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Photos: Snowy Egret, Tonawanda Creek

By Howard B. Owens

Chris Hausfelder spotted this egret on the Tonawanda a few days ago and was able to snap a couple of pictures of this elusive bird.

Photo: Sun over DeWitt

By Howard B. Owens

A reader sent in this photo Friday (and I've not had time to post it until now) of the sun over the lake at DeWitt Recreational Area when it was 89 degrees locally.  

Local buses named after local children

By Howard B. Owens

Transportation company RTS Genesee (formerly Batavia Bus Services) introduced three new buses yesterday, all named after local children.

Hallie Wade stands next the bus named after her.

Photo submitted by Kellie Wade.

Missing chocolate lab in Indian Falls area

By Howard B. Owens

Deb Hill's chocolate lab Maggie has been missing since yesterday.

Deb said Maggie may have been scared of yesterday morning's weather and tried to follow her husband to work.

In the Indian Falls, Route 77, Phelps Road area.

She has a silver chin.

UPDATE: A reader has helped reunite Deb and Maggie.

Fatal pedestrian accident at Flying J in Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

Photos and information from Alecia Kaus/Video News Service.

A woman from out of the area died today after being struck by a box truck pulling in for diesel gas at the Flying J off Route 77 in Pembroke.

The woman had apparently just left the restaurant at the travel plaza and was heading back to her truck when she was hit.

She was traveling with her husband, who was not injured.

The box truck is from Aberstar Freight.

The driver apparently did not see the woman.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by a county coroner. 

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments were dispatched at about 12:15 p.m. with a report of a woman struck by a vehicle who was unconscious. Mercy Flight was put on ground standby, but never dispatched. Dispatchers were told that Mercy Flight wouldn't be needed, once a chief arrived on scene.

UPDATE: The deceased is identified as Carolyn V. Baltzell, 61, of Hot Springs, Ark. The driver is identified as Serge Guindon, 56, of Dorval, Quebec, who was driving a 2012 Peterbuilt box truck. The investigation is on going, but not charges are pending at this time. The investigation is being handled by Deputy Joseph Corona, Deputy Dana Richardson, Sgt. James Meier and Investigator William Ferrando.

Football Round Up: Week #1

By Howard B. Owens

Pembroke vs. Elba/Byron-Bergen. The Elba/Byron-Bergen Lancers started the season in fine feather with a 21-7 win over Pembroke. Head Coach Mike Cintorino summed up the game: "Improved Pembroke squad came out fired up and played hard for their home opener scoring on the first drive. Lancers responded with a score of their own to tie it up and never looked back. Took the lead on a Mike Shanley 89 yard TD run. Interesting 2-day game scenario with some work to do. Looking forward to getting back to work next week and coming home to face the Holley Hawks next Saturday." Stats: Mike Shanley: 15 carries 199 yards, 3 TDs (8,89,21); Richard Flores: 8 carries 95 yards; Andrew Gottler: 7 Tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble; Steele Truax: 10 total tackles; Lancer Total Yards: 374; Dragons Total Yards: 132.

Alexander at CG Finney. The Trojans came up short against CG Finney, 28-20. Cody Trzecieski led the Trojan defense with 8 tackles and 1 fumble recovery from his linebacker spot. Tyler Laird had 7 tackles defensively.  Dustin Schmeider had 4 tackles and 1 sack for the Trojans. Offensively QB Jared Browne hit Laird for a 41 yd TD pass to start the Trojans scoring in the 2nd quarter.  Late in the 3rd quarter, Browne scored on a one-yard run. Late in the 4th quarter tailback Tim Calkins scored on a 3-yard run to cut the lead to 22-20 but the 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.  The Trojans then recovered an onside kick with 20 seconds remaining. Two plays later CG Finney intercepted a pass and scored it as time expired. Laird carried the ball six times for 54 yards. Tailback Alex Hadsall had 4 carries for 24 yards before getting hurt. Calkins had 78 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. Alexander placekicker Zack Shilvock was 2 for 2 on PAT and had 2 touchbacks when kicking off.

Batavia at Livonia. Game still pending because of weather delay. The game will be completed Monday at 7 p.m. at Livonia. Batavia trails, 7-0.

Full game coverage from earlier:

Also, we covered Warsaw at Perry for the Wyoming County Free Press

Pedestrian struck, unconscious in Flying J parking lot

By Billie Owens

A pedestrian is down and unconscious in the parking lot of the Flying J Travel Center after being struck and injured by a vehicle. Mercy Flight is on standby. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding.

