Yesterday, May 1, was The Batavian's fifth anniversary. Over the first five years of The Batavian, here are the 10 most viewed posts:

• Le Roy Legion hosting event to honor WWII vets
• State health officials discuss outbreak of tics in Le Roy, but say they can't share the cause
• Notorious woman allegedly trashes buffet at South Beach, by Billie Owens
• Brad Paisley fans get themselves arrested in droves during Darien Lake concert
• Sex in the City: Batavia 'adultery' case getting wider media attention
• Manhunt in progress near Townline and 63
• Teenage Bergen bow hunter takes down 17-point buck
• South Beach owner "was forced to close" restaurant, says sister-in-law, by Philip Anselmo
• Walmart greeter, age 70, seriously injured after allegedly being punched by 26-year-old woman
• Suzanne Corona accused of shoplifting from Batavia florist

Falling just outside of the top 10 was a post by Brian Hillabush, Christmas lights 12-13-08: DiSalvo's always best in show.

And to catch you up on the monthly most viewed posts ...

Most viewed posts for February:

• Darien man killed in early morning crash on Route 238
• Robber of Sally's appears to have executed a plan to avoid identification
• BREAKING: trash proposal fails on 7-2 vote
• Legislature poised to call for repeal of Cuomo's gun control law
• Tom Houseknecht asserts new trash plan an attempt to skirt property tax cap
• Attica man charged with DWI in Pembroke crashes vehicle in Darien a few hours later
• Possible suspect in Sally Beauty robbery hospitalized after arrest in Owego
• Alabama man accused of raping woman during argument
• Woman accused of stealing money from charity raising money for cancer patient
• Batavia Middle School student in trouble for packing a BB gun

Most viewed posts for March:

• The vote is final: The Wiss Hotel building will come down
• Law and Order: Man accused of installing illegal water line
• Oakfield Fire Department issues statement regarding water dispute with Village
• Judge tells bookies they will serve in a weekend-work program
• Law and Order: Mother accused of not being at home when children were dropped off by school bus
• Sheriff responds to allegation that investigator placed bets with bookie working in fire department
• Ken Mistler buys downtown theater with hope of keeping more entertainment dollars in Batavia
• Woman robbed in parking lot of Save-A-Lot in Batavia, by Billie Owens
• Two women get their hair done at salon, then stiff the stylists, by Billie Owens
• Caller says car parked across the street is harassment, by Billie Owens

Most viewed posts for April:

• Le Roy Legion hosting event to honor WWII vets
• Apparent blow-up between Corfu mayor and employees has village administration in jeopardy
• The story of a stolen thermometer and the police officer who made a gift of it
• Young 'inconsolable' woman resists arrest in Oakfield, is pepper-sprayed, by Billie Owens
• VP at GCC reportedly arrested in Rochester on public lewdness charge
• Trustee asks Corfu mayor to resign
• New pizza shop will have a familiar sounding name and familiar looking face
• Pero brothers entering trash business in Batavia
• Corfu sewer contractor reacts to anonymous letter threatening his business with the village
• Village of Corfu office remains closed this morning

April -- even with the ad server trouble -- set traffic records with 128,425 unique visitors, 512,095 visits and 852,965 page views.

The previous records were set the month before, with 108,490 unique visitors (the first time had more than 100K unique visitors), 493,303 visits and 834,797 page views.

On May 1, 2008, we received 125 visits to the site.

A construction accident at 6612 Tufts Road, Pavilion, has caused an electrical wire to come down, which has sparked a small grass fire.

Pavilion fire is responding.

National Grid is also in route.

No citations were issued to either the driver or pedestrian involved in an accident Monday morning at Main and Oak streets.

Batavia PD investigators determined neither people were at fault because a third vehicle blocked the views of both the driver and the pedestrian.

Amber M. Richmond, of 20 Washington Ave., Batavia, suffered a broken leg in the accident.

