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Among the New Year's parties that Genesee County residents enjoyed tonight was one at Center Street Smoke House, complete with party favors, balloons, and live music.

Happy New Year!

A snowmobile accident has been reported on a trail in the area of Summit Street Road, Pavilion, near the Le Roy town line.

A subject reportedly had an arm stuck in the machinery of the snowmobile. He is now freed and in a Pavilion fire chief vehicle with a possible broken arm.

The patient may be a child.

Pavilion fire on scene and Mercy EMS responding.

In the time the world has gone from rotary phones to smartphones, and the nation has gone from Nixon to Trump, and Adam-12 and Kojak on network TV to viewers streaming Fargo and True Detective, Gordon Dibble has lived out a career in law enforcement.

Not much has changed in 43 years, though.

Dibble said the thrill for cops is still in catching the bad guys.

"Well, you know, the best part about it, and it sounds funny, but we all get in this job to catch the bad guys," Dibble said during his retirement party Friday at the Sheriff's Office. "That's really what we're here for. So, so many times you know who's done the crime. You can't prove it. You can't get them. And that's the most frustrating part.

"But when you're actually involved in catching one of them, physically catching them, like you chase them and you know it is somebody who you know did something wrong, and you know you know, and you get to chase them and maybe physically catch them, I think that was one of the more rewarding things that a guy (in law enforcement) will do."

Dibble feels fortunate to spent his entire career with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

He was hired Jan. 6, 1973, by then-Sheriff Roy Wullich, who was six days into his new job, making Dibble his first hire. Dibble, who spent four years in Chicago going to college and getting a degree in corrections, was assigned -- like all new deputies then -- to the jail. After a year, he was transferred to road patrol. After five years on the road, he became the juvenile officer. Then, in 1996, he was put in charge of road patrol with the title of chief deputy.

For a lot of people who work in law enforcement, they call it a career after 21 years. That's how long Dibble headed up road patrol after already putting 22 years in the Sheriff's Office.

"I think that people in this line of work," Dibble said, "they're either the 20-and-out type of people and they're going to maybe go do something different or you're here, you know it, and maybe hopefully become the sheriff or the undersheriff or whatever. You know I think that those are pretty common tracks.

"I was lucky," Dibble added. "I mean, I got different things to do and not everybody gets to do that. There are a lot of great people here that don't get those opportunities because it's just a small department."

Dibble said he was also lucky to work in the kind of job where you never know what your workday is going to be like when you show up at the office. Every day is different and unpredictable. That made 43 years go by fast.

"I know when I worked in factories that clock never moved on a wall," Dibble said. "But this job, you know, days went by, weeks, and months went by, years went by like nothing," repeating with emphasis, "like nothing."

During his farewell speech, Dibble said he felt lucky to work with a lot of good people, not just in the Sheriff's Office, but with Batavia PD, Le Roy PD, State Police, the County Legislature, and other agencies that interact with local law enforcement, and even the local media.

"That's why small towns are great," Dibble said. "Everybody knows everybody and we all want to get the job done."

At the end of our interview, asked if there was anything else he wanted to add, Dibble came back to the theme that he shared during the interview and his farewell speech, how lucky he has been.

"I'm very lucky that I've worked for a great department," he said before taking a long pause, " ... with some really good people. Like I said, I'm a lucky guy. That's all."

Jail Superintendent William Zipfel, Undersheriff Gregory Walker, retired Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble, Sheriff William Sheron, Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster.

The incoming chief deputy of road patrol, Joseph Graff, and Gordan Dibble have fun changing name plates on Dibble's old office.

In what may be the last regular season meeting between Batavia and Notre Dame in boys basketball, the Blue Devils came out on top 68-45 to win The Peter Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament.

The tournament has commonly been known as the Lions Tournament, but the Lions Club of Batavia renamed it this year in memory of Pete Arras, a longtime Lions Club member and founder of the tournament.

The tournament is usually the one meeting each year between Batavia and Notre Dame, but next year, the tournament format will change to include eight teams, four each in Class A and B, and four teams in Class C and D, which is why Batavia and Notre Dame aren't likely to play each other again.

Last night, Mason McFollins scored 17 points, hitting five three-point shots. He was named tournament MVP. Steve Gilebarto and Antwan Odom scored 14 apiece.

For Notre Dame, Ryan Moffet scored 11 points and Keith Szczepanski scored eight.

Besides McFollins, the all-tournament team was Liam Ward, Albion, Colin O'Hallohan, Elba, Antwan Odem and Steve Gilebarto, Batavia, and Ryan Moffet, Notre Dame.

