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Nathan Hinkley, a senior at Keystone College, spun a gem and the Batavia offense scored runs in bunches leading an early exit from Dwyer Stadium for the first-place Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

The Skunks got skunked 12-0.

Hinkley (2-5) pitched all seven innings of the truncated game while giving up only three hits and issuing only two walks.  

Cameron Conley, playing second base, raised his season average to .270 with three hits.He also knocked in four runs and scored twice while also drawing a walk.

Jerry Reinhart was 2-2 with an RBI and run scored. 

Shortstop Charlie Szykowny has been on a tear recently. He was 2-4 with an RBI and scored two runs. He's now hitting .331.

The Muckdogs are now 21-18 on the season and are in second place, a half-game ahead of the Geneva Red Wings in the battle for a playoff spot. The team has two games left. They play Jamestown (27-14) again on Wednesday in Jamestown and Niagara at home at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday to close out the regular season.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more photos, click here.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported in the westbound lane in the area of mile marker 396.6.

A first responder reports one car is in the median and the other is on the shoulder.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 6:34 p.m.: A second ambulance is requested nonemergency.

Alianna Baris, a 2021 graduate of Le Roy High School, is the 2021 Genesee County Fair Queen.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day at the fair. Here's the schedule:

7 AM—4-H Livestock may arrive (Beef steers, dairy steers, sheep, goats, hogs)

10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open

NOON—4-H Market Auction Final Weigh In (steers, lambs, goats, hogs)

1 PM—4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon (Main Show Ring)

4 PM— 4-H Market Auction Goat Show (Main Show Ring)

6 PM—4-H Livestock Judging Contest

10 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

Alianna Baris and 2019 Fair Queen Taylor Schofield.

Jasmine Turner, who won Dutchess.

Gabriella Zocco, who won Princess.

Zoe Castro.

Alivia Kennedy, Little Miss winner.

Brook Pagels, winner Miss contest.

The OHMS Band at the Genesee County Fair playing "Nobody to Run With," originally by the Allman Brothers Band.

Here are some shots from last night's Genesee County Speedway races as part of this week of the Genesee County Fair. There will be more races during the fair this coming Saturday.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

For the second day in a row, Bethany fire responded to a field fire, albeit a smaller one this time.

Today's fire call was at 11:44 a.m. and involved a bailer catching fire at the back of his field off of Bethany Center Road.

Also responding were the Alexander, Wyoming, and Pavilion fire departments.

Photos by Glenn Adams.

There's a flea market today and tomorrow at the Alexander Steam Show grounds in Alexander. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Genesee County Fair is underway and yesterday's first official event, and only event, was the North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series competiton.

Today's schedule:

7 AM—4-H Beef may arrive

9 AM—Empire Classic Youth Sheep Show (TBD)

9 AM—NY Hereford Beef Show (TBD)

10 AM – Exhibition Halls & Buildings Open

10 AM – 4-H Kennedy Building Exhibit Judging (Kennedy Building)

10 AM – 4-H, Rabbits, Cavies & Poultry Must be in place

12:30 PM—North American Six Horse Hitch Classic (Horse Arena)

2 PM—Rabbit & Cavy Show (Merton Building)

2 PM—Fair Queen—Speech & Talent (Entertainment Tent)

4 PM—Farm Hitch Draft Horse Show (Horse Arena)

5 PM—4-H Club Exhibits must be in place (Kennedy Building)

6 PM – Genesee Speedway Racing

7 to 10PM—Band – OHMS Band (Entertainment Tent)

11 PM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Close

Photos by Kristin Smith.

Batavia hitters unloaded on Newark pitchers Thursday evening in an offensive onslaught that included a grand slam home run by shortstop Charlie Szykowny (top and bottom photos).

Szykowny went 2-2 raising his season average to .311. The big blast was Szykowny's first HR of the season. 

Batavia native Jerry Reinhart was 2-3, scoring twice.

The Muckdogs won 11-1 lifting the team's recored to 19-17. Batavia is in third place, a half-game behind the Geneva Red Wings with six games to go in the regular season. 

Blair Frederick was the winning pitcher, going five and a third innings, giving up only two hits, walking one and whiffing eight.

