Stories from

About 100 people gathered in Pembroke tonight for a prayer walk and candlelight vigil in remembrance of Kelsey Milks.

The 19-year-old graduate of Pembroke High School died Sunday night following an automobile accident on Route 63, Town of Shelby.

The walk started at the Pembroke Fire Hall and headed west to the Milks' residence where Rev. Karen Grinnell, of the Indian Falls United Methodist Church, said a few words and led a short prayer. A group of high school students sang "Noel" and at the end of the vigil, the group raised their candles and flashlights to the sky and sang "Silent Night."

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is warning about a computer scam that has apparently hit at least one person locally and prompted a call to law enforcement.

The scam apparently involves a computer virus or Trojan horse of some type that locks up a user's computer while surfing a questionable site on the Web.

A red screen flashes and a verbal message activates informing the user that the FBI has frozen the user's computer due to some supposed violation and demands $300 be paid to the "FBI" via "money pac" before the computer will be unfrozen.

"This appears to be some sort of scam/virus that would probably require a professional to fix as the FBI doesn't not conduct investigations this way," said Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble.

There is information about the scam and how to deal with it that can be found in a Google search.

Dibble questioned whether some of solutions found online might also be a scam and suggested that inexperienced, or non-expert users contact a computer professional for assistance if they suspect such a problem.

Users should have good virus protection installed, Dibble noted, and said users should be careful about their Web travel.

My take: I get a lot of e-mails from people around the community who have added me to their address book with what to me are dangerous attachments or bogus links. This means that people who downloaded such an attachment or opened such a link got their computer infected.

Unless you're on guard against such malware, and especially if you use Windows, it's pretty much inevitiable you will get some sort of virus on your machine.

The best computer security is: never open attachments or click on links that you're not sure about. I never open attachments of any kind that are part of a chain e-mail (forwarded from one person to another) or click on links that look like they will take me to a Web site I'm not confident is legitimate. 

If you're not sure of an e-mail communication ... even from your mother ... don't open it, don't download the attachment, don't click the link. If necessary, call and verify that the person meant to send that e-mail to you.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer today announced that seven job-creation projects in the 61st Senate District will receive state funding as part of the second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards.

“These strategic projects take advantage of the many valuable resources, skills and talents of our region, in an effort to strengthen our economy and help create and retain jobs in our backyard,” Ranzenhofer said. “As a member of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, I have seen firsthand the hard work and dedication of our community leaders to do what it takes to deliver critical state funding for job-creation projects in Western New York.”

"For the second year in a row, the regional councils have been on the forefront of rebuilding New York State's economy. For too many years, top-down economic development policies have failed communities across the state and not truly invested in the unique resources and strengths of each of New York's regions. Now a new, bottom-up approach is in place that brings local communities together to chart their own economic destiny. The second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards will deliver funding for critical projects and investments in communities across our state, helping put New Yorkers back to work and rebuilding our economy,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

The following job creation projects in the 61st Senate District will receive almost $2.4 million in funding from the second round of the Regional Economic Development Council program:

Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation - STAMP Project - $500,000
Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation will undertake engineering and infrastructure work for a thousand-acre advanced manufacturing campus being developed in Western Genesee County.

Jiffy-Tite Co, Inc. - Facility Expansion and Equipment Purchase - $633,200
Jiffy-Tite will expand its manufacturing facility and purchase new equipment. Jiffy-Tite will invest $12.5 million and create 100 jobs.

CNG One Source of New York, Inc. - Genesee County Expansion Project - $300,000
CNG One Source, a business involved in converting the use of gasoline or diesel as a choice of fuel for vehicles to compressed natural gas, will purchase land and construct new facilities.

Farm Credit East, ACA - Growing the New York Dairy Industry - $500,000
Farm Credit East, ACA will enhance its current ability to address capital needs of dairy farmers who are interested in expansion but face significant financial challenges in doing so. The primary focus will be to provide assistance for new investments to comply with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation or other environmental requirements.

Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. – Lean Manufacturing Training - $26,425
Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. of Williamsville in Erie County will train 30 workers in Windows Server 2008, lean manufacturing, the 5S organization process, Six Sigma White Belt process improvement, leadership, lithography, and lithographic relationships and variables.

Genesee County Industrial Development Agency - New York Craft Malt - $117,330
The Genesee County Economic Development Corporation will assist New York Craft Malt. New York Craft Malt will operate a commercial malting facility that will use locally grown food-grade barley. An existing 2,400-square-foot building will be renovated to serve as the malting facility.