The driver is identified as Mallory P. Frew, of 322 E. Main St., Attica.

The State Police assisted in the investigation.

Investigating officers were Chad Richards, Sgt. Eric Bolles, Thad Mart, Arick Perkins and Eric Hill.

Daniel T. Gannon, 52, of 215 Liberty St., Batavia, and Deborah A. Monte, 48, of 210 Liberty St., Batavia, are both charged with disorderly conduct. Batavia PD responded to a report of two people fighting on Liberty Street at 11:30 p.m., Wednesday. After officers arrived, Gannon and Monte allegedly continued to threaten each other.

Terrell D. Bloom, 22, of West State Street, Albion, is charged with petit larceny. Bloom was arrested on a Town of Batavia warrant by Albion PD and handed over to the Sheriff's Office. He was arraigned and jailed on $500 bail.

Dakota M. Smith-Neal, 21, of 20 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with arson, 5th. During an alleged domestic incident, Smith-Neal allegedly tore pages from a personal journal belonging to his girlfriend and set them on fire while in front of the residence. Smith-Neal was jailed on $1,000 bail.

A two-car accident with injuries and entrapment is reported at Judge and Alleghany roads. Alabama and Oakfield fire departments are responding. Mercy Flight #7 out of Buffalo is on in-air standby.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m.: There are believed to be two minor injuries. Mercy Flight is cancelled, but Mercy medics are continuing, non-emergency, and two rigs are requested. Extrication equipment is no longer needed. Traffic at Route 77 and Judge Road is blocked.

UPDATE 7:42 p.m.: The second Mercy rig is cancelled.

UPDATE 7:54 p.m.: Oakfield is returning to service. Mercy medics are transporting patients(s) to ECMC.

UPDATE 8:04 p.m.: Alabama is back in service.

UPDATE 8:09 p.m.: The roads are reopened.

County Republicans have announced their slate for the 2013 County Legislature election in November.

There are six incumbents endorsed for the nine seats.

Also nominated were newcomers Bob Bialkowski, Andrew Young and Greg Torrey.

Mary Pat Hancock, longtime chair of the legislature, will not seek reelection and Young was nominated to fill her District 4 seat.

Torrey beat out incumbent Esther Leadley for the District 6 nomination. District 6 covers Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion.

After years of allowing Democrat Ed DeJaneiro run unopposed, the GOP has nominated former Batavia City Councilman Bialkowski to run for the seat.

Members of the City GOP are reportedly upset with DeJaneiro for supporting funding for Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Lawrence Friedman was endorsed for reelection as District Attorney and Don Read received the nod for reelection to County Clerk.

The incumbents endorsed were: Ray Cianfrini, District 1 (Alabama and Oakfield); Robert Bausch, District 2 (Elba, Byron and Bergen); Annie Lawrence, District 3 (Pembroke and Darien); Frank Ferrando, District 7 (wards 1 and 6, City of Batavia) and Marianne Clattenburg, District 8 (wards 2 and 3, City of Batavia).

Photo and press release submitted by Jerry Diskin:

On Sunday, April 21st, the Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post # 576 hosted a remembrance ceremony honoring all veterans of World War II. The program began at 1 p.m. at the Post's home on West Main Street in the Village of Le Roy with opening remarks by Past Commander Gary Gavenda welcoming all honored guests, family members and friends.

An invocation was delivered by Genesee County Chaplain Don Nagle followed by the POW-MIA Ceremony remembering all POWs (Prisoners of War) and MIAs (Missing in Action) from all wars. This was followed by a welcome address by Botts-Fiorito Commander Donald Schafer.  

An introduction of distinguished guests included representatives from the offices of: Congressman Christopher Collins; Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer (Jay Grasso); Assemblyman Steve Hawley (Greg Torrey); the Genesee County Legislature (Legislator Shelley Stein -- District #6); and Genesee County Veterans Service Officer William Joyce.