The Muckdogs' final home games of the regular season are tonight at 7 against Jamestown, Sunday at 4:05 p.m. also against Jamestown, and Thursday, 7:05 p.m., against Niagara Power. Jamestown is in first place in the Western Division with a record of 26-12.

Photos by Philip Casper.

David Chua throwing out the first pitch.

Blair Frederick

Daniel Burroway 

Jerry Reinhart with a head-first slide into second base after a line drive into right field.

Reinhart scores.

One hundred and eighty one years ago, the local farmers invited the Genesee County community to a fair and the Ag Society has been hosting a fair every year since -- well, except last year when a pandemic forced the fair's concellation in history.

In 2021, the Genesee County Fair is back and fair managers are promising a good time.

"We have a midway Tuesday through Saturday," said Rose Topolski, one of the fair managers. "We have a demolition derby Friday night at seven o'clock. We have a big draft horse show tomorrow at 5:30 (p.m.), and that continues Saturday at noon. We also have stock car racing, both Saturdays of the fair.

"We're expecting between a thousand and twelve hundred animals to be on the property during the entire week. We have tons of fair food. All the fair favorites. Pretty much every aspect of the fair will be here again this year."

To celebrate, the Chamber of Commerce organized a ribbon cutting at the fairgrounds this afternoon.

The fair has been quite popular the past few years and comanager Nick O'Geen thinks after a year of COVID-19 restrictions, the fair offers area residents a way to get out and rub elbows with their friends and neighbors again.

"You've been cooped up long enough," O'Geen said. "It's time to come out and have some fair fun."

For the complete 2021 schedule, click here.

Press release:

Batavia Downs welcomed a large crowd of live fans back to the track on Wednesday (July 21) as they opened their 2021 live racing season and the New York Sire Stakes were in town to put on the show.

Thirteen 2-year-old filly trotters went postward in two divisions for a total of $101,700 in purses and the two best of this group remained perfect lifetime. 

In the first $51,300 seven-horse division, the undefeated Bomb Hugger (Chapter Seven-Stylemaker) ran her streak to three consecutive wins after tripping-out the entire mile. 

Iluvmymiumiu’s (Andrew McCarthy) took control off the pylons while Bomb Hugger (Anthony Macdonald) left from mid-pack and tucked second at the pegs. After cutting fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.3, Pioneer AS (Jim Morrill Jr.) made her way to second on the outside and then drew even with the leader.

However, coming off the last turn Pioneer AS broke, giving Bomb Hugger a clear lane to the outside. Macdonald pulled the filly and she responded willingly. Bomb Hugger trotted quickly by Iluvmymiumiu’s and drew clear by 1-½ lengths at the line in 1:58.2. 

Bomb Hugger ($5.40) is now two-for-two in NYSS action. The filly is owned by Thestable Bomb Hugger Group and is trained by Ryan Swift. 

A group of six lined up for $50,400 in the second round and Gertrude (Devious Man-Ophelia) became the second filly of the night to remain unbeaten.

Following the pattern of the first division, the rail sitter Seven On The Rocks (John Stark Jr.) left hard while the heavily favored Gertrude (Andy Miller) darted from post five and dropped in the garden spot. While the race proceeded in single file fashion through somewhat pedestrian quarters of :30.2, 1:01.1 and 1:31.1, Seven On The Rocks looked strong heading into the last turn.

But Gertrude had other ideas when Miller tipped her off the pylons. Gertrude got almost even with Seven On The Rocks at the top of the stretch but couldn’t quite get by the stubborn leader. The two battled heartily to the beam where Gertrude finally got a slight advantage and won by a ¼ length in 1:59.3, with a swift :28.2 final panel. 

Now two-for-two lifetime, Gertrude ($3.10) is owned by the Andy Miller Stable and is trained by Julie Miller.

It was Miller Time at Batavia Downs on Wednesday as Andy Miller led all drivers with three wins on the card while wife Julie Miller led all trainers by sending two from her stable to the Purple Haze Winner’s Circle.