UPDATE 12:21 p.m.: Mercy Flight will not be needed.

Hornets savor win over Notre Dame after years of frustration

By Howard B. Owens

NOTE: The information we were given about how long it's been since O-A beat ND was wrong.

It's been nearly 20 years since Oakfield-Alabama beat Notre Dame, and after holding on for a 16-13 win against the Fighting Irish on their home turf, Hornet players celebrated like they had just won a sectional title.

"It feels great," said wide receiver Reice Woodward, a sophomore starting his first game on varsity. "We haven't beaten Notre Dame in a long time and we're starting the streak now."

With seconds left on the clock and Notre Dame in possession of the ball well into O-A territory, a Hornet's victory was far from assured. Then Woodward scooped up a Josh Johnson fumble and Hornet's captain Allen Chatt jumped high in the air, knowing at long last, a win was a cinch.

"With everything my team has been through this pre-season, and my being on the squad since eighth grade and losing to Notre Dame every year, I can't explain it," Chatt said. "It's the best feeling ever."

The first half of the game was all Oakfield-Alabama. The Hornet's defensive line was pushing around the smaller Irish offense seemingly at will. QB Connor Logsdon tasted turf several times. Fans and coaches kept yelling for him to throw the ball away, throw the ball away. After a play where a wall of white jerseys descended on him, the 5' 9" Logsdon yelled that he couldn't see anything over the line.

The Hornets would have ended the half up by four touchdowns instead of just two, except for wide open receivers twice dropping catchable balls.

It was looking like it was going to be a long afternoon -- if not a long season -- for Coach Rick Mancuso and his squad.

Then Logsdon, from deep in Irish territory completed a pass. RB Peter Daversa gained some ground and the Irish got another reception down field.

It was starting to look like a drive, then a short little run that ended in an apparent fumble (ND's coaches insisted the whistle had already blown, but to no avail) was recovered by the Hornets.

Whatever adjustments Mancuso made, they seemed to stick in the second half. Logsdon played with more confidence, feeling less pressure from O-A's defensive line, and Notre Dame showed it could move the ball down field

"We got a little flat right before the half," said O-A's Head Coach Brian Palone. "And Notre Dame did a great job of making adjustments."

Palone said his team has developed a new defense this season, and he expected the defense to struggle and the offense to do well, but the opposite happened he said. It was really the defense that won the game, so he was proud of his team in that regard, and at how hard they worked to protect their lead even as the team struggled in the second half.

"The way we ended the game here shows a lot about their character and never giving up," Palone said. "We had the lead the whole time, but momentum shifted over to Notre Dame the whole second half and I felt like our defense really stepped it up."

Senior linebacker Casey Arnold said the win was a real team effort. 

"The defensive line couldn't have been better," Arnold said. "We played as a team. We flew to the ball. I'm really proud of this team."

Chatt said all along, he's thought this year's Hornet's squad is something special, but nothing is more special than coming out on top against Notre Dame to open the season.

"I have a good feeling about this squad," Chatt said. "They're 27, 28, whatever we have, strong. They come down with the pads, loading the balls on the bus, whatever it is that needs to be done. I'm as proud as I can be about these guys today. Nothing tastes sweeter than to beat Notre Dame."

Chatt was 12 for 31 passing for 166 yards with two TDs and two INTs. Woodward led the receivers with two catches for 66 yards, including a 56-yard TD reception. He had one fumble recovery. Sal Schwabble had one catch for 41 yards. Ryan Emery, two for 30 yards, and Trent Stack, two for 26.

On defense, Jon Harris had one sack and 10 tackles. Schwable had eight tackles and a sack. Jacob Natalizia had two interceptions.

We didn't receive stats for Notre Dame.

UPDATE: Notre Dame stats: Peter Daversa, 18 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD; Jack Sutherland, 15 carries, 37 yards; Joe Zickl, 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD; C.J. Souzzi, three receptions, 26 yards; Zickl, 8.5 tackles; Souzzi, five tackles; Ethan Osborne, sack.

Touchdown, Joe Zickl.

Appearances can be deceiving. Despite a great effort by O-A's Ryan Emery, Casey Midwick did catch this pass for Notre Dame.

To purchase prints, click here.

Le Roy's offense and defense prove too much for Cal-Mum in game split over two days

By Howard B. Owens

The rain may never have fallen in a deluge, but Cal-Mum was certainly swamped by a relentless Oaktan Knight offense and an immovable defense in a game that took consecutive days to complete because of stormy weather.

