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Garage fire reported in Corfu

By Howard B. Owens

A detached garage at 8880 Alleghany Road is fully engulfed in flames.

Fire units from Corfu and East Pembroke have responded.

Fire police have been dispatched to shut down traffic at routes 5 and 77 as well as routes 33 and 77.


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Fire alarm on Garibaldi Avenue in Oakfield

By Howard B. Owens

Oakfield Fire is responding to an alarm at 40 Garibaldi Ave..

UPDATE 10:43 p.m.: Some time ago, I heard something about a smoking engine. Not sure if it was this call, but the chief just requested a full engine company response.

UPDATE 10:46 p.m.: "There's a hot spot in one of the bathrooms. We're trying to get access to the attic."

UPDATE 1:49 a.m.: Not all crews have cleared the scene, but units are being put back in service.


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Downtown Success Story: House of K celebrates five years in business

By Howard B. Owens

Most new retail businesses never last past the first year. The owners either run out of cash, mismanage their inventory or pick a poor location. For Kamilla Kabel, though, she had more than a dream. She had a plan and did her research.

House of K celebrated its fifth anniversary on Saturday, and Kabel was all smiles.

"I feel it is an accomplishment," Kabel said. "I set out for a goal. My business plan said for five years of survival and I’ve done it, and (there's) even been a (widespread) financial crisis at the same time."

House of K features designer European fashion for women, and Kabel, a native of Denmark, said her stylish clothing appeals to women of Genesee County as well as drawing customers from Rochester and Buffalo.

"We bring in unique items you can't get any place else," Kabel said.

Kabel moved to the U.S. in 1999 to be closer to Batavian Ben Kabel, whom she met in Copenhagen while he was studying architecture there. They were married in 2000. The Kabels now have two children.

After obtaining a two-year degree in interior design from Monroe Community College and working as an assistant manager at Pier 1 Imports in Amherst, Kamilla wanted to do something that would give her more freedom to visit her parents in Denmark. She told the Daily News in 2004 that she always wanted to own her own business.

Retail was a good choice. The always-effusive Kabel says she loves people and the only bad times she has in the store is when there are no customers to talk with and help find the perfect dress for an afternoon wedding or pick just the right accessory for a designer blouse.

"The high point (of owning the store) has definitely been the customers," Kabel said. "We’ve become friends and I know their lives and they know me."

In a business environment where many naysayers might try to talk people out of starting their own stores, Kabel's advice is simple: "Go for it."

"You have to give it a try or you will always wonder," Kabel said. "You don’t know what lies ahead. You can try and prepare for everything, but you never know, so you’ve just got to go with the flow and change things along the way."

Sunday Evening Deals: Mane Attraction, Picasso's, Adam Miller, Alex's and more

By Howard B. Owens

The Mane Attraction, 99 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: The Mane Attraction is a spa and salon offering pedicures, manicures, hair styling and massage. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Picasso's Pizza, 419 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: A great variety of pizza, subs and salads -- and try the wings, too. We have three $5 booklets of $1 gift certificates ($15 value) for $7.50. The gift certificates can be used collectively or individually.

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, NY: Feel like a kid in a toy store again, or treat your kids to the greatest toy store they will ever see. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Ribs, brisket, steak, prime rib -- Center Street is a meat lover's paradise. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Matty's Pizzeria, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Matty's is another Batavia favorite for pizza and wings. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Settler's Restaurant, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

SOLD OUT

New fitness center downtown slated to open Dec. 1

By Howard B. Owens

Next Level Fitness, the new fitness center Ken Mistler has been constructing at the corner of E. Main and Jackson streets, will open Tuesday, Dec. 1, Mistler said in a message on Facebook.

Doors will open for the first time at 8 a.m. on that day.

Memberships will be $19.95 per month with a $14.95 annual fee on a one-year contract.

Child care will be available for $2 for an hour-and-a-half (there will be some restrictions).

Fitness classes will also be available at an additional cost, though Mistler said the cost will be minimal.

There will be a separate workout floor for women.

The facility is completely remodeled inside using quality material. Members will be able to enjoy locker rooms with showers, as well as steam rooms.

Better bring in your brass monkeys tonight

By Howard B. Owens

Blame Canada.  It's going to be cold tonight -- low 30s -- with a "hard frost" according to the National Weather Service.

