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Earlier this week I was in the store of a local business talking with the owner when a woman walked in and identified herself as the head of a local charity event. She mentioned that last year the owner had donated an item from the store as a door prize. He said, "Is a gift certificate OK this year?"  "Yes," she said. He pulled out his gift certificate book, wrote out a gift certificate for a reasonably significant amount and handed it to her. They then chatted briefly about the charity and she went on her way.

I told him, "Now that's not something you're going to see in a Wal-Mart or Home Depot."  The manager of such chain stores just doesn't have the authority to so casually hand a donation to a small, local charity. 

The store owner said, "That's right. We give out thousands a year that way."

Now, I'm not sure if by "we" he meant just his store, or all the local shop owners in Batavia, but the point is made: Local store owners support the local community in a myriad of ways, from donations to local charities to serving the community through civic groups to running for elected office.

Small businesses are the backbone of any community and they give it vitality and make it a place that is worth living in.

Below is a list of the local businesses that support The Batavian so we can bring you local news and local commentary. Please support these sponsors and let them know you appreciate their support of The Batavian.

• Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle
• Affordable Floor Covering
• Alex's Place
• Barrett's Batavia Marine and Sporting Supplies
• Batavia Downs Casino
• Batavia Muckdogs
• Blue Pearl Yoga
• Carlson's Studio
• Cedar St. Sales and Rentals
• Center Street Smokehouse
• D'n'R Fireplaces and Stoves
• Diegelman Plumbing
• Eclectic Creations
• The Enchanted Florist
• Essence of Candles
• Fastec Automotive
• Genesee County Chamber of Commerce
• Genesee County Red Cross
• Godfrey's Pond
• Herbly Wonderful
• Holland Land Office Museum
• The Insurance Center
• Larry's Steakhouse
• Lewis and Lewis
• Main St. Pizza Company
• Max Pies
• Oliver's Candies
• Roxy's Music Store
• South Main Country Store
• Southside Deli
• T.F. Brown's
• Valle Jewelers

Matthew Bratcher, 19, of Hamburg, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bratcher was camping at site #729 of the Darian Lakes Campground when deputies found him allegedly in possession of a pipe containing marijuana residue.

Michael G. Huskins, 37, of Bergen, was arrested Friday morning for alleged DWI. State troopers stopped Huskins on Route 98 for allegedly failing to keep right. Upon investigation, the trooper suspected Huskin of being intoxicated and placed him under arrest. His reported BAC was .12 percent. He was issued an appearance ticket.

The following suspected DWI arrests were made by New York State Police following the Kenny Chesney concert at Darien Lake on Thursday.

Norine V. Bushen, 54, of Hamburg, was stopped for a suspected traffic violation on Colby Road in the Town of Darien.  Upon investigation, the trooper suspected Bushen was intoxicated and placed her under arrest. She is accused of having a BAC of .08 or greater. Bushen was issued an appearance ticket.

Chad W. Robinson, 22, of Lancaster, was stopped on Sumner Road for an alleged traffic violation.  The trooper suspected Robinson of being intoxicated and placed him under arrest.  He is accused of having a BAC of .19 percent. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Christina J. Wilson, 25, of Rochester, allegedly attempted to turn into a parking lot through the exit. After an interview, she was placed under arrested for a suspected DWI. Her reported BAC was .10 percent. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Caitlin L. Neill, 20, of Almond, was stopped on Route 33 in Pembroke for an alleged traffic violation.  The trooper suspected she was intoxicated and placed her under arrest. Her reported BAC was .10 percent. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Fire units were dispatched to 52 Main St., Le Roy about 20 minutes ago to respond to a carbon dioxide alarm.

A few minutes ago, a request went out for fire police to respond to the scene.

UPDATE: A Le Roy chief just reported (5:52 p.m.) a negative reading on the gas meter and the residents have been allowed back into the house.

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The story of Geoffrey Balkam dying has nothing to do with Genesee County. Or maybe it has much to do with Genesee County.

Reading the story I thought about the little dust up we had earlier in the week about a Pavilion superintendent earning a rather sizable paycheck.  Residents from Pavilion defended the salary, saying Ed Orman has done a great job for many years.

The Climax-Scotts school district in Michigan is now wondering what it's going to do with out Balkam, who has led the school district through some tough times, including recent economic constraints.

The untimely death of Superintendent Geoffrey Balkam not only is a personal tragedy for Climax-Scotts Community Schools, but could hasten the demise of a small, rural district already struggling to survive.

"The fear is real. There's no denying it," said Climax-Scotts athletic director Kevin Langs, who delivered the eulogy at Balkam's memorial service Tuesday.