Final: Le Roy 40, Cal-Mum 0.

The win assured Head Coach Brian Moran with a career record on the plus side against Le Roy's biggest rival, at 17-15.

Moran said, yes, the winning record against the Red Raiders is important to him.

"I'm proud of that because that (Caledonia) is a great community and great football program," Moran said. "You forget sometimes that Caledonia makes Le Roy better and Le Roy makes Caledonia better. That's been evident over the last 25 years."

The game started on time at 7:30 Friday night under the lights of Hartwood Park, but after the halftime show, officials spotted flashes of lightning to the northeast.

The game was delayed and about a half hour later, it was postponed (along with 11 other Section V games). Play resumed at 9 a.m. today, and by 10, Le Roy officially had a 1-0 record on the season.

The split game didn't bother the players much, said QB Mike McMullen.

"It wasn't a distraction, but it was definitely different," McMullen said. "I don't think anybody on the team has ever done anything like this. I don't think any of the coaches have ever done anything like this, so it is different, but you've got to play through it. So we did and came out and played hard."

To start the half, Cal-Mum tried an onside kick, but the Knights were ready and covered the ball.

Moran thought it was the right call by John Walther. If it had worked, it could have given the Red Raider's a spark.

"That's the way you should start the second half," Moran said. "You're down 21-0 and who knows what the weather is going to do. I give them credit for doing that."

Rather than Red Raider ball, the Knights had possession on about the 50-yard line. Soon, the Cal-Mum defense was looking at the back of #16, Jon Pierce, sprinting toward the goal line for a score that all but sealed the visiting team's fate.

"That was huge," McMullen said. "I told them when we came out there, 'hey guys, we've gotta score first drive. We've got to show them what we're about, make a point.' "

Pierce was the star of the game, always around the ball on defense and racking up more than 100 yards of total offense.

He's emerged, at least in the first game, as the running back Le Roy's coaches always thought he could be. He charges at the line with exceptional lower body strength, quickness and speed.

"We've been expecting this from Jon for quite a while," Moran said. "I'll be honest with you. Jon is a great kid and he has a great ability to move in the hole and then accelerate. Last night we saw it and today, again, we saw it and we're proud of him."

To open the game, Cal-Mum keyed on the McMullen to Ryan McQuillen combination, which isn't a bad strategy. A more mature player in Pierce gives an already powerful offense another weapon.

"He does have great hips," Moran said. "If you just stand behind him at practice you see it. That's what makes a good running back, somebody who can get up into those little small holes and make that cut inside and out. Jon has the capability to do that."

Before the start of the season, Moran and other coaches expressed some concern about an inexperienced offensive line. Friday and Saturday, the line showed it had the ability to move the pile and open holes.

That doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, even after a 40-0 win against a good team.

"There's a lot of things you can do better," Moran said. "You sit back and start to evaluate tape. This is only week one. As we're sitting there and looking at it a little differently on the film, you know there are people who need to read their keys a little better and their footwork needs to be better and the offensive line has to communicate better. We're always thinking about improvement. That's the name of the game."

To purchase prints, click here.

Oven fire on Buell Street in the city

By Billie Owens

A fire in the oven is reported at 24 Buell St. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 12:52 p.m.: Firefighters on scene report light smoke is coming from the two-story frame house.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: Fire contained to the oven. House is charged with smoke. Now ventilating.

House fire reported on Griswold Road, Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

A residential structure fire with people trapped is reported at 7197 Griswold Road, Le Roy.

Le Roy fire and Bergen fire dispatch.

UPDATE 7:30 a.m.: Stafford fire requested to the scene.

UPDATE(S) by Billie 7:35 a.m.: Everyone is out of the structure. Command reports the fire is possibly out.

UPDATE 7:38 a.m.: Pavilion has also been called and Caledonia is asked to stand by in Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 7:43 a.m.: Caledonia is canceled.

UPDATE 10:36 a.m.: According to Alecia Kaus, Video News Service, who went to the scene, one of the residents (one of the people reportedly "trapped") stayed in the house and put out the fire himself.

Big game in Le Roy interrupted by weather, will resume at 9 a.m., Saturday

By Howard B. Owens

The threat of lightning played havoc with the Section V football schedule Friday night, including perhaps the biggest game of the night (certainly, all the Rochester media thought so, turning out in force at Hartwood Park), Cal-Mum and Le Roy.

Officials suspended the game after the half-time show and play will resume at 9 a.m., with the Oatkan Knights leading 21-0.

