For a long time, teams representing Genesee Hardware and Pino Vincenzo have been rivals on the softball diamond, but it's been nearly 20 years since they played their once-annual "Snow Ball" match at Williams Park. That tradition was revived Saturday when the two teams braved the cold and the snow-covered field to once again prove which team has what it takes to be called "champion."

A Batavia woman was apparently not wearing a seat belt today when the minivan she was driving crossed the center line on Route 5 at Hopkins Road and struck a pickup truck head on, ejecting her through the front windshield.

Hope A. Calhoun, 30, of Shady Lane, Batavia, was taken by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center with reportedly serious injuries. This evening, patient information at ECMC did not have a status update on her condition.

The two children riding with Calhoun were not injured.

The driver of the pickup truck, Kenneth R. Thomas, 49, of Hopkins Road, Batavia, was transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC where he was treated for a leg injury.

His passenger, Wendy H. Howard, 49, was taken to UMMC and treated for rib injuries.

Calhoun was reportedly driving a 2005 Pontiac minivan eastbound on Route 5 at 11:57 a.m. when she lost control of her vehicle. Investigators said her speed was too fast for road conditions, which were icy and slushy.

Thomas reportedly tried to avoid the accident, moving toward the north shoulder.

The impact created a large debris field of car parts and groceries from both vehicles, including paper birthday plates and fruit-drink cartons as well as compact discs from one or both of the vehicles.

After Calhoun was ejected, her body rolled into a drainage ditch on the south shoulder of Route 5 and initial reports were that she was semi-conscious when first responders arrived.

The children riding with Calhoun were Claire Williams, 8, and Evan Williams, 4, both of Cochram Road, Bryon. The children were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation where they were treated and released.

The accident is under investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, led by deputies Ron Meides and John Duyssen of the crash-management team.  Assisting at the scene were Deputy Brian Thompson and Trooper Holly Hansel.

East Pembroke Fire Department responded along with mutual aid from Town of Batavia Fire Department. Ambulances from Oakfield and Darien fire departments also responded.

(Initial report)

An alleged gambling operation in Batavia that was revealed Friday with the arrest of three city residents may have involved substantial amounts of cash, according to the lead investigator in the case.

Steve Mullen, head of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force, said during a press conference Friday that gamblers placed bets ranging from $25 to $2,500 -- and possibly more -- on single sporting events.

The scope of the alleged operation may best be illustrated by one gambler already interviewed by investigators who lost, according to Mullen, as much as $10,000 a year on poorly chosen bets.

Computers, phones and every electronic device the three suspects owned that could possibly store data was seized by investigators when four search warrents were executed Thursday.

Local investigators as well as experts from the WNY Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory will comb through the data -- along with paper records -- to try and determine the extent of the operation, identify more clients and other possible suspects.

Investigators are unsure at this point if the data will reveal if there is a "Mr. Big" who could have bankrolled the operation, or if the three suspects started the business and operated it independently.

"That's a good question," Mullen said in an interview Saturday. "It's hopefully something we will be able to develop through the electronic data and the phone records, to see if anybody else was involved, if there was anybody that money was going to and coming from. We will certainly examine the written records and the electronic records hoping to determine if there was anybody they answered to or who may have come before them and how long they were involved."

The three suspects are Gregory Phillips, 39, of Belvedere Lane, and Brian Bordinaro, 43, of Prospect Avenue, both city firefighters, along with 41-year-old Lance Engel, of Wade Avenue, who's a chef at the Western New York Veterans Home.

The implication of information revealed by law enforcement officials so far, based on the size of some bets placed and the amount of money lost by some, is that the alleged operation went far beyond Super Bowl pools and March Madness grids.

Mullen said so far it looks like the alleged bookies were accepting wagers on the gambit of sporting events, including professional and college football and basketball, professional baseball and hockey as well as other sporting events.

Given the possible scope of the alleged operation, Phillips, Bordinaro and Engel are facing more than just legal issues. There are also career and tax implications that will arise independent of the criminal investigation.

The two firefighters are also accused of accepting bets through phone calls and text messages they received while on duty.

The Batavia Fire Department is likely to start disciplinary procedures at some point, which could conceivably lead to the loss of careers that spanned close to 20 years on the job for Phillips and Bordinaro.

In New York, public safety employees can retire after 20 years.

If the department decides to pursue disciplinary actions, according to Section 75 of the NYS civil service code, Phillips and Borindaro will be suspended without pay (they are currently suspended with pay). The department will then have 30 days to conduct a hearing on the charges.

The hearing is open to the public, unless Phillips or Bordinaro request that it be closed, and they can be represented by legal counsel.