"I don't know what the future holds. I don't," Langs said. "I believe, and Geoff felt the same way, that there is a niche in today's world for small, rural public schools. But just because I believe that doesn't mean it will happen."

The story kind of illustrates the idea that the complexity of running a school district is not necessarily tied to the number of students in the district. Small, rural districts have their own unique challenges.

The Senate has passed legislation designed to make it easier for people like you and me to get into the packaged food business.

S3594 is supposed to promote small business start ups, such as maybe somebody looking to can an old family sauce recipe or gourmet cookies.

Glich: You or I can't benefit unless there's already a government or non-profit production facility available in your neck of the woods.

Know of any of those in Genesee County?

It's nice that the Senate wants to throw some money in the direction of start-up businesses, but would lowering taxes have the same stimulating, and maybe more, effect?  Or how about a state program to off-set the inescapable self-employment tax that makes starting a small business so difficult and risky?

We need more small businesses, more entrepreneurs getting a start in New York. It's the best long-term solution for economic growth, but maybe Malcolm Smith could start at the taking end rather than the giving end.

Crews are being called out to a reported mulch fire in front of M&T Bank, 54 Main St., Oakfield.

In California, any temblor less than 4.5 on the Richter Scale isn't even worth a little chit-chat by the water cooler, but in New York, anytime the earth shakes, people notice.

A reader sent in this message:

Workers at the Attica Prison have reported feeling an earth tremor that shook the building and has also been felt in other areas of attica. Has this been felt in other places as well or just Attica?

The USGS Web site, which notes any tremor of 1.0 or greater, does not list any earth movement in Western New York.

UPDATE: We just received this e-mail:

My mom just called me and told me there was a very large boom at her house  outside of attica and it shook her house pretty good and my aunt who lives in  the town of attica also heard it and it shook her house also.  Do you know  what it was???????

UPDATE II: I just called the Attica Police Department. They've receive reports, too. The boom was about an hour ago. "We have not been able to confirm what it was," a dispatcher said.

UPDATE III:  USGS now confirms an Earthquake:

Magnitude: 2.9
Date-Time: 11:07:52
Location: 42.828°N, 78.248°W
Depth: 3.1 miles

Three miles from Attica, five miles from Alexander.

The rumors flow in almost weekly: St. Nick's Social Club on S. Swan is closed, is closing or will close.

The latest rumor had St. Nick's with doors shuttered as of June 1.

I stopped by St. Nick's yesterday and today: Still open.

"We have no intention of closing," said Mike Rimmer, president of the board of directors. "Things have been tough financially, but we're still here."

He added, "Things are tough for a lot of clubs and restaurants. We're all hurting in this economy, and of course, people like to start rumors."

If St. Nick's were to close, the announcement would be made publicly at a monthly membership meeting.

Daily News reporter Tom Rivers spoke to the Elba Historical Society yesterday evening about his award-winning series on farm labor.

Rivers gave an energetic, anecdote-laden, hour-long talk on the series in which he explained that he set out to really understand what it's like to work in the fields, doing the work that migrant workers do, and whether an average American could handle the task.

His conclusion: Not only can't the average American not handle the jobs (and they rarely apply, and when  they do, they usually wash out after two hours of work), most world class athletes couldn't handle what immigrant workers do every day.

"After being out in the fields with these guys for eight hours a day, professional sports seems pretty lame," Rivers said.

He's used his experience picking cucumbers and tossing cabbage to help him get through running a marathon, which he said wasn't nearly as difficult compared to his work among the migrants.

The work ethic of the migrants astonished him, Rivers said. He explained that in picking berries, it's important to get the ones at the right stage of ripeness, otherwise the suburban housewife will be unhappy if she arrives home with bitter berries.  At the berry farm where Rivers worked one day, the owners had tried hiring teen-age workers once, but they just didn't take enough care about which berries they threw into baskets.

"The Mexican workers impressed me with their quality control," Rivers said. "Among themselves there is a lot of pride, you could even say perfection."

Such praise for the migrant workers didn't always win Rivers fans, he said. He said people actually called the paper to complain about his stories.

"Some people have a problem with showing the humanity of farm workers," Rivers said.

It's a dining extravaganza this Friday as we offer up gift certificates from five of the Batavia's best restaurants.

Larry's Steakhouse: A good meal among good friends is always on the menu at Larry's. I've tried several items at Larry's and never been disappointed. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Center Street Smoke House: When you need a good southern meal, Center Street is the place to go. Even the BBQ aroma of the place will take you down to North Carolina. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

T.F. Brown's:  From hamburgers to great pasta dishes, T.F. Brown's offers a range of fabulous meals, with a great selection of beers on tap. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Alex's Place: Alex's is known far and wide for its unique and flavorful ribs.  The seafood gets high marks, too. $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Main St. Pizza Company: Main St. is popular with Batavians for a reason: Every item on the menu is expertly prepared. For Main Street, we have three $5 gift cards ($15 total) for $7.50.