Ceramic Technology Partners - Expand Ceramic Manufacturing Capacity - $300,000
Calix Ceramic Solutions, LLC (Calix), GNP Ceramics, LLC (GNP), and Ceramic Technology Partnership, LLC (CTP) will undertake a joint development project to expand their ceramic manufacturing processes to include the manufacturing and supply of sintered silicon carbide. Ceramic Technology Partners will invest $9.5 million and create 42 new jobs.

“It has been an honor to work together with so many of our community leaders – in business, education, economic development, local governments and others – to develop a list of first-rate initiatives that achieves our objectives of creating jobs and building a strong foundation for future growth. I applaud Governor Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Duffy for their continued leadership and implementation of the Regional Economic Development Councils,” Ranzenhofer said.

Statewide, a total of $738 million was awarded for 725 economic development projects in every region of New York State.

Press release:

Due to an unexpected plumbing issue, Urgent Care at 8745 Lake St., Le Roy will be closed tonight, Dec. 19. They will reopen tomorrow, Dec. 20 at their regular time, 11 a.m. Patients who require urgent care services are encouraged to use the Batavia location at 16 Bank St.

A comptroller's audit in the Town of Oakfield uncovered what appears to be an accounting error with garbage punch cards.

Some 1,519 cards, with a value of $30,380, are missing.

It doesn't appear that any funds are missing or have been misappropriated, said Town Supervisor Mike Cianfrini, and the comptroller's report doesn't accuse anybody of wrongdoing.

The town has already taken measures to improve controls, according to the report and Cianfrini.

"When we went to the ticket process, it was kind of a work in progress," Cianfrini said. "I don't think proper controls were put in place, and those have since been implemented."

Going forward,

• the town clerk will maintain an inventory record for cards when obtained, distributed to other entities for sale then sold, and will periodically reconcile the card records;
• the board will require waste facility attendants to retain completely used cards to assist in future audits; and,
• the board will audit the punch card records on an annual basis.

The town received 5,000 press-numbered cards for sale to the public in February 2011. The cards sell for $20 each at the town hall, village hall and three local businesses.

At the time of the audit, 1,446 cards had been sold and 2,035 were unsold with 1,519 missing.

Cianfrini said there doesn't appear, however, to be any missing funds.

"Due to the lack of sufficient record keeping, we could not determine the reasons for these gaps," the auditors state.

While there's no accusation of wrongdoing, the auditors do state, "there is no assurance that the unaccounted cards were not sold, lost or stolen."

The discrepancies were found, Cianfrini said, during an audit of the town's entire recording keeping and financial systems.

"When I met with them after this report came out -- they looked at the entire town's financial transactions -- and this was the only issue noted," Cianfrini said. "They were actually impressed with the financial controls in the town."

ICYMI: The Batavian: Proposed city waste program would mean totes, encourage recycling, institute fee structure

With the help of dozens of volunteers and dozens more donations, T.F. Brown's and Batavia Lions will host their annual Christmas Day dinner with two seatings available, noon and 1 p.m.

Tonight, there were free drinks at T.F. Brown's for community members who came in with a new, unwrapped gift for Santa to give to the children who attend the dinners.

The dinners are open to anybody in the community who wishes to attend and are absolutely free. For reservations, call Maud at 345-1000. Maud will want to know which time you will attend along with the gender, age and names of any children in your company.

Please RSVP by the close of business Friday.

Pictured, Pete Arras, Mary Beth Teresi and Rick Mancuso.

The Rotary Club of Batavia hosted its annual lunch kicking off its basketball tournament.

The 24th annual tournament will be Jan. 8 and 10 at GCC, game times of 6 and 7 p.m.

Photo above: Riley Norton, Notre Dame, senior, forward; Kaleigh Cicero, Perry, senior, guard; Tatyana Wayne, Batavia, senior, guard; and, Sarah Loranty, Alexander, senior, guard.

Below, Santa asks attendees to applaud for the coach with the best "do-rag." From left, Brent Gillette, Perry, Marcia Hirsch, Alexander, Dave Pero, Notre Dame, and Bill Wade, Batavia.

Press release:

During her year and a half in Congress, Representative Kathy Hochul (NY-26) worked with members of both parties on behalf of Western New York’s small businesses, middle class families, veterans, students and seniors.

“It has been an honor and privilege to represent and fight for the people of Western New York,” Hochul said.