UNSEASONABLY COLD CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS NEW YORK STATE TONIGHT. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES... LIGHT WINDS... AND PLENTY OF COLD DRY AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH WILL BRING A HARD FREEZE TO MOST OF WESTERN AND UPSTATE NEW YORK. LOW TEMPERATURES NEAR LAKE ERIE AND ONTARIO WILL NOT GET QUITE AS COLD... BUT STILL WILL DROP TO NEAR FREEZING... RESULTING IN THE FIRST FROST OF THE SEASON FOR MANY.

Farmers are advised to harvest tender crops and gardeners should bring potted plants in doors.

Notre Dame takes share of league title with 28-0 victory over Elba/BB

By Howard B. Owens

A young Elba/Byron-Bergen team had some lessons to learn tonight, homecoming night, according to Head Coach Michael Cintorino, so he kept his players on the field, fighting until the final second.

Cintorino didn't want the referees to let the clock run down at the change of possession with more than a minute left in the game and the 28-0 score favoring a bigger, more experienced Notre Dame squad.

"What we’re trying to do is get them that experience and really understand what a tough team like Notre Dame, what it takes to get them where they are," Cintorino said. "We want them to understand that they have a little work to do in the coming years to match a team like Notre Dame."

There was a lot of fight in the Lancer's tonight, but critical mistakes and an inability to string together enough consecutive good plays on the offensive side to sustain a drive had Elba/BB fighting uphill through all four quarters.

Trouble started on Elba's first drive when it was stopped short by an interception. On the next play, Mike Pratt had a clear 17-yard path to the end zone. A missed PAT put the score at 6-0.

On its next possession, the Lancers failed to move the ball and a high snap on a fourth-down punt turned into a two-point safety when the punter kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone. That made the score 8-0.

Pratt scored later in the first quarter on a four-yard run, and with another missed PAT, the Irish were up 14-0.

The Irish would score again in the second quarter on a 11-yard run by Mike Aina, and again in the third quarter on a three-yard rush by Pratt, making he score 28-0.

As the game wore on and the Irish showed more preference for the clock-devouring run game, Elba's defense displayed some grit in forcing more than one three-and-outs in the second half.

"(The defense was) very impressive," Cintorino "If you look at what ND has been doing this year, they’re a power running team and they throw quick passes. When they run, both Beau Richter and Mike Pratt are very hard runners. Their offensive line is big and strong and they get a great push and we were able to stand up to them."

Cintorino said he also came away from the game hopeful about his young team's offense, which features a promising junior quarterback in Eric Kowalik and an athletic junior receivers, Tess Schramm and Joe Burr.

"We have some young guys out there and they’re very close to making these big plays," Cintorino said. "We work on it the rest of this season, we work on it during the off season and we come back next a little bit more veteran and we get the job done."

Notre Dame (5-1) Head Coach Rick Mancuso said he's also seen the weekly improvement in Elba, which came into the game with a 2-3 record, and said his team didn't take the Lancers lightly.

"Week in and week out, every team is a test, and they’re very well coached," Mancuso said. "They’ve got a great group of guys in that coaching staff and they’ve got a really nice team. We’ve watched them -- this is the sixth week, we’ve got a lot of film on them, we’ve seen a ton of progress week-to-week. We didn’t come out here and expect to have an easy time, that’s for sure."

Mancuso said he was particularly proud of his offensive line in helping to establish the run game early

"Our linemen did a great job, I thought," Mancuso said. "We’re starting to come around. Those younger kids that started out the season for us, they’re not young kids any more. Everybody is pretty much seniors and four-year players now."

Notre Dame heads into sectionals with a 5-1 record, same as Holley (5-1) and Attica (5-1), who played a nail-biter of a game today, reaching the final nine seconds of game time in a 0-0 tie. Attica pulled it out on a 35-yard field goal by Zack Fleiss, ruining Holley's bid for an undefeated season and giving the three top teams a share of the Genesee Region league title.

Mancuso said he feels good about his team heading into sectional play.

"Our loss last week (to Holley) was very difficult to take," Mancuso said. "I was really interested to see how the kids would challenge themselves this week and get back in the saddle and I thought they did a nice job doing that."

Some of tonigh's stats:

For ND, Pratt had 111 yards on 19 carries.

