christina's calls.

After about an hour, Jason Rutkowski, a neighbor, decided to help out using his ATV to check the wooded areas and fields near the Duffy home in East Bethany.

Christina and Rutkowski battled a snowstorm and cold temperatures until about 10:30 that evening without any luck.

After returning home from work that night, Duffy decided he would place an advertisement in the local Pennysaver and then blanket the area between Route 5 and Route 63 with fliers.

Three weeks went by and the Duffys finally got a lead on Willow's whereabouts.

They received a tip call from hunter Dave Hofert.  

Hofert was hunting on his property near the Batavia Party House and recognized the dog from the Pennysaver advertisment. Willow was spotted in a wooded area near an old rail bed behind the Party House.

Duffy searched the area for about a month, but there was no sign of Willow.

In mid-December he and Christina had lost hope.

With no other calls or leads, Duffy gave up and stopped calling around to local shelters and the couple decided to get another Bernese mountain dog to replace Willow.

Around Christmas, the Duffy's brought 5-month-old Shyla into their home.

The first week of February, the Duffys got a second tip call about Willow. This time from a coyote hunter who had found a den where Willow was bedding down. The den was located near the old rail bed behind the Batavia Party House close to where the first sighting had been.

Duffy immediately went to the area.

This time, Duffy was able to see Willow, but when he tried to call her she would not come to him. So every day for a week Duffy would go to her den located only a few miles from their home and feed her. Then he found a second den that she had made that was closer to the edge of the wooded area.

That's when Duffy decided to buy a live trap for $450 and set it up next to the den with some food.

"I covered it with twigs and put some raw chicken cutlet in with the dog food. The next day I knew she would be in the cage," Duffy said.

Willow has been home now for about a week and is fitting in very well with her new family.

She especially likes the leather couch and has claimed it as hers.

"She took to Shyla right away, they are like best friends," Christina says.

Duffy says, "Willow was a little skittish at first and she's still getting used to us, but she knows her name when I call her now. She has lost a little weight, but looks good. We dewormed her and gave her some antibiotics and she is good to go now."

Bernese mountain dogs are cold-weather dogs. But according to Duffy, Willow has lived in the house all of her life and has never had to fend for herself. He thinks she was living on rabbits and squirrels.

As to why she took off on Christina that snowy day in November?

Duffy thinks Willow may have been heartbroken when she was moved from the breeder's home in Ontario County. He thinks she was missing another dog she was bred with.

Married 15 years, the Duffys now have a second addition to their household.

Along with working their full-time jobs, the Duffys also run a goat farm at their home with 30 goats. The couple started the Duffy Fainting Goat Farm in 2010. The farm specializes in Myotonic and Nigerian dwarf goats. They also breed Great Pyrenees dogs.

"We love our goats and our dogs, they are part of our family," says Duffy.

(Top photo: Christina Duffy)

From left: Willow, Christina, Shyla and Jason Duffy.

Den that Willow has called home since November 2013. (Photo by Jason Duffy)

Saturday’s New York State Class D Far West Regional contest will feature two programs that are no stranger to the magnitude of the game.

Notre Dame is appearing in the Far West Regional for the sixth time in school history, and the second in three years. Meanwhile, Sherman will be representing Section VI for the second-straight year.

While Sherman returns their top three scorers from the team that fell to University Prep a year ago, Notre Dame has a vastly different look from the team that advanced to the state semifinals in 2012.

Tim McCulley started in 2012 as a sophomore, but he is the lone returning player from that team. But, the Fighting Irish may not need to rely on his experience too heavily.

“They’re always talking to him about this and that,” said Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Rapone. “They’re going to use him, but they are experienced enough now that they should be ready to go.”

The Wildcats will look to continue to rely on their hot play over the course of the season, along with their experience from a year ago.

“We lost to U-Prep last year in this game,” said Sherman Head Coach Cory Emory. “But we returned pretty much our whole team, and we worked hard in the off-season. We had a lot of games that were close and then we had a run and were able to stretch the lead.”

Both teams come in on a roll, as the Fighting Irish have won 10 straight games, and 15 out of 16 since the New Year, while the Wildcats come in 20-1 on the season and are winners of nine in a row.

Notre Dame will undoubtedly be led by McCulley, who is averaging 23.7 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.8 steals and two blocks per game this season, but as of late he is getting some help from his teammates.

While McCulley has reached 20 points in each of the last 12 games, senior Alec Covel has been in double figures in six straight to give the Irish another scoring threat.

“[McCulley] scores points so many ways,” Rapone said. “With Covel stepping up and becoming more assertive on the offensive end, it takes away those junk defenses that teams play against us.”

Unlike Notre Dame, Sherman will not rely on their interior play, but with the play of their guards.

Senior guards Andrew Graham and Ryan Robson are the team’s leading scorers for the second-straight year, with Graham averaging 14.8 points per game and Robson averaging 12.8.

“We could be a little contrasting in playing style to Notre Dame,” Emory said. “We aren’t very tall and we like to press in order to take advantage of our quickness.”

Their top inside player, Jake Card, only stands 6-foot-2 and comes in averaging 9.5 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Many people may remember Sherman from a season ago, as their girl’s squad fell to Notre Dame in the Far West Regional.

They also may remember some controversial comments from Sherman girls' coach and athletic director Mel Swanson, who expressed his displeasure with private schools playing public schools following the game.

''It is tough. It's an inequality,” said Swanson of Notre Dame. “Their players played hard and they were very good players and they did great things with the basketball. But when you're a small school like ours that graduates 30-something kids and you have to compete at that level it's just such a different field they get to draw from."

It’s an ongoing debate statewide, as Section VI does not allow private schools to participate in sectionals. However, Emory does not care who his boys play.

“Whoever we end up playing is who we end up playing,” Emory said. “Is it fair? That’s up for debate. You can go around and around on that topic. But we play who we play, and at this level, whoever we play is probably going to be pretty good.”

Rapone and the Fighting Irish will be focusing on how to stop the Wildcats on Saturday, and advance to Glens Falls.

“They have been there once before and have the experience,” Rapone said. “They use a lot of presses and a lot of traps. It’s something we haven’t seen a lot of, so we will have to get to work on that so everyone knows what their job is.”

Notre Dame and Sherman will square off on Saturday at Buffalo State College for the opportunity to advance to the state semifinals in Glens Falls. Tip-off is scheduled for noon.

It's gotta be some sort of sign that spring is near when Dave's starts selling ice cream.

Owner Debra Webster would have opened a week ago, but she couldn't even get the ice off the parking lot. Finally, the parking lot is clear and the doors are open.

Webster has been in the ice cream business for 28 years, starting at the location that is now Dave's when she was 16. Six months later, she was the manager (it was Brenden's then) and working full time even while attending high school.

In 1995, she bought her first ice cream shop, an Abbott's Frozen Custard franchise in Brockport, which she still owns. Eight years ago, she bought Brenden's and changed the name to Dave's.

It might not be quite spring cleaning, but with snow melting and the sun out, two city workers patrolled Main Street Downtown this afternoon looking for any litter that may have become visible. They are Shawn Easton and Shawn McAlister.