If the charges are sustained, the two firefighters could be terminated.

The process takes place independently of the criminal legal system.

Engel, who is also part of the state retirement system, has 17 years on the job, according to court records. He would be subject to the same disciplinary process if his supervisors elected to pursue disciplinary action.

On the tax front, it wouldn't be unusual, according to Mullen, for the District Attorney's Office to contact state and federal tax officials if the investigation reveals some amount of undeclared taxable income.

"Certainly, the District Attorney's Office has done that before with investigations," Mullen said. "We would provide them (state and federal officials) with the information they needed to conduct their investigations."

Sheriff Gary Maha said Friday that it is hard to believe the alleged gambling operation wasn't profitable.

"They wouldn’t be in the business if they weren’t making some money," Maha said.

Mullen said at this point it's hard to estimate just how much money they were making.

"There were days where they were doing $300 or $400 and a couple of days where they were doing thousands of dollars," Mullen said. "I don't even know how to accurately put an average on it right now. I anticipate that by the end of the week, after we've had an opportunity to review the paper records better, we'll have an idea of how much was being wagered on a weekly, a monthly, and for 2011 -- an annual basis."

Given the amounts of money being wagered, Maha said he doesn't agree with the assertion of some people that gambling is a "victimless crime."

"Talk to some of the wives and families who are losing thousands of dollars to a bookie," Maha said. "I think now days a lot of people accept gambling. We have the racetrack and we have lottery and lotto, but still, it’s illegal to run a gambling enterprise and profit from it."

When a family man is losing as much as $10,000 a year, there are victims, Mullen said.

"That money comes from somewhere," Mullen said. "They're less able to provide for their families. It's an addiction not unlike drugs."

In a bookmaking operation where people are betting -- and often losing thousands of dollars -- a bookie would need to ensure he could collect debts in order to remain profitable.

In the Hollywood legend of backroom sports books, there is usually muscle behind the bookie to ensure debts are paid. Mullen said so far there is no indication that Phillips, Bordinaro nor Engel threatened to break anybody's thumbs.

"We haven't had anybody come forward to volunteer that kind of information," Mullen said. "That's one of the things we will be asking as we identify people on that list, but at this point it's undetermined how they were collecting debts. Hopefully, we'll be able to determine some of that between reviewing data and conducting interviews."

Also as-yet-undetermined is if people outside New York were placing bets with the alleged Batavia bookies.

If such bets are uncovered -- or if it turns out the alleged bookies were keeping out-of-state bank accounts -- the information will be turned over to federal authorities, Mullen said.

For gamblers who might be nervous about the investigation, it's not illegal in New York to place bets.

It's not even against to the law to accept a bet, if you're not profiting from the transaction (taking a rake, charging a vig, etc.). It's only illegal to run a gambling operation as a profit-making enterprise.

"You're really running a business and there’s a lot of implications to that -- above and beyond what the New York State penal law says as far as reporting your income or paying traxes or not paying taxes," Mullen said.

At the press conference Friday, Mullen -- a volunteer firefighter with the Town of Batavia -- was clearly concerned about the impact this investigation might have on the City of Batavia Fire Department.

"Through my contact with Chief (Jim) Maxwell and the firefighters there, this is not a distraction to them," Mullen said. "They are an extremely well-trained, professional group of people and it is a well-run department. They are professionals who are above the conduct of any one or two individuals in the department."

As a public service employee, he's also bothered by what he perceives as a break in public trust by the suspects.

"When you accept a job as a public servant, especially in the sector of public safety, I think you're held to a higher standard," Mullen said. "The pay and benefits that go along with those jobs -- jobs that are obviously involved in helping people to protect life and property -- your work focus should be on work and not occupied by illegal activities."

Lance Engel

A three-car accident with minor injuries is reported at 8091 Alleghany Road (Route 77) in Pembroke. It is blocking traffic. The location is between Indians Falls and Akron roads. Law enforcement on scene says the roads are icy and vehicles should use caution on approach.

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

The driver of the vehicle which allegedly caused the accident left the scene. It's a red pickup with out-of-state plates, hauling a small U-Haul trailer.

UPDATE 4:57 p.m.: Law enforcement has stopped the red truck.

UPDATE 5:05 p.m.: Mercy medics are cancelled. There are five "sign-offs" -- people who don't want or need medical treatment.

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls units are back in service.

A motor-vehicle rollover accident with injuries is reported at 7201 Big Tree Road. It's between Perry and Boyd roads. Two Pavilion EMTs are on scene. Pavilion Fire Department is responding. Wyoming County is sending a deputy to the location. Fire police are called to routes 63 and 246 for traffic control.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m.: Two ambulances are called in. There are two victims, one is elderly and the other is a child.

UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: There are actually three patients, two of whom have minor injuries. A 58-year-old male has a serious head laceration, but he has not lost consciousness. The vehicle rolled over numerous times.

UPDATE 2:42 p.m.: The roadways are reopened.

A car struck a pole, but the driver is not injured, on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. The location is 7405 Reuben Road. The pole is leaning and there may be wires down. Alabama Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 1:49 p.m.: The pole is down and blocking one lane of traffic.

UPDATE 4:26 p.m.: The roadway is clear and Alabama is back in service.

A car struck a pole and there are minor injuries. The location is 2615 Stegman Road in the Town of Batavia, west of Powers Road. East Pembroke Fire Department is at the scene. Mercy EMS is dispatched. The pole is still intact. National Grid will be called to check it out.

UPDATE 1:41 p.m.: Two children were taken to UMMC. A 6-year-old boy has ear pain and an 8-year-old girl has elbow and knee pain.

A head-on collision with one person ejected from a vehicle is reported at Route 5 and Hopkins Road in the Town of Batavia. The person is semiconscious. Mercy Flight in Buffalo is called, but is not able to fly. The helicopter is Batavia is being contacted. Route 5 will be shut down at Wortendyke  and Powers roads.

East Pembroke Fire Department and State Police Sheriff's deputies are on scene. Mercy medics are responding. Town of Batavia Fire Department is called to provide mutual aid as this is in East Pembroke's fire district.

UPDATE 12:12 p.m.: There are five people involved. Two are children who appear to be OK but will need to be checked out. Two adults are able to walk. One is seriously hurt.

UPDATE 12:20 p.m.: Ambulances from Oakfield and Darien are requested to the scene. They will be providing the third and fourth ambulances responding, respectively. A snow bank has been cleared to enable the Batavia Mercy Flight to fly. A landing zone is being set up in a yard on the southeast corner of Hopkins Road.

UPDATE 12:24 p.m.: The grass in the yard is too wet to land the helicopter, so it will land in the middle of the roadway on Route 5.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: Because of safety issues, the helicopter will not being landing on Route 5. Instead, it is being directed to the paved back parking lot of a nearby building.

UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: Mercy Flight is on the ground.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, headed to Erie County Medical Center with the seriously injured adult. Two adults children are being taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation. Darien is going to UMMC with a 48-year-old male truck driver who's complaining of ankle pain and has "a brush burn on his nose." Preliminary indications are that the driver of a minivan lost control of the vehicle, which then crossed the center line and was struck head on by a semi pickup truck. An adult passenger in the pickup truck was uninjured.

UPDATE 2:07 p.m.: The roadways are reopened. East Pembroke is back in service.

Normally, the sky serves as a backdrop for innumerable photo subjects and under a variety of conditions. But there are those times when the sky itself is the subject. On such occasions the sky needs no help, no setup, all by itself it steals the show...this sunrise as seen from Genesee Community College literally stopped me in my tracks. After I snapped the above photo, the following moments were like looking into a panoramic viewfinder as the horizon went through some rapid changes...

Shape-shifting clouds, intense yellows, red and orange. Whether it be described as moving, inspirational or spectacular...it was totally surreal.

The pics hardly do the scene justice -- what you see in the photos spanned the horizon from north to south, an unbroken view of the entire surrounding area.  There is certainly something to be said for rising early.

Once autumn foliage is gone, bony branches and various moon phases offer a variety of photo ops. This pic has a Halloween look to it.

Playing a waiting game with the moon, wind and clouds...

It was a crisp, cold winter night when I pointed to the crescent moon and my dad promptly told me it was one of his fingernails he had thrown into the sky. Yeah, I believed him...I was of pre-school age at the time.

This is one of Claudia's favorite evening photos taken from our back yard. 

Another of Claudia's photos...it reminds me of  a '50s and '60s TV ad...hint: "plop, plop, fizz, fizz."

Late in the day cloud bank, August 2011

Lunar nocturne

A one-vehicle rollover accident has been reported in the area of 7459 Randall Road, Le Roy.

The location is just west of Route 19.

Le Roy fire and ambulance in route.

Dispatchers are checking the availability of Mercy Flight.

The driver reported the accident. He's out of the car but shaken up. A law enforcement officer on scene asks that the ambulance expedite its response.

A pole is snapped and wires are hanging low.

UPDATE 11:44 p.m.: The pole is a telephone pole.