Thanks to Hochul’s efforts, the temporary guest worker program has been streamlined and is now available electronically, saving farmers across the country time and money.

Under Hochul’s Clothe a Homeless Hero Act, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and local charities to distribute unclaimed clothing left at airport security checkpoints to homeless and needy veterans and their families. This bill passed House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by the President.

Rep. Hochul is known for working closely with constituents to answer questions, solve problems, or cut through bureaucratic red tape. Hochul secured over $1.3 million dollars for her constituents.

Hochul made it a top priority to ensure the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) would remain in Western New York for the foreseeable future. At Hochul's invitation, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta visited the air base in August and promised to preserve the base.

Additionally, Hochul worked to ensure that American manufacturers continue to grow, create jobs at home, and outperform foreign competition. In her manufacturing jobs plan, she advocated for investing in American workers by closing the skills gap, bringing jobs home from overseas, cracking down on unfair Chinese trade practices, spurring production of America-made energy and resources, and keeping tax dollars in America. Rep Hochul introduced a bill to create incentives for local companies to partner with colleges and universities to match education and job training with the needs of our local businesses.

Please click here to see accompanying document for further information on Rep. Hochul’s accomplishments.

The city has ambitious plans to transform waste collection in Batavia into a service that bills all property owners, encourages recycling and reduces costs through automation.

The details of the city's goals are part of two requests for proposals (RFPs) posted earlier this week on the city's Web site. One RFP covers a supply of wheeled recycling and refuse totes (or carts) and the other seeks a contractor to provide refuse and recycling pick up.

The new program would move the city away from the current use of garbage bags, cans and small blue recycling buckets.

And if Genesee ARC doesn't win the contract -- or fails to bid on it -- it could mean the end of a 30-year relationship with the agency that serves the local developmentally disabled community.

Under terms of the RFPs, the city would purchase the totes and handle all billing, accounting and fee collections.

Property owners would pay the fees and be responsible for determining which size refuse and recycling carts they would use (outside of just accepting the default options).

The fee paid by each property owner would be based on the size of the refuse cart. A 95-gallon tote would cost more than a 65-gallon tote.

The actual amount of the fee will be determined based on the cost of the contracts awarded.

The variable fee program will end the practice of charging for waste collection through property taxes. City Manager Jason Molino said this should lead to a reduction in property taxes for city residents.

Customers would receive free recycling totes, regardless of number or size.

The default options for a single family home is a 95-gallon refuse container and a 65-gallon recycling tote.

Molino said the city hopes residents will put the emphasis on recycling, not waste disposal.

"The city wants you to request 95-gallon recycling tote and a 65-gallon refuse tote because it’s cheaper and you generate less refuse tonnage and you divert more to the recycling stream," Molino said.

Multiple dwelling units, up to four families, would each get a 95-gallon refuse cart per family and one 65-gallon recycling cart per property.

The property owner could request a different configuration, and requesting bigger recycling containers and smaller refuse containers would save the property owner money.

The wheeled totes would come in 35, 65 and 95 gallon sizes and meet certain specified quality standards. according to the RFP. They would be covered by a 10-year warranty.

The waste collection company would be expected to deploy two trucks each weekday (except specified holidays).

According to the RFPs, the city generates 4,487 tons of refuse annually, and though statistics have not been kept on recycling collection, the city estimates local residents and businesses generate 800 to 900 tons of recycling material annually.

As part of the waste program, large items left curbside for pick up will require a city-purchased sticker -- at $5 per sticker. Since 2008, an average of 3,070 bulk waste stickers sold annually.

The city anticipates a need for 5,300 garbage totes and 5,000 for recycling.

Refuse would be picked up every week and the recycling bin for each customer would be picked up every other week.

Molino said the city will also try to encourage composting by residents of organic matter to help reduce the amount of garbage going into the refuse stream.

"That’s more of an education effort," Molino said.

Bids will be opened in a public meeting at 1 p.m., Jan. 9.

The contract award will be based on meeting RFP specifications and costs.

Molino and a committee will review the bids, reject any that don't meet specifications and then recommend a bid winner to the city council.

The city council would have to approve the contracts -- at a Jan. 28 meeting -- and could potentially reject any recommended bid.

If a bid is accepted, the contractor would be expected to finish delivery of totes to customers by the end of May and the new collection service would start in June.

The request for bids comes near the end of a five-year contract between the city and Genesee ARC. 