The New York State Department and American Legion Commander Timothy S. Van Patten were also on hand along with 8th District Vice Commander John Lang and Genesee County American Legion Commander Dave Henry.

The main portion of the program was opened by remarks and a brief overview by Dick Ladd, whose idea to hold such an event fostered this program. Dick addressed the “Special Guests of Honor” and set the stage for the remainder of the event. 

Post Adjutant Don Vescovi then read off the roll call of the World War II veterans in attendance. We were very pleased and felt fortunate to have 23 WW II veterans in attendance. Veterans from Batavia, Pavilion, Stafford and Bergen along with Le Roy made up this distinguished contingent. 

A short presentation was given by “Honor Flight-Rochester” outlining the details for WW II veterans to travel to Washington, D.C, to visit the WWII memorials and other attractions. This was followed by a social hour.

The group then reconvened for the presentation of acknowledgements including proclamations from the offices of the distinguished guests.

The closing ceremony included a ”Remembrance of those no longer with us…” by Post Chaplain Gary Bassett followed by a very moving playing of “Taps” by Samantha Platek. All joined in to the “Salute to the Colors,” which was followed by the singing of “God Bless America."

Back row: Franklin Smith, Donald I. Miller, Donald Nagle, Jack Fay, New York State Commander Nick Pascucci, Dick Ladd, Albert Strobel, Sherman Booten, Timothy S. VanPatten.

Front row: Richard Doktar, Raymond Mancuso, Oliver Cooper, Pat Palotti, Carl Seaburg, Kermit Arrington, Louis Cinquino.

• Check your roof for loose, missing, worn or damaged shingles. Make sure flashing is secure around vents and chimneys.
• Gutters should be clean, properly aligned and securely attached. Downspouts should direct water away from the house.

Convicted burglary Benjamin William Muntz, 24, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, who allegedly failed to appear in County Court for a sentencing a year ago has been charged with bail jumping in the second degree.

When Muntz was sentenced on the burglary charge last week, the District Attorney's Office was undecided at that point on whether to charge Muntz with bail jumping.

Judge Robert C. Noonan was did not want to sentence Muntz on both of his felony convictions with the possibility of a bail jumping charge pending.

If convicted of bail jumping, Noonan will have the option, or not, of giving Muntz three consecutive prison terms -- for burglary, grand larceny and bail jumping.

Muntz was arrested in October in Fayetteville, Ark., where he served a short prison term on burglary-related charges. When he was released last week, he was immediately taken into custody by the Sheriff's Office and returned to Genesee County.

Muntz is scheduled to appear in court again June 4.

Roger Parkhurst provided Rep. Chris Collins with a tour of the Alpina Foods plant in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park today.

Parkhurst, left, gave Collins, who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, an overview of Alpina's history, the Greek yogurt market in the United States and the process Alpina uses to make yogurt locally.

The plant started production in October and Parkhurst said the operation has already grown to what it projected for its second year of business. There are 55 permanent employees with Alpina locally, and to help meet production demands, the plant uses up to 100 temporary employees at times.

There are already plans on the drawing board to expand the plant.

Goodwill Industries opened its first thrift store in Genesee County this morning, and the store was immediately a big hit with long lines of bargain hunters at the cash registers.

The location is 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, in the Valu Plaza.

"We hope to further our mission in the Genesee County community by adding more variety to the retail landscape," said Lisa Churakos (pictured), director of donated goods/retail. "Goodwill has quality, affordable selections for every shopper."

The store is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

The new store also serves as a donation center.

Elba's senior class was given a dramatic look at what it's like at a fatal crash scene during the Elba Volunteer Fire Department's annual prom night exercise at the school.

The scenario involved a youth accused of drinking and driving becoming involved in an accident in which his passenger was seriously injured and the driver of the other vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cindy Morgan played the mother of the fatal victim who wouldn't accept that her daughter was dead. Above she has uncovered her daughter's body and is yelling for medics to give her CPR.