For Elba/BB, Pete Pryzbl had 9 carries for 52 yards. Schramm, two catches for 37 yards. Joe Burr had two catches for 18 yards. Kowalik completed five passes in 21 attempts for 58 yards. On Defense, Burr had seven tackles and six assists. Brandon Shuknecht had five tackles and a fumble recovery. Tom Fowler had six tackles and three assists.

NOTE: My video camera is broken. I can't get the video out of it that I shot last night (well, I captured some, but only through the first quarter, so it's unlikely I'll be able to post video of this game. I'll have to see if I can get it repaired this week).

House of K turns 5 today

By Howard B. Owens

One of Batavia's real entrepreneurial success stories -- House of K -- is five years old today.

Owner Kamilla Kabel is celebrating the special anniversary with door prizes, special discounts and tasty seasonal treats.

Kabel said her business started as a dream to bring Danish fashion to Western New York. The successful downtown business brings in customers from all over the region, including Buffalo and Rochester.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today for its anniversary.

Fumbles key loss for Le Roy against Cal-Mum

By Howard B. Owens

Not to take anything away from Cal-Mum -- a solid team that played well Friday night -- but the Le Roy Oatken Knights literally handed away its 2009 match-up its arch-rival.

The Knights, dealing with a disappointing season so far, looked like a team that could beat Cal-Mum, but as Head Coach Brian Moran said after the game -- teams that repeatedly drop the ball can't win.

"Turn overs was the whole game," Moran said. "You can't turn the ball over and win a game. You can't do it. It just can't happen."

Le Roy's fumbles robbed them of opportunities to put points on the board and set up both scores for the Red Raiders.

Moran's team drops to 1-5 on the 14-0 loss, while the Red Raiders (4-2) prepare of a playoff game next week.

"I thought our effort was there, but I thought we turned the football over too many times," Moran said.

Turn overs were also the first thought that came to mind for Raiders Head Coach Mike Monacelli.

"They're an awful rough team to try and stop," said Monacelli. "I'd like to think we are, too, but they happend to turn the ball over in some key spots."

The turnover started early for Le Roy. After the defense came up big and stopped Cal-Mum with a three-and-out on its first possession, giving the Knights the ball on about their own 40, six plays into the drive, the Knights gave the ball back to the Raiders on the Raiders 40.

The Raiders failed to capitalize on the turn over, despite marching the ball down to Le Roy’s one-yard line, where on a third down play, Brandon Monteleone came up big and stuff a Cal-Mum running play for a three-yard loss. Cal-Mum couldn’t punch it through on forth down giving back the ball to Le Roy.

Le Roy was unable to push the ball forward much on its first two downs and a muffed pitch on third down put them on their heels on the one-yard line. The subsequent punt traveled less than yards, giving Cal-Mum excellent field position.

A few plays later, Cal-Mum’s Tervor Hout busted through the line and into the end-zone. A two-point conversion gave the Raiders a 8-0 lead.

The Knights fight back on the next drive, pounding the ball from its own 20 down to the one-yard line where yet another fumble kills the drive.

Cal-Mum is unable to convert the turn over into a score however, and the half would end with the Raiders up 8-0.

The second half begins much as the first half did for Le Roy. On it’s first possession, Le Roy drives the ball down to Cal-Mum’s 40 yard line when a fumble squanders the opportunity to start the third quarter strong.

This time, Cal-Mum wouldn’t miss the opportunity to turn a Le Roy mistake into points on the board. The Raiders take the ball 60 yards to the end zone where Jon Cappotelli will race the ball in on a near-side sweep to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead (the Raiders fail on a two-point conversion try).

The only glimmer of life the Knights would show the rest of the game was an early fourth-quarter fumble recover by Monteleone.  It was a turnover to no where for the Knights, though and the game would end 14-0.

Cappotelli carried the ball for 102 yards on 24 rushes.

Offensive stats for Cal-Mum: Ben Anastasi carried the ball seven times for 29 yards, Cappotelli had 24 carries for 102 yards, and passing, Mike Anderson had two completions on seven attempts for 54 yards.

Offensive stats for Le Roy: Quentin Humphrey, carried the ball 11 times for 9 yards, Jon Casper five carries, 28 yards, Rick Henry, 11 carries for 52 yards, Mark Kelso, six carries and 20 yards. Kelso also threw the ball 7 times, connected on two for 18 yards

In other action tonight, Oakfield-Alabama beat Pembroke 17-13. Honeoye Falls-Lima beat Batavia 41-19.