There were also three $15,000 Excel A divisions also contested and they were won by Adjure Hanover (Chapter Seven-Anonyme Hanover 1:59.4, $2.70), New Year’s Eve (Credit Winner-Sweetest Zete 2:03.2, $10.60) and Soundsofsilence AS (Conway Hall-Shutupandholdon AS 2:00.3, $16.20).

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (July 24) with post time at 6 p.m. Free full card past performance forms can be downloaded for all live race dates at bataviadownsgaming.com or on the Batavia Downs Facebook page.

The first time he saw it, the first time he went to the motocross track in Pavilion, there was something about the speed, the dust, the bikes flying over hills, the racing, that made then 8-year-old Joey Spadaro tell his dad, "I want to do that."

Seven years later, Joseph Spadaro says of his son, "He's a beast on the bike. A hard worker. Super competitive. He absolutely hates to lose. He will go above and beyond most boys, most men, because he doesn't like to be behind anybody."

That competitive spirit has won Spadaro his second trip to the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., starting on Aug. 2.

"That’s the most fun event," said Joey, who is now 15 and in the 10th grade at Le Roy High School. "Everyone there is fast. Everyone there knows what they’re doing. A bunch of people. The atmosphere is cool."

Joey didn't win his first race -- at Area 51 -- when he was 8 but he figures he's won more than 400 races in the local area since. He made it to the national event by finishing in the top six at the regional meet in Unadilla, NY. At that event, Joey ran three races coming in fourth, first, and ninth, for a fourth-place overall finish.

His father figures that makes Joey one of the 40 best in his class in the nation as he heads off to nationals.

"He's been a gear-head since he was tiny," Spadaro said. "He never rode a bike. He went from walking to riding a dirt bike. He never rode a bicycle until he was already riding a dirt bike. From his first race it was like, 'Woah, you already know how to do this.' "

Before this season, Joey raced in Class C and won more titles than he can count both at home and away. He's moved up a class and will be able to race in that class for two seasons.

Before going to Pavilion, Joey said, he had training wheels on his 50cc dirt bike. Those quickly came off after Pavilion and he took off to the races.

"I just thought it was really cool," Joey said. "I never thought I would be as good as the people I watched and it turned out I became better than the people I was watching."

He now runs a KTM 125 and a KTM 250.

During the off-season this year, Joey will travel to Chesterfield, S.C., where he will train at a motocross club. That off-season training is what helps elevate Joey to a pro-level rider, Spadaro said.

"If he can train in the off-season like the pros do, I think he can be a pro at a higher level," Spadaro said.

Yes, Joey does want to race dirt bikes for a living. It's what he loves to do and he loves to win.

"I enjoy it because I'm good at it," Joey said. "It's just fun to be good at something you love to do."

An attorney for a 32-year-old Alabama man in court to be sentenced on multiple crimes expressed regret Wednesday that his client had missed his chance at a drug rehab stint before the man rammed his car into another vehicle on Bliss Road in Oakfield in December.

The timing just didn't work out Christian Catalano suggested before recommending a minimum prison sentence for Jason Allen Klinkbeil on his convictions for grand larceny, 3rd, and falsifying business documents -- one and a half to three years on each count to run concurrently.

Klinkbeil had also previously admitted to first-degree vehicle assault and Victor Mui represented Klinkbeil on that conviction.

The assault incident occurred less than two weeks after Klinkbeil was indicted by the grand larceny on the falsifying business records counts; Mui also asked for a minimum prison term.

Both attorneys said Klinkbeil doesn't have much of a criminal record, noting only one felony conviction for aggravated unauthorized operation, 1st, and should be given some consideration for his admission of guilt and seeking treatment for his substance abuse problem.

Catalano said his client was addicted to opiates.

For his part, Klinkbeil told Judge Charles Zambito that he takes responsibility for his actions and recognizes he has a drug problem he needs to address. He said he's been working and taking care of his family since his arrests in December.

"I realize I had a lot of wrong views before I had a family," Catalano said. "That's why I'm here today, trying to get things straight so I can get back to my family."

At the start of the hearing, Mui said his client wanted to ask for a two-week continuance in the sentencing so he could spend more time with his kids. District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said he saw no reason to delay the sentencing and Zambito denied the request.