Anna Dorman played the part of the dead teenager. Her passenger was Missy Engel.

The DWI driver was played by Aaron Dart and his passenger -- who was loaded into a waiting Mercy Flight helicopter and considered seriously injured -- was Austin Hynesfisher.

Austin's father, Steven Hynesfisher, explained to the students each step of the process at the accident scene. 

Coroner Barry Miller and Deputy Chris Parker were also on scene.

A dryer fire is reported in a laundromat at 1 Corfu Plaza, Corfu.

A chief on scene reports flames showing from a dryer.

Corfu Fire with mutual aid from Pembroke, East Pembroke and Darien dispatched along with the City's Fast Team.

The City is requesting the Fourth Platoon to headquarters.

UPDATE: A first responder reports the fire is knocked down.

UPDATE 9:07 a.m.: City of Batavia can stand down.

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Washington Post: Why hasn’t Obama closed Guantanamo Bay?

Syracuse-based COR Development is planning four retail spaces for the south end of Batavia Towne Center, VP Joseph B. Gerardi said at a public hearing Tuesday night, and to fill those spaces, COR needs more than $1 million in tax abatements.

Filling those spaces is "better for all the tenants in the center," Gerardi said.

"It would provide a diverse shopping experience so tenants can help attract other tenants to the shopping center," Gerardi said.

Without the tax incentives, the four potential companies -- which Gerardi said could generate $1 million in local sales tax revenue -- may not come to Batavia.

Even though the four businesses would generate $16 million in gross sales, going by Gerardi's sales tax estimate, Batavia isn't an attractive enough market without the tax breaks.

And even though the four potential businesses would spend, on top of the $7 million COR would invest in the project, $11 million before the first cash register recorded the first sale, Batavia is too marginal a market to attract these retailers, Gerardi said.

Gerardi (top photo) refused to talk with reporters to clarify these points following the public hearing.

COR's plan is to convert the former Lowe's location from 138,000 square feet of retail space into 170,000 square feet of retail space.

In previous media reports, COR CEO Steven F. Aiello has said COR doesn't need to lease out the Lowe's space because Lowe's is obligated to another 15 years of rental payments, but Gerardi argued Tuesday that the proposed expansion is critical to Batavia Towne Center's viability.

"The dark store is not, in our opinion, a good reflection on the center and it's not a good reflection on the community," Gerardi said.

The one retailer COR has confirmed as a potential tenant is Dick's Sporting Goods.

In 2012, according to the company's annual report, Dick's generated $5.8 billion in annual sales and achieved a net profit of $291 million, or an average of $405,000 in net profit for each of its 518 locations. On average, gross sales of $11.2 million per store.

Two of Dick's locations are in shopping centers in Webster and Clay developed by COR without the kind of tax breaks COR is seeking in Genesee County.

A group of about a half dozen local Libertarians spoke at the public hearing, arguing that tax breaks for COR would benefit national chains at the expense of existing competitors.

"I believe your intentions are good, but I find fault in your logic," Jim Rosenbeck said (second inset photo). "The reality is you can't give money to one business without disadvantaging its competitors. You are picking winners and losers and that is simply wrong."

Current state law prohibits tax incentives to develop retail outlets, unless the local IDA -- in this case Genesee County Economic Development Center -- can find that the retail center will attract tourists (defined in the law as people who travel from outside the IDA's jurisdiction) and the stores will fill a need not yet met by existing retail.

Gerardi said Batavia Towne Center does attract shoppers from outside Genesee County and the stores in the center do offer goods and services not previously available in Batavia.

Phill Ricci (top inset photo) took issue with the idea that Batavia Towne Center could be considered a tourist destination.

"Hotels are not filling to the rafters because we have a Target," Ricci said. "Little Jimmy doesn't dream about seeing his favorite animi characters in the halls of Bed Bath & Beyond. To attempt to justify it as a tourist destination is hollow at best and laughable at worst."