Tomorrow's games have Attica at Holley at 1:30 p.m., Alexander at Barker at 1:30 p.m., and Notre Dame at Elba/Byron-Bergen at 7 p.m..

We'll be covering the night game.

Le Roy man arrested and charged with Pavilion bank robbery

By Howard B. Owens

Four-hundred and forty-three dollars.

That's the amount of money Nick A. Hawkins allegedly stole from Pavilion's Five Star Bank branch on Monday.

Hawkins, 25, of 24 W. Main St., Le Roy, is in custody tonight.

The money is all gone. Hawkins reportedly spent his loot before his arrest, which he allegedly took from the bank using a demand note.

The 11:30 a.m. robbery triggered a four-hour manhunt in Pavilion involving deputies from Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston counties as well as State Police and the DEC all-terrain-vehicle unit.

Hawkins is charged with robbery in the third degree. He was jailed on $25,000 bail.

No word yet on what led to his arrest.

Previously:

Roll over accident at Ellicott and Jackson in Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Emergency crews on are scene of a two-car, roll over accident at Ellicott and Jackson in Batavia. No word on injuries at this time.

UPDATE: There were actually three vehicles involved in the accident. The overturned Toyota was reportedly driven by Janet Douglas, 47, of Wyoming. The other vehiclesere a 2003 Jeep driven by E.A. Geandreau, 16, of Highland Park, and a 2002 Chevy pick up driven by Charles Baxter, 64, of Akron. 

 

Adoptable pets at Farmers' Market

By Howard B. Owens

Volunteers for Animals had a few pets at the Farmers' Market at Batavia Downs this morning (they'll be there for another hour).

It was oh-so-tempting to take one of these puppies home, especially the black-furred guy up front in this picture. While I leaned down, he came over, jumped on my lap, licked my face and whispered in my ear, "I want to be Pachuco's brother." 

Alas, we have no room for another dog, but perhaps you do.

Police Beat: Darien Lake employee accused of stealing a phone

By Howard B. Owens

Matthew Kyle Johnson, 21, of 2509 E. Main Road, Pembroke, is charged with petit larceny. Johnson is accused of stealing a mobile phone while employed at Darien Lake Theme Park.

Kenneth R. MacGreagor, 23, of Cheektowaga, is charged with false personation and having no motor vehicle license. MacGreagor was stopped at 1:30 p.m. Thursday by State Police on Stephen Hawley Drive in the Town of Batavia.

Today's Deals: South Main, T.F. Brown's, Alex's, Clor's, Belladessa's

By Howard B. Owens

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. We have a $20 gift certificate for $9.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Belladessa's Pizzeria/Jackson St. Grill, 9 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: Here's a deal -- half off on a Family Meal Deal from Belladessa's, which is a large 1 topping pizza, 24 wings and 2-liter bottle of soda. It's a $25 value for $12.50.

Clor's Meat Market, 4169 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: For the best, most flavorful, juiciest chicken or hamburger in town, hands down, stop by Clor's. Oh, and the steaks are great, too. And the sausage. Clor's also serves lunch and dinners from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have a $15 gift card for $7.50.

SOLD OUT

Western OTB hit jackpot with Batavia Downs purchase

By Howard B. Owens

In a year in which New York has seen growth in lottery revenue, Batavia Downs is among the most successful video gaming facilities in the state, reports the Ithica Journal:

The largest was a 10 percent revenue increase at Batavia Downs Race Track, which is owned by Western Regional Off-Track Betting. Western OTB was criticized when it bought the track in the late 1990s, but the success of the terminals has offset losses on the racing side, allowing Western OTB in recent years to return profits to the counties it serves.

Western OTB has had about $250,000 in losses at its betting branches this year, but has had a profit of about $1.5 million at the video-lottery facility, which has 605 machines, officials said.

Overall in New York, video lottery terminal sales grew 3.3 percent in the first half of the fiscal year. Mega Millions sales were up 37 percent.

The trend across most of the rest of the nation for state-run lotteries has been downward.

Fan favorite Rockysbreezybuddy to be retired Saturday

By Howard B. Owens

Press Release:

Batavia, NY --- The 7th annual $40,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial pace headlines a terrific card of racing on Saturday night, but for some racing fans the night could be bittersweet.
 
