Today was Santa's annual visit to Oliver's Candies in Batavia. Store Manager Jeremy Liles said that the event is held to kick off the Christmas season every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The line of kids waiting to see Santa stretched across the store to the door.

Some of the kids, happy to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.

Outside was a petting zoo for the kids.

The Batavia Area Jaycees were on hand with refreshments.

Just in case you weren't prepared for Santa's Christmas visit, the Girl Scouts had plenty of cookies. Just add milk.

There are more trees this year, and more people showed up Friday for the Wonderland of Trees gala at the Holland Land Office Museum, according to Board President Bob Turk.

The display of trees decorated by local groups and businesses runs through Jan. 3, with a children's gala set for noon to 4 p.m. on Dec. 17.

Ann Reid, representing the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, accepts a plaque to be placed on a new display of historical items and pictures donated to the Holland Land Office Museum commemorating the orchestra's long history in Genesee County.

Emergency responders are heading toward a location either on or near the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge.

The location is described as off Feeder Road, which is on the refuge.

It's also described as off Route 77.

The victim is described as shot in the jaw. Emergency dispatchers have had difficulty maintaining a connection with the mobile phone of the caller.

The injury is described as serious but not fatal.

The actual location may be in Shelby.

Alabama fire, Mercy EMS, Mercy Flight and Sheriff's deputies all dispatched.

UPDATE 12:33 p.m.: A deputy has found the vehicles of the callers. He describes the location as near where an Eagle Scout completed a blind that was written about on The Batavian. That's right on Feeder Road.  

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: Orleans County notified the incident is in their jurisdiction. All Genesee County emergency response continuing. The caller is on the phone as is a deputy, and dispatch is working to coordinate the location of the victim.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Caller located by a deputy, who will be with the victim momentarily.

UPDATE 12:49 p.m.: Patient located. He's in critical condition. Mercy Flight will land on Feeder Road.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: There will be no further updates to this post.

UPDATE 7:12 p.m.: Press release from the State Police:

On Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011 at about 12:20 p.m. New York State Police, Batavia, investigated a fatal hunting accident occurring on U.S. government land off of Lewiston Road, Town of Shelby, Orleans County.

While transporting a harvested deer through a wooded area an 18-year-old Lockport male was fatally injured when his 12-gauge shotgun accidentally discharged.

New York State Police were assisted with this investigation on location by NYS DEC Officers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, along with members of the Orleans and Genesee County Sheriff ’s offices.

Emergency services on location were fire departments from Alabama, Shelby, Lyndonville and Ridgeway accompanied by emergency medical services from Medina Ambulance, Mercy Ambulance and Mercy Flight.

Mary Hale sent in this picture of her daughter Liz Wilkosz, 26, formerly of Elba, who shot her first deer, an eight-point buck, this morning on Molasses Hill, Elba. Pictured with Liz, from left, are her brothers Tim and Ed, boyfriend Keith and friend Warren.

NOTE: There is a Molasses Hill in Elba.  It's private property. It's off Barrville Road.

A Batavia resident has been arrested and charged with rape in the first degree.

The alleged rape was reported Oct. 17.

Arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and jailed without bail was Oscar Donaldo Ramirez-Castanon, 33, of Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Ramirez-Castanon is accused of using force for sexual intercourse against a woman in Batavia.

From Kevin Keenen, director of communications, Catholic Diocese of Buffalo:

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, has delayed any decision until next March. He wants the local community to come together and see if they can increase enrollment and raise the necessary funds to keep HFS open for the long term. This will require significant time, effort, increased enrollment and financial sponsorship by the Le Roy community and surrounding areas. Father Michael Rock, canonical administrator of the school, has called a meeting for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 in the Holy Family School gymnasium to rally the community to action.

While a final decision will not be made until March 1, 2012, we must continue to plan for the possible merger of the two schools. The bishop will not make a final decision until the local community has acted on this opportunity.

Make no mistake about it: this is a clarion call for the HFS community to develop a realistic plan that will not only increase enrollment, but also place the school on solid financial footing for many years to come.

It is now up to the community to take action to make significant, long-term financial commitments to build Holy Family School into a stable, growing Catholic elementary school. We pray that their efforts will succeed and the end result with be even greater Catholic identity in the classroom, stronger academic programs and exciting new opportunities in the years to come for Catholic elementary school students in Le Roy, Genesee County and beyond.

When I stopped into M&T Bank in Batavia late this afternoon, I was greeted by an enthusiastic group of Girl Scouts selling Girl Scout cookies. It's that time of year -- have you bought yours yet?

Press release:

Dr. Alfred C. O'Connell, Genesee Community College's first president, died Nov. 11 in North Carolina. He was 83 years old.