Friedman had asked Zambito to impose the maximum possible sentence under the terms of the plea agreement, which was five and a half to 11 years.

Zambito said Klinkbeil's criminal actions are an example of "the harm substance abuse or alcohol abuse can produce, not only for yourself but for people around you and people you don't know."

The grand larceny charge, Zambito noted, involved a theft to obtain more drugs, and the falsifying business documents charge stemmed from trying to pawn items taken from a friend.

In the first case, Zambito said Catalano was right. That might have been a case that was eligible for transfer to drug court but in the second case, Zambito said he didn't believe Klinkbeil had accepted responsibility for his actions. Zambito had said that Klinkbeil had in some prior statement tried to blame his friend for the situation.

Klinkbeil, who had mostly been sitting between his attorneys at the defense table with his head down, looked at Zambito at this point and sat forward as if he was about to speak.  He didn't.

Zambito sentenced Klinkbeil to one and a third years on the grand larceny conviction and two to four years on the falsifying business records conviction, with the sentences to run concurrently.

Klinkbeil was sentenced as a second felony offender because of a prior aggravated unlicensed operation conviction, 1st. Contrary to the attorney's statements that Klinkbeil has a minimal criminal record, Zambito noted he's been arrested multiple times and that he had a prior probation violation.

Klinkbeil's prior criminal record includes arrests for:

• Possession of a controlled substance, 7th, in Le Roy in July 2012
• Criminal trespass, 3rd, in Le Roy in September 2012
• Petit larceny in Le Roy in February 2013
• Petit larceny in the City of Batavia in March 2014
• A DWAI in Livonia in May 2016
• Petit larceny in Greece in July 2016
• AUO, 1st, in Livingston County in October 2016

On the business record charge, Zambito also ordered Klinkbeil to pay $372.60 in restitution.

Then Zambito turned to the vehicular assault conviction, which he said was the far more serious charge, calling it a "road rage" incident.

"You put the physical safety and lives of others at stake," Zambito said.

The judge noted the incongruity of Klinkbeil's desire to take care of his family and the fact that his wife was in the car at the time of the incident.

"This was all fueled by substance abuse," Zambito said. 

When Zambito reiterated that Klinkbeil didn't seem to show any remorse for the falsifying business records, Klinkbeil did speak up but Catalano told him not to speak.

"There must be a prison sentence but must it be the max?" Zambito said. "I'll give you the benefit of the concurrent sentence and give you three-and-a-half to seven years."

For most of the day, Dr. Harry McCrea is a cardiologist, but on some days, during his breaks, he's UMMC's troubadour, singing and playing his guitar outside the hospital's main entrance.

Last year, during COVID-19, for a little stress release, he started bringing his guitar to work with the intention of sitting outside when weather permitted just so he could relax and practice.

Soon, he started drawing an audience. Other members of the UMMC staff found his music enhanced their own breaks.

A motor-vehicle accident is reported on Main Street between Church Street and Oak Orchard Road in Elba.

Injuries are reported.

Elba fire dispatched. Mercy EMS, including a second ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 6:57 p.m.: A first responder reports no vehicles blocking traffic. Two vehicles are parked in the driveway of a house.

UPDATE 6:58 p.m.: Only one vehicle had people in it. A third ambulance requested to the scene because three children were involved.

UPDATE 6:59 p.m.: Mercy Flight is not available.

UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: Darien Byron ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 7:04 p.m.: Route 98 from Church Street to Oak Orchard is being shut down.

UPDATE 7:10 p.m.: An officer informs dispatch there was a single vehicle "occupied times five" struck a parked vehicle.

UPDATE 7:20 p.m.: Three children are being transported in three separate ambulances to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 8:14 p.m.: Elba assignment back in service. The roadway is reopened.

Toxic smoke is reportedly blowing over the Thruway from a fire in Amherst.

The westbound Thruway is closed.

Emergency responders can use the Thruway to respond to a commercial building fire in Amherst.  

Pembroke, Indian Falls, Darien, Corfu, are on stand by for the fire.

UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: First responders are informed the Thruway is backed up with traffic.

Scott Bischoping has been named interim superintendent for Batavia City Schools following the resignation of Anibal Soler.