Rockysbreezybuddy, a standout on the local circuit for much of the decade and the 2003 Kane Memorial winner, is being retired.
 
The horse they simply call "Rocky" will see his career officially end with a special winner's circle ceremony after the 6th race. He will then lead the post parade for this year’s Kane Memorial.
 
Owned by William Brown and trained by Peter Arrigenna, the 11-year-old In the Pocket gelding earned $230,181 in his career. In 258 lifetime starts, he had 53 wins, 32 seconds and 43 thirds, and took his lifetime mark at Vernon Downs of 1:52.2 in 2003.
 
“Rocky let us know when he was ready. After his last start at Batavia he came off sore in the left front," Arrigenna said. "He's been too good of a horse to try to race him in cheap claimers. I called Billy and told him it was time to retire him."
 
Rocky broke his maiden at Rosecroft Raceway with Betsy Brown (sister of Bill) driving in October of 2000. His last victory, with Troy Boring in the sulky, was in February of this year, at Buffalo Raceway.
 
“Rocky was a perfect horse to be around, you never had to worry about him hurting anybody,” Arrigenna said.
 
His daughter, Mandy, referred to Rocky as "her Saturday night date at the track.”
 
Rocky was owned by both Bill and Betsy Brown. Betsy trained him at Rosecroft until he came to the Western New York circuit at age 4.
 
"He was so use to a 5/8th track that when he left the gate at Buffalo, he had the 7 hole, he didn't know how to make the first turn," Arrigenna said. "I thought he was heading out the outside fence.”
 
“He had talent and the rest is history. I never thought when we got him he would have made over $200,000, the hard way in overnights and most of it before slots. He won Opens at Batavia, Buffalo, Vernon and Monticello for us, and of course the Kane."
 
“He was a pleasure to have in our Opens,” Racing Secretary and Track Announcer Joe Zambito said. “You always count on him to put on a good show and from an announcer stand point he was fun to call because he was a fan favorite. He would be charging home every week.”
 
On Saturday he'll merely be jogging when he leaves the Batavia Downs oval one last time, taking with him a lifetime of memories for so many.
 
Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Truck gets stuck in Oak Street roundabout

By Howard B. Owens

A Food 4 Less delivery truck apparently became stuck in Batavia's Oak Street roundabout this morning.

The police officer who responded reported back to dispatch about 20 minutes later, "Clear CAD. No report. If they drive over the stamped portion of the concrete, they should be OK."

Police Beat: Man involved in accident charged with DWI

By Howard B. Owens

Timothy K. Bump, 39, of 3207 Pratt Road, Lot #23, Batavia, is charged with a felony count of DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater, and failure to reduce speed for hazard. Bump was allegedly driving on Slusser Road in Pembroke yesterday at 5:10 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a guard rail. No injuries were reported in the accident and no other vehicles were apparently involved. Deputy Patrick Reeves investigated the incident.

Michael Baldwin, 41, of 15 Maple St., Batavia, is charged with assault. Baldwin was arrested for an alleged incident Monday at 5:50 a.m. in which Baldwin is accused of throwing items from a shelf and recklessly causing injury to another person. That person was initially treated at UMMC and then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital. Baldwin was jailed without bail. Officer E.E. Bolles investigated the alleged incident.

Lindsey Goins, 53, of 131 State St., Batavia, is charged with menacing, endangering the welfare of a child and disorderly conduct. Goins is accused of causing a disturbance on State Street at 3:40 p.m. on Tuesda. Goins allegedly shouted obscene language in the presence of children and threatened others with a pocketknife. Goins was jailed without bail. The alleged incident was investigated by Officer Matthew Baldwin.

Chad D. Crawford, 31, of 3 Cedar St., Batavia, is charged with menacing and harassment. Crawford allegedly had physical contact with another person and threatened that person with a knife. Crawford was jailed on $1,500 bail. The alleged incident was investigated by Officer K.M. DeFelice.

Jenna Marie Hattaway, 22, 113 Jackson St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt and harassment. Hattaway is accused of throwing a radio antenna at another person. The court had previously issued an order of protection instructing Hattaway to have no offensive conduct toward that person. Hattaway was jailed on $500 bail. Deputy James Diehl investigated the incident.

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