Genesee ARC has provided the city's garbage service for nearly 30 years and at an annual cost, recently, of $810,000 a year. The agency, based in Batavia, employs 30 people in the service, including 20 with developmental disabilities.

In order to compete for the bid, ARC would likely need to consider buying at least two new garbage trucks, and possibly a third just to handle recycling, in order to meet the specifications of the new proposed contract.

Each truck costs a minimum of $100,000, with prices ranging up to $200,000 each.

Donna Saskowski, executive director of the ARC, said the agency continues to evaluate its options and hasn't made a decision about how it's going to proceed.

Currently, ARC employs two people per garbage truck and three people per truck for recycling pick up.

The automated trucks designed to pick up totes only need one employee per truck.

The potential impact on the agency's employment per truck isn't necessarily the agency's primary concern, Saskowski said.

"We’re tring to be as businesslike and as professional as we can and address the needs of citizen of Batavia," Saskowski said. "That really is our goal."

A prayer vigil for Kelsey Milks is being organized for tomorrow night in Pembroke.

Milks is the 19-year-old Corfu resident who died Sunday night following an automobile accident on Route 63, Town of Shelby.

Participants are asked to bring a candle or flashlight and gather at the Pembroke Fire Hall at 7 p.m. A prayer walk to the Milks' home will begin at 7:30.

Press release:

A “Candlelight Gathering” on Thursday, Dec. 20, will honor the victims of last week’s elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., while helping the local community come to terms with the tragedy.

The event will begin at 7:15 p.m. in Trigon Park.

Le Roy school officials and representatives, and local clergy have been invited to speak during Thursday’s gathering, which is aimed at supporting peace, reaffirming that safety is of the utmost importance and honoring the victims of the shooting.

Among the organizers is Christine Gephart, a social worker with the Honeoye Falls-Lima School District who has a private practice in Le Roy.

Twenty-six people — 20 of them first-graders — were killed on Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., by a gunman who then committed suicide. The tragedy received widespread media attention.

Gephart said children are affected more than we might assume by minor and major losses.

“Tragic events, such as what happened in Sandy Hook, can leave a profound impact on young children,” Gephart said. “As a community it is important to come together to support each other, allow our children and ourselves to grieve, to support our district’s initiative to promote peace and to help our children feel reassured of their safety and well-being.”

The event is supported by Girl Scout Troop 42027 — which Gephart leads — and the Le Roy Parent Teacher Service Organization.

For more information, contact organizer Holly Eschberger, Le Roy PTSO secretary at hollyesch@yahoo.com; or visit the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/574633139228867/

Jamie R. Bachorski, 18, of Oakfield, is charged with two counts of burglary, 3rd. Bachorski is accused of stealing two ATVs from a storage shed on Batavia Oakfield Townline Road over the summer. He's also accused of entering a pole barn on Fisher Road and stealing an ATV. Bachorski was jailed on $10,000 bail for alleged violation of probation. The case was investigated by Deputy Tim Wescott, Youth Officer John Dehm and Investigator Roger Stone.

Joseph Thomas Bortie, 41, of Knowlesville Road, Alabama, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, moving from lane unsafely and driving across hazardous marking. Bortie was stopped at 4:28 p.m. Monday on Route 262, Byron, following a report of an erratic driver on westbound Route 262. Deputy Chad Minuto located Bortie's vehicle a short time later near Transit Road. Minuto said he saw Bortie's vehicle cross into the eastbound lane and almost collide with another vehicle. Bortie was taken into custody following field tests. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Jennifer Lynn Sprague, 29, of Pringle Avenue, Batavia, is charged with falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement. Sprague was taken into custody on Central Avenue on a warrant for the charge out of Town of Bergen Court. She was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

WBTA: Genesee County School Districts Reinforce, Reevaluate in Wake of Mass Shooting

People ask me from time to time why we created The Batavian Club. The simple reason is, it's all about creating an ongoing business.

A newspaper makes money from retail advertising, from classified advertising and subscription fees.

For an online news site, we already know people are no longer willing to pay for classified ads and they don't want to pay for news.

Typically, then, that leaves one revenue source for an online news site: advertising.

Billie and I very much appreciate the revenue we get from our sponsors. It has allowed us to keep up with our bills and hire a single employee. We would like to hire more people, but the advertising pie is going to get only so big (and it's probably as big as it's going to get now).

That's where you come in: Help support The Batavian by becoming a member. The membership fee is less than a typical newspaper subscription.