Bischopping was the interim superintendent following the departure of Chris Dailey and preceding Soler's appointment at the start of 2020.

Soler accepted an appointment as superintendent of the Schenectady school district.

"His knowledge and leadership will guide us into the new school year," the district said in a statement.

A Batavia City School District trustee who held up approval of a merger between the Batavia and Notre Dame hockey teams at the district's school board meeting on Thursday afternoon met with the schools' athletic directors and coaches and said he had his questions answered and looks forward to the agreement being on the board's next agenda.

The Batavian has attempted to clarify with John Marucci that his statement means he intends to vote in favor of the merger but he has not responded to two emails.

Three Four other members of the board have responded to emails and said they intend to support the measure. One hasn't responded.

Previously, The Batavian emailed five questions to Marucci about his apparent objections to the merger, trying to clarify his position and didn't get a response until yesterday. He didn't provide answers to the question but did make this statement:

I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Just so you know that today at 3:15, I was able to meet with BCSD BOE President Alice Ann Benedict, BCSD AD Mike Bromley and hockey coaches Marc Staley and John Kirkwood. We had a very lengthy and thorough discussion about the proposed merger between Notre Dame and Batavia as it pertains to hockey. I feel very satisfied that I had my questions and concerns answered and look forward to having this item on our agenda for our August 5th BCSD BOE Meeting. 

At last week's meeting, Marucci expressed concern about other schools in the county being eased out of a combined hockey program with Batavia and that once current players from those districts have graduated, students at those schools would have to attend Notre Dame if they wanted to play hockey. He suggested Notre Dame recruits athletic students and that he was concerned the merger wouldn't be fair to Batavia students.

Our questions to Marucci included trying to find out how the merger wouldn't be fair to Batavia students. He didn't answer that question.

At the meeting, he said, "I just want clarification," and, "I'm not trying to be that guy but I guess I'm being that guy."

With two seats vacant on the board due to resignations and one person absent, Marucci's unwillingness to vote to approve the agreement meant there wasn't a quorum, so the board had to table the matter until its Aug. 5 meeting.

The merger would mean Notre Dame, which has won two sectional championships in recent years under Head Coach Marc Staley, and Batavia players would form a single unit.

Last week the schools announced the new team would be known as Batavia United.

Advocates of the merger argue that the merger would allow both schools to have a JV program, which will help produce a more successful program and end the dangerous practice of including JV-aged and -sized kids on varsity rosters.

And yes, students at schools such as Le Roy, Alexander, Oakfield-Alabama, and Pembroke, who want to play hockey in the future, will need to attend a private school such as Notre Dame. Which is how it was for those schools before Batavia, in a bid to increase its hockey numbers seven years ago, accepted those schools into its hockey program.

Since that realignment, Batavia has won 13 games with only two of those wins coming against Section V opponents and no wins against teams with winning records.

The merger is going to get the support of at least three trustees.

Statement from Alice Benedict:

I wholeheartedly support the Batavia Notre Dame Hockey merger. It will help both schools be able to offer hockey opportunities for grades 7 through 12.

Statement from John Reigle:

Thank you for reaching out to me regarding the hockey merger. 

As you are aware we tabled the agenda item at our last school board meeting for some final clarification and questions. It is a big decision for our district and I’m glad our board of education is putting in so much collaborative thought and consideration into the topic. Unfortunately, our athletic director and/or the coaches were unable to attend the last meeting to have more discussion on the topic. However, it is my understanding they were able to meet with our board president and Vice President yesterday to discuss. 

After speaking with some hockey families from both schools, along with learning more of Coach Staley’s & Coach Kirkwood’s goals and intentions for the United program, I am in favor of the merger. I look forward to bringing back a competitive hockey program to our city that the student-athletes, our schools, and our community are proud of. 

Statement from Barbara Bowman:

I am in complete support of the hockey merger because it will be advantageous to BHS and ND students and the community in general.

Newly elected Trustee Jennifer Lendvay did not respond.

UPDATE: Lendvay's statement: 

I am in favor of the merger of the BHS/ND hockey teams and look forward to seeing them play.