Genesee's first board of trustees recruited Dr. O'Connell in 1966 to organize the new college which had been approved by Genesee County voters in a November 1965 referendum. At that time, Dr. O'Connell was serving as president of Harford Community College in Maryland.

Dr. O'Connell served from February, 1967 to August, 1970. He was widely credited with recruiting a distinguished faculty, and setting high standards for academic programs and college operations.

Dr. James M. Sunser, current president, called Dr. O'Connell a "pioneer" in the community college movement.

"Alfred O'Connell had a vision of the comprehensive community college in the 1960s," Dr. Sunser said. "He saw Genesee Community College, and community colleges in general, as the nation's best way to provide higher education access to coming generations of students.

"Early on, he recognized that Genesee Community College could become a vibrant force for community transformation, and he worked tirelessly to make Genesee Community College part of the fabric of our local communities.

"Today, Genesee Community College is known for excellence and innovation across the United States. Alfred O'Connell laid the early groundwork for Genesee's reputation. Our success today is in no small measure due to his vision and commitment."

Dr. O'Connell began his career as a secondary school teacher, and held English and Social Studies teaching positions at Wethersfield (Conn.) High School and Cushing Academy, in Ashburnham, Mass. He served as assistant professor of History at Auburn (now Cayuga) Community College, chair of the History Department at Grosse Point University (Mich.), and director of the Evening Division of Baltimore (Md.) Junior College prior to assuming the presidency of Harford.

He also built a reputation as a coach, and over the course of his teaching career, coached ice hockey, baseball and football.

After leaving Genesee, Dr. O'Connell served as state director for Community Colleges for Maryland and later returned to serve as president of Harford Community College.

Dr. O'Connell earned a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Hartford (Conn.); a master's degree in Education from the University of Hartford; a master's degree in History from Trinity College (Conn.); and a doctoral degree in Education from Columbia University.

He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean conflict. Dr. O'Connell's wife died only days before his own death. Dr. and Mrs. O'Connell were parents of two children. The board of trustees named the college library in his honor in 1972.

It's the kind of call that probably doesn't fail to get under your skin, even if you have thick skin. A Sheriff's deputy was called to 3526 Galloway Road in the Town of Batavia within the past hour to check on an emaciated dog.

The poor pooch it seems was left behind when the occupants left. The house is reportedly in foreclosure and a rep for a foreclosure agency contacted authorities about the dog, who was chained up outside, apparently without food, since he sounds to be in bad shape.

Animal control is not on duty today, so it falls to the deputy to get the animal control paddy wagon and rescue Man's Best Friend. No other details were provided.

Wanted: hero.

UPDATE Nov. 19, 1:22 p.m.: I called the animal shelter to find out more about the dog, only to learn that: "The dog was not rescued. It apparently belonged to a neighbor."

So a dog described as being without food and water, "emaciated" and tied up behind a house that is in foreclosure is actually a pet owned by the people next door, or nearby, on Galloway Road. Strange to say the least. Didn't anyone miss him or hear his cries for help? This poor thing is back home. We can only hope that's a good thing.

A no-injuries accident involving a car and school bus is reported in the Town of Le Roy at Route 19 and Vallance Road. An officer is responding to take a report. No word on whether children are on the bus, which is obviously going to be delayed due to the mishap.

Update 3:31 p.m.: "I'm at 19 and Vallance. Got a better location?" the officer says to dispatch, noting there's a car on the shoulder of the road at that location, but no school bus. The officer says he going to check with the driver of the vehicle and comes back on and says the school bus was actually a school van, which apparently already left the scene.

This week the Genesee County Grand Jury issued the following indictments.

Bradley A. Clark is accused of criminal mischief, 2nd, a class D felony, for allegedly intentionally damaging another person's property on May 22. He is alleged to have damaged a 2007 Ford Fusion in an amount exceeding $1,500. He is also accused of criminal contempt in the first degree, a class E felony, because he allegedly violated an order of protection in the City of Batavia on May 22 and caused property damage exceeding $250. In a separate indictment, Clark is accused of first-degree Gang Assault, a class B violent felony. On July 3, he allegedly intentionally caused serious physical injury to another person and was aided by two or more persons present. In count two of the second indictment, Clark is accused of using a dangerous instrument, his footwear, to seriously injure a person in the area of Center Street in the city. That is a class B violent felony -- first-degree assault.

Ronald L. MacGregor is accused of knowingly using a forged prescription for the drug Oxycodone on Oct. 1, 2010, in the City of Batavia. He is also accused of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. Between Oct. 5, 2010 and Sept. 28 of this year, he allegedly used a falsely altered prescription for Oxycodone in the Village of Le Roy. Both counts of the indictment are class D felonies.