In all, 12 Section V games were postponed due to weather.

Batavia is down 0-7 to Livonia and play will resume in Livonia at 1 p.m. Elba is beating Pembroke 17-7, and play will resume at 5 p.m.

Top photo: Le Roy's Jon Pierce breaks up a pass by Jake McEwen.

Photos from the first half in the slideshow. To purchase prints, click here.

Players from 1995 state champion team at pep rally for Le Roy's opening night game

By Howard B. Owens

Coach's final season, a team that enters the 2014 season with a lot of promise, a first game against the school's biggest rival -- it's a good time to remind the players and the fans about the program's highest pinnacle, a state championship.

Five members of Le Roy's 1995 state champion team were invited back home today for a pep rally at the end of the school day.

The former players each took a turn talking about P-R-I-D-E (Perseverance, Responsibility, Involvement, Diversity and Empathy).

The men were wearing T-shirts honoring Coach Brian Moran's 26th and final season leading the Oatkan Knights.

Deputy Joe Loftus told the story of his 13-year quest for a full-time career in law enforcement. Sales Manager Brian Fulmer flew in from Minnesota to talk about responsibility. Bill McKenzie, now a teacher in York, spoke on involvement. Brandon Shaugnessy couldn't leave Texas today because his wife recently had a baby two months earlier than expected, so Coach Jim Bonacquisti read his statement about diversity. Pat Ashley, a corrections officer with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, was assigned empathy.

Ashley remarked that he got assigned the word a lot of people get wrong, confusing it with sympathy, and after giving some examples of how he uses empathy in his career working in a jail and as a small arms instructor, he said maybe he got it wrong, too. (He was spot on: putting yourself in the others' shoes, seeing things from their point of view).

Then the pep of the pep rally began when Student Body President Derek O'Sullivan took the mic.

Derek had members of the marching band beat their drums and then cheered on the volleyball and soccer teams, which also have games today.

He then said, "and I think there's another team playing tonight. Coach Moran, who are we playing?"

"Cal-Mum," Moran said.

Derek noted that the folks in Caledonia probably think they're doing to win. Are they? He asked the crowd? A few kids yelled "no," so he asked again, and the room exploded with a resounding, "NO!"

Afterward, Moran said the rally was "really enjoyable."

"You know, that's why we coach," Moran said. "You take a look at the young people we have up here today, and that's why we coach.

"You talk about the wins and losses," he added, "but we forget about those, you know, shortly after they happen. What you remember are the relationships, the commitment that you have with each other; and for coaches, we want to see what they're doing 10, 15 years from now. Obviously, today, you take a look at these young men and we're just proud of their accomplishments."

The Le Roy-Cal-Mum rivalry is woven into the fabric of both communities, Moran noted, but in a positive way.

"Caledonia and Le Roy is the greatest rivalry in New York State in high school football and we're so close, but that's what leads to great communities," Moran said. "The interest in the game, the interest in each other, the bond that we have with Caledonia and Le Roy. When the game's on, obviously we want to win and they want to win, but when it's over, it's over. And whatever they need, or somebody in our community needs, they're always reaching out. I think that says it all about what both communities are about."

Come on out to the game (7:30 p.m.). It will be a great community, Friday Night Lights experience. If you can't make it, the game will be carried live on WBTA or live streamed over WBTAi.com.

Car crash with injuries at routes 19 and 63, Pavilion

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at the junction of routes 19 and 63. There are injuries. Two tow trucks requested. Mercy medics are responding along with Pavilion Fire Department.

UPDATE 3:04 p.m.: There are a couple of sign-offs.

Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, four Sopranos cast members among the guests at Expo at Batavia Downs

By Billie Owens

Great athletes and "4 actors from The Sopranos" will be at the Western New York Sports Card Expo at Batavia Downs on Sept. 20-21.

In addition to the unspecified cast members of The Sopranos, the event will feature: Dave Bing, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Lou Piniella, Jose Canseco, Gayle Sayers, and Ric Flair.

The Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Parking is free. Admission is $5 and includes $5 in free play for those 18 and older. Children under 8 get in free.

Top Items on Batavia's List

Part-Time Children's Library Clerk Haxton Memorial Public Library is seeking a Part-Time Children's Clerk 19 Hours a week $15.00/hr. Interested applicants please go to www.co.genesee.ny.us for an application or come to the library at 3 North Pearl Street, Oakfield. Any questions, please call at (585) 948-9900
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