COR initially received a promise of $4.6 million in tax abatements to build Batavia Towne Center with the promise of creating 297 full-time equivalent jobs. Gerardi said the development peaked in at 277 FTEs before Lowe's closed.

Rosenbeck said it was as if GCEDC helped COR build a new house and now COR wants more money to remodel it.

Gerardi said the four new stores would create 100 FTE jobs.

Elba resident Fred Read said that's just what they are -- FTEs, not real full-time jobs, but jobs with low pay and few benefits.

"They're not the kind of jobs that are going to keep young people here," Read said.

None of the speakers supported COR receiving another round of tax incentives for the project.

A letter from local business owner Jerry Arena was read into the record. Arena, who owns Jerry Arena's Pizza and Ten Cent Millionaire Tavern, said he opposes tax incentives for national retailers.

"Independent small businesses in Batavia are an endangered species and offer much more quality of life and stability to a community that many of us will ever realize," Arena wrote.

The GCEDC board will vote on the proposed tax incentive package for COR at its regular meeting Thursday. The public portion of the meeting is expected to begin at 4:40 p.m.. The board meets at the Med-Tech Center on R. Stephen Hawley Drive, Batavia.

Barn on Pearl Street Road, Batavia.

The Village of Corfu will rely less on reserve funds and more on a tax increase to balance the 2013/2014 budget.

Trustees approved the $788,332 spending plan Monday night.

While spending drops from the previous year by $106,000, property taxes go up 5 percent to $3.11 per thousand of assessed value.

The sewer fee goes up 4 percent to $6.24 per thousand.

The reserve fund will be tapped for $3,200.

The village will spend $1,500 on training for its first-term mayor.

With the resignation of the police administrator, the village cut police department spending by $20,000.

Two staff members took voluntary cuts to 32 hours a week.

Non-union employees receive a 1 percent pay increase to offset an increase in health insurance premiums.

A Pembroke woman was pronounced dead at the scene of a head-on collision on Route 5 near the Erie County Line in Pembroke late this afternoon.

Mary J. Smith, 61, was westbound in a 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier when a 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan crossed the center line and struck her vehicle head-on on the driver's side.

Investigators have yet to determine why the eastbound Toyota veered from its own lane.

The Toyota's driver, Victoria A. Zimmer, 55, of Clarence, was seriously injured and taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

Smith is a relative of several members of the Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department, so members of the Akron Volunteer Fire Department handled critical aspects of the accident scene.

No charges have been filed. The accident remains under investigation.

Assisting at the scene were Indian Falls, Corfu and Darien's ambulance along with Mercy EMS.

The accident investigation is being handled by Deputy Chad Minuto, Sgt. Ron Meides, Investigator Roger Stone and Deputy John Duyssen.

A head-on, two-car accident with multiple injuries is reported at 352 Main Road in the Town of Pembroke, near the Erie County line. Corfu, Pembroke and Darien fire departments are responding and Mercy Flight will be also.

UPDATE 2:39 p.m.: Traffic is backing up and Route 77 is reduced to a single lane in some places. The landing zone will be a lot at Jim & Bob's Service Co. Route 5 is being shut down. Akron Fire Department is requested to shut down 5 at Crittenden Road. In addition to Mercy Flight, an ambulance is needed at the scene. Responders are working to extricate victims.

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: Corfu fire is going to shut down Lake Road at 5 to westbound traffic.

UPDATE 2:28: Fire police will also shut down Route 5 at Route 77. Mercy Flight has landed and the ambulance is on scene.

UPDATE 2:57 p.m.: It appears they are going to keep 5 at 77 open at least for the time being.

UPDATE 3:14 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne but no destination reported yet.

UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: Genesee County Coroner Kristine Flanagan has arrived on scene.

UPDATE 4:48 p.m.: The roadways are reopened. Responders are back in service.