Shannon M. Graham is indicted for a misdemeanor crime of driving while intoxicated. It is alleged that on June 9, in the Town of Alexander, Graham drove a 2001 Hyundai on routes 20 and 98 while intoxicated. In count two of the indictment, Graham is accused of aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, a class E felony. Graham, it says, should have known his license was suspended and that he had in effect three or more suspensions imposed on at least three separate dates for failure to answer, appear or pay a fine.

Jose L. Morales is indicted for burglary in the third degree, a class D felony, for allegedly knowingly entering a church in Bergen with the intention of committing a crime some time between Jan. 10 and Jan. 11. He is also accused of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor, for allegedly intentionally damaging another person's property. This included a rear door, office doors, furniture and file cabinets. In the third count of the indictment, Morales is accused of petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor, for allegedly stealing money and postage stamps from a church in the Town of Bergen.

I went out to the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park this morning to meet WHAM13's Sean Carroll and the amount of progress that has been made by construction crews since Tuesday was noticeable.

It was impressive seeing more than a half-dozen pieces of heavy machinery moving around the 81-acre parcel at breakneck speed. There is a clear sense of urgency to complete phase one of construction before the worst of winter sets in.

And seeing the sewer lines being installed felt like another piece of the puzzle falling into place. The Cedar Street sewer line connecting Main Street and the ag park was only finished last week.

PepsiCo started construction as soon as the sewer line project was complete, even though not too many major construction projects in WNY begin in the middle of November. Somebody is pretty serious about being ready to begin physical plant construction in the spring.

Carroll's report tonight on Rochester's Channel 13 will be not just about Project Wave, but the scope of the uptick in activity at the ag park and what it means for Genesee County.

A pair of Stafford residents were arrested this week, accused of selling drugs to an undercover agent of the Local Drug Task Force.

Taken into custody following a traffic stop was Pamela Predmore (McKenzie), 35, of Covell Road, Stafford.

Another resident of Covell Road, 33-year-old Jason L. McKenzie, turned himself in.

At the time of her stop, Predmore allegedly resisted arrest and was found in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine and a crack pipe.

She is charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 4th, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, 2nd, resisting arrest and aggravated unlicensed operation.

McKenzie was charged with two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, 5th.

Bail for Predmore was set at $5,000. McKenzie was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Uniformed deputies assisted the Drug Task Force in the arrest of Predmore.

Kevin G. Viehdeffer, 51, of 334 W. Main St., Batavia, is charged with falsely reporting an incident, 3rd. Viehdeffer is accused of calling the Emergency Dispatch Center and requesting an ambulance for himself when he, in fact, did not need medical attention. Investigators claim Viehdeffer made the call merely to test the response time of personnel.

Tori Ann Jewell, 34, Thomas Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Jewell is accused of stealing $16.19 worth of merchandise from Kmart.

Michael Law Kennedy, 26, of Prospect Street, Batavia, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Kennedy is accused of sending several text messages threatening physical harm to the alleged victim and his family. Kennedy was arraigned in Stafford Town Court and ordered to stay away from the alleged victim.

Press release:

The Batavia Area Jaycees are a group of young adults which organize events to enhance the community and each other’s leadership skills. Their longest-running project has been the annual home show, which they are ending after 58 years.

In its place, they are excited to unveil a much more relevant show to the community in 2012, the Genesee Region Expo.

This new concept will combine the proven components of their old home show with a more extensive representation of businesses in the Genesee region. A wider cross-section of local vendors should attract a greater number of local consumers.

The first Genesee Region Expo or GRE will be held at the Batavia City Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 3 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 4. Admission for spectators will be free. There will be plenty of demonstrations, workshops, seminars and entertainment on the center stage all weekend long, plus a food court and raffle opportunities. Many businesses will also have items for sale.

There is space available for nearly 100 exhibitors. Interested vendors can call the Jaycee hotline at 585-343-5775 to request a vendor packet or go to www.jci.cc/batavia. This includes a price schedule which outlines early response and multiple-unit discounts.

The Jaycees are excited about offering this event to the community and look forward to breathing new life into something that has the potential to be of major importance for the Batavia area and Genesee region.

Press release:

A new website, specifically designed to help residents stay informed as the creation of the new city charter unfolds, is now live. The website (www.cgr.org/onebataviacharter) has been launched by the task force, which includes an eight-person committee and the study consultant.

The city and town of Batavia applied for and received a grant from New York State's Local Government Efficiency (LGE) program. After receiving the grant, the city and town engaged the Center for Governmental Research (CGR), a Rochester-based consulting organization with significant experience in local government consolidation, to assist the task force.

Task force members representing the city are Chad Bachorski, Gail Stevens, Dan Jones and Laura Landers. Representatives for the town are Chad Zambito, Judith Cotton, Larry Reisdorf and Marcia Riley. There are two alternates for the task force: city resident Joe Gerace and town resident Alan Koch.