Paypal Service fees, $1 each on all items, except Main St., which is 50 cents.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value.  People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before.  By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street before 5:00 p.m. to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

T.F. Brown's

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Main St. Pizza Company

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Larry's Steakhouse

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Center Street Smoke House

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Alex's Place

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Stephen W. Quigley, 55, who is reportedly homeless and traveling from Texas to Ohio, was arrested by Sgt. Timothy Hays of Detective John Condidorio of the Le Roy Police Department yesterday on a charge of petty larceny. Quigley is accused of entering a local church and attempting to steal money from the candle prayer offerings. He is being held on $500 bail.

Robert W. Walsh, 22, of Rochester, was stopped by Corfu police for allegedly driving without headlights. Upon further investigation, officers suspected he was driving while intoxicated. He was charged with DWI and issued an appearance ticket.

Alana M. Thompson, 18, of Lockport was charged with DWI following a traffic stop by Corfu police for allegedly speeding in the village. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Kelly J. Hinkle, 20, of Addison, Maine, is charged with DWI. Hinkle was reportedly spotted on Route 33 in Batavia making an unsafe lane change and then stopping. He is accused of having a BAC of .08 or higher. Hinkle was issued an appearance ticket.

There were two arrests at last night's Kenny Chesney concert at Darien Lake:

Jordon E. Burns, 18, of Orchard Park, is accused of taking a wallet with a debit card in it from a parked vehicle. He is being held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Jessica A. Sheer, 18, of Caledonia, is accused of slapping another person in the face.  She is charged with disorderly conduct. Sheer was issued an appearance ticket and released.

Today, I toured the Sheriff's Office with Sheriff Gary Maha and got to hang out in the high-tech dispatch center for a good deal of time, learning all about both the technology and work flow. It was very imformative. Steve Sharpe, director of emergency communications, provided great insight into dispatch operations. I spend a lot of time listening to the scanner and I depend on the dispatch center for news, so it was useful to see how it actually works and meet the people behind the professional-sounding voices I hear every day.

Paul R. Tenney, 39, of Batavia, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from his employer, Elcon Inc., located on Alexander Road in the Town of Batavia.

Between January 2008 and March 2009, Tenney allegedly forged business checks and falsified business records.

Tenney is charged with three felonies: grand larceny in the second degree, forgery in the second degree and falsifying business records in the first degree.

He is being held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

The investigation was conducted by Kirsopher Kautz with the assistance of the Genesee County District Attorney's Office.

Today: South Main Country Gifts, 3356 S. Main St. Road, Town of Batavia.

Need a gift for a birthday, wedding or anniversary? South Main Country Gifts is a great place to start. South Main features a large selection of merchandise on two floors.

We have a $20 gift certificate for $10, plus $1 PayPal service fee.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value.  People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before.  By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street before 5:00 p.m. (today or tomorrow) to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

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Only a minor injury was reported following a two-vehicle accident Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Norton Road and Route 262.

Kenneth D. Kowalik, 49, of Elba, was reportedly driving a 2006 Honda pick-up north on Norton when he failed to yield for a stop sign, striking a 2004 Pontiac driven by Gina M. Johnson, 30, of Bergen.

Johnson complained of abdominal pain, but was not hurt seriously enough to be transported to the hospital.

Amanda Sterzick, 37, of 3 Maple St., Batavia (pictured), allegedly sold 20 hydrocodone pills to an undercover agent with the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force. Sterzick has been charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance. At the time of her arrest, she had $1,237 in cash. She is held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

Jarrett M. Hoffman, 20, of 9307 Asbury Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggrevated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Hoffman was stopped for allegedly making two turns without a turn signal. He was issued an appearance ticket and released.

UPDATE: Just in:

Timothy O. "Cricket" Lee, 28, of 20 Ross St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is accused of selling crack cocaine while being observed by members of the Genesee County Local Drug Task Force. At the time of his arrest, Lee allegedly had $1,840 in cash. Lee is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. He is being held without bail.

Tankers and crews are being dispatched as mutual aide to a house fire in the Town of Alden.

The fire is reported at 12773 Uebelhoer.

Manpower and equipment is being requested from Corfu, Darien and Pembroke.

UPDATE: A reader reports that it shoulds like two structures are on fire. He sends along a link where you can listen to Erie County fire dispatch online. iTunes is required.

UPATE II: Lucille notes in comments, WBKW reports that at least one person is dead at the fires.

UPDATE III: Beth Kinsley provides this link: Sibling dispute ends in suicide.

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