UPDATE 11:45 p.m.: No need for Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 11:48 p.m.: Roads being shut down at Randall and West Bergen and Route 19 and West Bergen.

UPDATE 11:56 p.m.: Patient being transported to Strong.

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Not a lot of wind damage to report so far tonight -- but a window at the WBTA radio studios at Main and Center streets blew out about an hour ago. Frank Bellucci and his son, Frank Jr., from Short Notice handyman service responded to put a patch on the damage.

In other weather-related news (posted by Billie):

UPDATE 8:12 p.m.: Wires are arcing on a pole at 9009 York Road. Le Roy Fire Department is called. National Grid has been notified. The pole number is 8982. Le Roy Fire Police are called to shut down traffic at York Road and Route 5 and also at York and Harris roads.

UPDATE 8:16 p.m.: A transformer is involved. Additional manpower is requested.

UPDATE 8:38 p.m.: A large tree is reportedly down and blocking traffic in the vicinity of Circular Hill and Oatka Trail roads in Le Roy. The county highway department has been notified.

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: The wind is wreaking havoc on the windows at the dilapidated Wiss Hotel, located at 78 Main St. in Downtown Le Roy. "Two windows are smashed in front of the place and I don't know if anymore are going to come out," a witness told dispatch. Meanwhile, a rep for National Grid is on scene at the York Road arcing pole incident.

UPDATE 9 p.m.: York Road is reopened. Le Roy units responding to that call are back in service. National Grid is handling the situation.

UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: The glass in front of the Wiss Hotel has been swept up and disposed of.

UPDATE 9:04 p.m.: County highway department workers and Sheriff's deputies are on scene at the site of the fallen tree on Circular Hill Road. Le Roy firefighters were also there but are now clearing and back in service.

A rollover accident with injuries has been reported in the area of 10605 S. Lake Road, Pavilion.

Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:35 p.m.: Car in the water. All people out of the car.

UPDATE 4:52 p.m.: One person is being transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. Pavilion fire is back in service.

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The governor's office is announcing today that PepsiCo along with a German dairy company, is building a Greek yogurt plant at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

The announcement confirms reports first published exclusively by The Batavian in November on the name of the company behind the once-secretive Project Wave.

The facility will employ 186 people in the first three years, according to Steve Hyde, CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

"This validates our strategy of building shovel-ready sites and validates that our community and our region are well positioned for companies to locate here," Hyde said. "For a Fortune 50 company to validate our strategy -- I'm tickled pink to have a company like that commit to come here."

The plant is a joint venture between PepsiCo and the Theo Muller Group.

GCEDC helped spearhead negotiations that involved Empire State Development  providing PepsiCo with a $5.7 million PILOT tax abatement over 10 years and relief from $5.4 million in sales tax on construction materials and office equipment.

Hyde said Project Wave is the biggest new manufacturing operation to come to Batavia since Sylvania opened its plant here in 1953.

Lance Engel

Three Batavia men, including two city firefighters, who are accused of operating an illegal gambling operation, are being released from jail this afternoon following a bail review hearing in city court.

All three entered not guilty pleas to the charge of criminal possession of gambling records, a Class E felony.

Gregory Phillips, 39, of Belvedere Lane, and Brian Bordinaro, 43, of Prospect Avenue, both city firefighters, along with 41-year-old Lance Engel, of Wade Avenue, who's a chef at the Western New York Veterans Home, were arrested Thursday following a six-month investigation.

The trio was initially arraigned Thursday and Justice Robert Balbick was required, because of the felony charge, to order them held in Genesee County Jail without bail pending a report by Genesee Justice of their bail status.

The report on all three recommended, because of their strong ties to the community, that they be released on their own recognizance.

Attorney Larry Andolina is representing Phillips. Asked what he made of the charges, he replied to a reporter, "Are you looking for something other than dumb?"

He added, "I think prosecuting somebody for gambling in New York State is at best, dumb. As I was leaving the Sheriff’s department today, there’s a sign with an arrow that says 'Batavia Downs Race Track and Casino' and it points that way. If you drive down that way, there’s lottery tickets on every corner, there’s Power Ball every where, I just don’t understand it."

Phillips is a longtime resident with extended family in the area. He's married with children and owns his home. He's worked for the city 17 years.

Phillips is also accused of possessing a small amount of cocaine and is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th.

Bordinaro is married, too, with one child at home and he's a homeowner. He's been employed by the city 18 years.

Engel has a wife and three children, owns his home and has been employed by the state for 17 years.

The alleged bookies had several friends and family members in the courtroom during the hearings.