Here's our promise of what we'll do for you in return: Not only will we work to make The Batavian better, we'll work to bring you real member benefits, primarily in the form of savings at local businesses.

Tonight we e-mailed coupons from three local businesses -- Valle Jewelers, West Main Wine and Spirits, and Southside Deli -- to our current members.

With these three coupons, plus the discounts previously available, members have achieved a potential savings of more than $50 (not counting the free calendar for annual members).

Here's the exciting part: We're working with local businesses to bring you even more savings. We are developing a membership package that will include gift certificates to local businesses. So far, 11 local businesses have agreed to participate. The total value of the gift certificates so far is $173. Over the next few weeks, I'll talk with more local business owners about participating (We'll announce details of the membership program in January; the first membership packages will go out when we reach 100 members (we're at 58 now)).

So, already, we can tell you, a membership in The Batavian Club more than pays for itself. If you love The Batavian, as many of you tell me everyday that you do, please help us become even better.

Here's how to JOIN:

Join via PayPal below, or for annual and one-time memberships paid by check or credit card, click here to download this form (monthly, recurring payment memberships must be via PayPal or credit card. To pay by credit card, use the form, or call (585) 250-4118.

Monthly Single Membership - $5 per month
Includes membership card and bumper sticker and entry into iPod Nano drawing.

Monthly Household Membership - $10 per month
Includes two membership cards and two bumper stickers and entry into iPod Nano drawing.

Annual Single Membership - $50 per year
Includes membership card, bumper sticker and entry into iPod Nano drawing.

Annual Household Membership - $100 per year
Includes two membership cards and two bumper stickers and entry into iPod Nano drawing.

First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia, is holding a special remembrance service at 6:30 p.m., Friday, to honor those who have passed in 2012 and also to pray for those touched by the recent tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Pastor Roula Alkhouri holds a service annually for those who have lost loved ones during the year, but this year, there's greater sorrow for the nation following the massacre in Newtown, Conn.

"We are reminded once more that Christmas can be a painful time for some," Alkhouri said. "In the face of loss, we struggle to find joy in this season. For some this may be the first Christmas without a loved family member who has recently died."

Alkhouri said she is reaching out to pastors and congregations throughout the county to join in this year's service.

"This will be a quiet service of remembrance and hope," she said. "We will light candles for the loss of loved ones. We will also light special candles for the victims of violence of last Friday’s tragedy. We will hear through Scripture and music that God’s presence is (there) for those who struggle and mourn and how God’s Word offers us strength as a light shining into our brokenness."

A three-car accident with one car rolling over is reported on South Lake Road near Route 5.

Indian Falls and Pembroke fire departments responding. Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 8:45 p.m.: A second ambulance requested to the scene, non-emergency.

UPDATE 8:54 p.m.: One patient will be transported (we don't know where) and two people are not injured.

UPDATE 9:56 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls back in service. Roadway is reopened.

Funeral services will be held Friday for Kelsey N. Milks, 19, of Corfu, at Indian Falls United Methodist Church, 7908 Allegheny Road.

Milks died Sunday night at ECMC following a motor vehicle accident on Route 63 in the Town of Shelby.

A graduate of Pembroke Central School, she was the daughter of Gregory and Roxane Savage Milks.

She was attending Genesee Community College, loved dogs and hoped to become a dog trainer.

Calling hours are from 3 to 7 p.m. at the church, with a funeral service to follow at 7.

(Full Obituary)

Carmen Vega, the 40-year-old Le Roy resident who was seriously injured Dec. 8 when her car was hit head-on on Route 33 in Stafford remains in Strong Memorial Hospital, but is listed in satisfactory condition.

The accident claimed the life of Collin Crane, 17, a senior at Batavia High School.

The accident remains under investigation by the State Police and no cause has been released.

Another member of an alleged meth distribution ring in Genesee County that was broken up in 2009 has been sentenced in federal court, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.

Andrew Chapman, 42, of Batavia, will serve two years on probation for his part in the distribution of methamphetamine.

In June, Chapman admitted in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, methamphetamine.

Chapman received the meth he sold from Donald G. Vanelli II, 49, of Le Roy, who is serving more than 17 years for his role in the sale and distribution of meth locally.

Three other people were arrested in the raids in 2009.

All of the cases have been resolved, except that of Donna L. Boon (aka Donna McAuley), who lives at 3658 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road. Her original charges were dropped but she remains under federal indictment for other alleged offenses.