A new feature of the tournament is a banner acknowledging all of the teams. The winning team signs the banner and will be able to display it in the school. Above, Nancy Arras, wife of Pete, signs the banner.

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Pembroke pulled out a narrow win Friday night in overtime over Charter School for Applied Technologies in boys basketball.

The final, 66-64.

Jamil Marable scored 22 points for the Dragons. Ethan Stone, 16, Lucas Kohurst, 11, and Reid Miano, 9.

Top scorer for CSAT was Devin Ashley with 21 points.

Photos by Destin Danser.

For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.

On Friday nights, the lights are on for outdoor skating at DeWitt Recreation Area, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Batavia.

This coming Friday, Kiwanis members will be serving hot cocoa from Tim Hortons to skaters who show up between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Above, Kiwanis member Peter Guppenberger.

An odor of fuel is reported in the building of the Flying J travel plaza in Pembroke.

The building was supposed to be evacuated, but a chief on scene reports the building is not evacuated.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments responding.

UPDATE 7:41 a.m.: Newstead fire requested to the scene to help with roof access.

UPDATE 7:41 a.m.: Code enforcement also requested to the scene. Building is evacuated.

UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: Units on the road can continue response, all others can remain in quarters.

UPDATE 7:53 a.m.: A chief reports no issues found. No sign of fire. He suspects diesel fuel getting sucked in by vents was the cause.

A deal to sell property on Ellicott Street to Savarino Companies for development of Ellicott Station, which includes a restaurant, office space, and apartments, was finalized in Buffalo today.

Pier Cipollone, president of the Batavia Development Corporation, and Julie Pacatte, economic development coordinator for the BDC, were authorized earlier this week by the BDC board to finalize the property transfer.

Technically, the BDC sold Ellicott Station LLC to Ellicott Station Development LLC/Savarino Companies. Ellicott Station LLC, not the BDC or the City, was the owner of the real estate.  

The sale needed to close by Jan. 31 because of changes in the tax law would have meant loss of a $200,000 tax credit for the new owners.

Savarino is still working with 16 different entities to finalize financing for the development and has some environmental investigations yet to complete. Officials expect financing to close by mid-February.

The Buffalo-based firm is making a direct investment of about $3.5 million and will borrow approximately another $10 million or more, and local, state, and federal programs will cover another $5 million or so of the more than $18 million in project expenses.

Some of the financing is coming through the New Market Tax Credit program, which is one factor in why the financing is complicated (see prior story).

Resurgence Brewery will be the anchor tenant for the development and BDC officials expect a 2018 opening for the new restaurant.

The approximate 64,000-square-foot development will include office space and a five-story apartment complex with 51 units.

The location is the former buildings of Santy's Tire Sales and Soccio & Della Penna Construction.

Members of the basketball program with the Pembroke Youth Association showed "horns up" for UB men's basketball at Alumni Arena in Buffalo on Thursday night.

The kids got a chance to see a great Division I basketball game (the Bulls beat NJIT 86-81 in overtime) as a group outing.

(I attended the game and when one of the girls with the group won "Fan of the Game" during the second half, I noticed the Pembroke jersey and decided to get a picture of the group at the game. The kids were clearly having a blast.)

The Byron-Bergen Lady Bees beat Greece Odyssey on Thursday night to capture, for the second year in a row, the Sports Boosters Tournament championship.

The Bees came back from a 29-23 half-time deficit to win 56-48.  

After starting the season with three losses, Byron-Bergen has won five in a row.

On Thursday, Juliana Amesbury had 19 points, Kelsey Fuller 14 and Miriam Tardy with 12. Odyssey Shyasia McCullough had 16 points.

Byron-Bergen's Kelsey Fuller was named tournament MVP. The rest of the all-tournament team is Lydia Borrelli from Le Roy, Shyasia McCullough and Abby Wilson from Odyssey and Juliana Amesbury.

Information submitted by Kathryn Krzewinski. Photos by Tammy Fuller.

Investigators are unsure why a 2004 Acura TSX driven by Tracy B. Carpenter, 54, of Oakfield, crossed the center line on Route 33 in Stafford just before 12:30 p.m. today and struck a westbound semi-truck head on.

Carpenter was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Donald Coleman.

The weather was not a factor, according to the Sheriff's Office investigators. The road was dry and the sky was clear.

The accident closed Route 33 between Prole Road and Caswell Road for the entire afternoon. Stafford fire is just now clearing the scene. The Department of Environmental Conservation's spill management crew is still working to clean up a fuel spill. National Grid was on scene to replace a utility pole that was broken when the semi-truck struck it.