Anolina explained that under state civil service law, the two city firefighters will stay on the payroll until the department files charges. Once charges are filed -- this is a process outside the judicial system -- the department will have 30 days to hold a disciplinary hearing or reinstate their pay.

The Rochester-based attorney reminded reporters that "suspects are innocent until proven guilty."

"These are good people," he said. "They are good men. We’re not dealing with people who are bad people. They are good family men."

COMING: The Sheriff's Office conducted a press conference this afternoon. We'll post a separate story on that later.

A 49-year-old man who participated in a residential burglary at the alleged prompting of an associate pled guilty this morning after some discussion about whether he clearly understood the charges against him.

Frederick H. Robidoux Jr., 49, was spotted along with his alleged accomplice, Eric P. Doleman, 41, breaking into an apartment at 10 Maple St., Batavia, in the early morning hours of Dec. 29.

The occupant of the apartment, Edward R. Freida, had recently been arrested on drug charges and Doleman allegedly knew Freida was in jail and that he had coins and other property of value.

Robidoux initially claimed this morning that he thought Doleman had permission to enter the apartment and that he didn't know his associate would remove items from the home.

Judge Robert C. Noonan informed Robidoux that if what he was saying were true, then he couldn't be convicted of the crime of attempted burglary.

After Robidoux consulted with his attorney, Fred Rarick, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman read from a statement Robidoux made to Batavia detectives when he was arrested.

In the statement, Robidoux said Doleman had told him about an easy way to get money and that he stood outside the apartment while Doleman climbed through a window.

At that point, Robidoux said he better understood what he was being asked to admit to in order to plead guilty.

As a prior felony offender, Robidoux is facing from three to seven years in prison.

In 1999, he was convicted in Livingston County of sodomy.

Robidoux will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m., April 19.

The National Weather Service is warning that strong winds are blowing toward Genesee County and should hit around 3 p.m.

Gusts of 58 mph and greater are possible.

The warning is in effect until midnight.

A 45-year-old Bergen resident accused of being a child sex predator is facing a possible sentence of life in prision after pleading guilty this morning to a single Class A-II felony.

The minimum possible term for Stephen Irvine Stone is 10 years to life in prison, and the maximum mandatory sentence is 25 years to life.

Stone entered his guilty plea unconditionally in exchange for prosecutors not pursuing additional charges -- either those he's already been accused of, or others that might come from further investigation.

Stone was arrested on the first group of charges at the end of December, when he was accused of sodomy, 1st, rape, 1st and criminal sexual act, 1st. The charges stemmed from acts going back to 1997.

New charges were added in January when Stone was accused of predatory sexual assault against children, criminal sexual act, 1st, and criminal sexual act, 2nd.

In Genesee County Court today, Stone admitted to a sexual act with a child 13 years or younger.

As part of the plea deal, Stone agreed to provide the mother of his children with a power of attorney to sell his property for the benefit of the household.

Sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m., April 19. He remains jailed without bail pending sentencing.

UPDATED 10:07 a.m.

UPDATED 9:12 a.m.

Authorities report they have broken up an illegal gambling operation in the city that was being run by three men, including two city firefighters.

The trio was allegedly involved in running sports books, according to Sheriff Gary Maha.

Maha said investigators seized gambling records, computers and mobile phones.

"We won't know the extent of the operation until these are analyzed," Maha said, but he said investigators believe the client list was extensive.

The firefighters allegedly involved were possibly accepting bookmaking calls on their mobile phones while on duty at the city fire hall, Maha said.

The three men, who all live in Batavia, were charged with criminal possession of gambling records, a Class E felony. They were arraigned in city court and jailed without bail.

Firefighter Gregory Phillips, 39, of Belvedere Lane, was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, after investigators allegedly found a small amount of cocaine during a search of his residence.

The other city firefighter charged was Brian Bordinaro, 43, of Prospect Avenue.

Also arrested was Lance Engel, 41, of Wade Avenue.

Investigators executed a total of four search warrents -- one on each suspect's home, and one on the lockers at the fire hall of the two city firefighters.

Phillips and Bordinaro were suspended from their jobs. Under NYS civil service law, they will continue to receive their salaries until the investigation is concluded.

The arrests were the culmination of a six-month investigation by the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force along with the Batavia PD, the Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Office. Maha said City Fire Chief Jim Maxwell and city administration cooperated in the investigation.

City Manager Jason Molino's office released a statement saying when city officials became aware of the alleged gambling operation, law enforcement was informed, which led to the investigation.

UPDATE 1:55 p.m.: Lance Engel is also a public employee, according to state records. He works as a cook at the Western New York Veterans Home in Batavia.

(The Batavian's news partner, WBTA, assisted in coverage of this story.)

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