The 2007 Western Star was driven by Fay B. Warner, 67, of Geneseo. Warner was not injured in the accident.

The crash is being investigated by deputies Jenna Ferrando, Joseph Loftus, Chris Erion, and the Crash Reconstruction Unit. 

Stafford fire responded along with Byron fire, South Byron fire, and Bergen fire to assist at the scene and block roads. Mercy EMS also responded. State Police also assisted at the scene.

(Initial Report)

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman and his staff, including new First Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini, took their oaths of office today at the County Courthouse.

Submitted photo: Lawrence Friedman, Robert Zickl, County Clerk Michael Cianfrini, Melissa Cianfrini, Kevin Finnell, and Shirley Gorman.

Lazeula D. Washington, 40, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass. Washington is accused of entering the Genesee Country Mall though previously barred from the property. He was jailed on $250 bail.

Jeffery Thomas Dutton, 26, of Buell Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Dutton was arrested after police responded to Walnut Street for a report of two men fighting.

Zachary J. Marrow, 26, of Seven Springs Road, Batavia, was arrested after allegedly failing to appear on a subpoena related to a charge of criminal contempt, 2nd. 

Dexter L. Turner, 26, of Victor Lane, Hamlin, was arrested on two warrants out of City Court. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

David C. Wojkowski, 33, of Swan Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a traffic ticket.

Daniel J. Horner, 37, no permanent address, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on a prior appearance ticket.

Deina Chavez, 36, of Rochester, is charged with conspiracy and petit larceny. Deina was arrested by State Police in relation to an incident reported at 1:13 p.m. Oct. 28 at Kohl's Department Store. Chavez was jailed on an unspecified amount of bail. No further details released.

Members of the Batavia High School softball team, along with parents and coaches and parents, were at the basketball tournament on Wednesday night selling snacks and drinks.

The concession booth is a fundraiser to help the team pay for a trip to a softball camp in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in March. The camp will allow the team to start practices and see game action, helping them prepare for the season, while most of the team's spring competition is still stuck in frigid WNY.

Notre Dame and Batavia will meet in the finals of The Peter Arras GCC Basketball Tournament at Genesee Community College on Friday after both teams won opening round games of the annual tournament organized by the Batavia Lions Club.

Notre Dame beat Elba 77-66 and Batavia beat Albion 84-58.

In the first game, Notre Dame and Elba traded leads throughout the first three quarters, but the Irish pulled away by scoring 30 points in the fourth quarter even as Elba scored 24.  

Ryan Moffat scored 26 points for the Irish, hitting five three-point buckets. Nico Zambito scored 17 points. Spencer Miskiti and Brendin Klotzbach each scored eight.

For Elba, Jonathan Boyce scored 20, Collin O'Halloran scored 16, Colton Dillon, 14, and Ben Pflaumer, 13.

In the nightcap, Mason McFollins scored 31 points, hitting seven three-pointers, while Ray Mlodozeniec scored 13, Trevor Zewan, 12, and Jonathan Liciaga, 8.

For Albion, Liam Ward scored 20, hitting four three-point shots and Bryce Pritchard scored 17, hitting five three-point shots.

Elba and Albion will play the consolation game at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and Batavia and Notre Dame tip off at 8 p.m. Both games are played at GCC.

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      Amber Holland      Jennifer Martino

Two women are in custody following an apparent confrontation inside another person's home in Alexander at 5:28 p.m., Tuesday.

Arrested were Jennifer Martino, 42, of Pearl Street, Batavia, and Amber Holland, 35, of Cambridge Square, Buffalo. They were charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree burglary, criminal mischief, 3rd, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal mischief, 4th.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the duo forced their way into the home of an acquaintance. Once inside, investigators said, there was a physical confrontation. The duo also allegedly damaged property and stole property belonging to the resident.

Martino and Holland allegedly prevented the victim from calling 9-1-1 by taking the person's mobile phone. 

One of the occupants of the home was reportedly a 12-year-old child.

No significant injuries were reported.

Following the report, deputies located a vehicle with Holland and Martino inside and Holland driving. She was also charged with DWI, failure to submit to breath test, and unlawful possession of marijuana.

The pair were arraigned in Alexander Town Court and jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond each. Holland was also arraigned in City Court and ordered held on the DWI charge on $2,500 bail.

The investigation was conducted by Deputy Micheal Lute, Deputy Kyle Krzemien, and Investigator Joseph Graff.