The task force has been charged by the town and city to develop a new city charter that would legally consolidate the two municipalities into one new City of Batavia. The task force is also working to generate a home rule bill that would allow the new city charter to be brought to the citizens of Batavia for public referendum. It is the intent of the governing bodies of city and town to place the new city charter before voters in November 2012.

“The committee is excited to have the website up and running so that we can easily share information with the community,” said Chad Zambito, task force chair. “This is an important project that could have long-term implications on the citizens of Batavia and we hope they take this opportunity to digest the information and make an informed decision.”

Key charter documents and task force reports will be posted to the website, with postings occurring throughout the process. Batavia residents wishing to submit comments and feedback directly to the task force can do so via the website. Residents can also sign up to receive email alerts when significant new information is added to the site.

“The website worked very well during the original Batavia consolidation study,” Zambito said, referring to the analysis conducted by CGR for the city and town in 2008 and 2009, which served as a precursor to the task force’s work. “The committee felt it would be an important communication tool as the process moves forward.”

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) is voicing his opposition to cuts in state funding to the least-wealthy school districts, the bulk of which are located in Western New York.

Recent analysis from The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) shows that per-pupil support for students in economically disadvantaged areas has been disproportionately reduced relative to more affluent districts in the last two years. The assemblyman recently issued a letter to school superintendents statewide seeking their input on how to best provide equitable education aid regardless of geographic location.

“We cannot allow Western New York’s students to suffer while out-of-touch politicians siphon crucial education funding downstate,” Hawley said. “Less-wealthy districts have a smaller tax base than affluent areas, which means they rely on state support more than anyone else.

"To see so many Western New York school districts bearing the brunt of the pain while the wealthiest areas keep raking in state support is both baffling and appalling. I will continue working with the governor and the legislature to make sure Western New York’s children get their fair share.”

AQE crafted a formula to calculate “community wealth ratios” based on personal income and property wealth. Nearly all of the schools in nearby counties fell into the “poor” or “poorest” categories. The report can be found at http://www.aqeny.org/back-to-inequality-how-students-in-poor-school-districts-pay-the-price/.

Press release:

The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office was recently awarded a “Law Enforcement Agency Award” by the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) New York State, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for its efforts in deterring drunk diving.

During 2010, officers of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office made 202 DWI arrests, checked 60 establishments for sales to minors and charged more than 500 individuals with illegal possession of alcohol at Darien Lake. The Sheriff’s Office also conducted Sobriety Checkpoints and DWI Saturation Patrols throughout the year.

The Sheriff’s Office participates with community partners in the “Underage Drinking Task Force,” which consists of representatives from law enforcement, school administrations, the county manager’s office, and alcohol treatment and prevention organizations in an effort to address concerns with underage drinking. Not only does this task force educate those under the age of 21 but also the parents.

Also during 2010, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office instructed 337 students in the D.A.R.E. Program and taught them the ramifications of alcohol abuse.

The award was presented to Sheriff Gary T. Maha, center photo, Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble, left, and Genesee County STOP- DWI Coordinator Frank Ciaccia during an awards luncheon held in Schenectady on Nov. 15. Several individual officers from various law enforcement across the state were also recognized, along with two other law enforcement agencies.

The Batavia Muckdogs will open their 2012 season at Dwyer Stadium on June 18 versus the Auburn Doubledays.

For fireworks fans, the Muckdogs will be home on July 4.

Popular teams visiting this year are farm clubs for the Yankees (Staten Island), New York Mets (Brooklyn) and the Red Sox (Lowell).

The team will play 38 home games in 2012. Six will be on a Friday.

In addition to the 38 home games the Muckdogs will play at Dwyer Stadium next season, they will also host seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankee games in 2012. Those dates and times are as follows:

Friday, April 20, vs. Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 21, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, vs. Norfolk at 1:05 p.m.
Monday, April 23, vs. Norfolk at 12:05 p.m.
Saturday, May 5, vs. Pawtucket (Boston Red Sox Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
Sunday, May 6, vs. Pawtucket at 1:05 p.m.
Tuesday, June 12, vs. Louisville (Cincinnati Reds Affiliate) at 11:05 a.m.

Ticket packages for the Muckdogs and Yankees games, coupon books and season tickets for the 2012 season are all currently on sale. Holiday Packs are also on sale. For just $25, fans can purchase four undated general admission tickets, a T-shirt and a voucher for a 2012 program. They can be purchased by calling 343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Announcement from the City of Batavia Republican Committee:

The City of Batavia Republican Committee is accepting applications from city residents interested in filling one of the two city council at-large positions that will be opening up at the beginning of the year.

Letters of interest and resumes can be dropped off or mailed to the attention of Joe Gerace at 16 Vine St., Batavia. Letters of interest are due by Monday, Nov. 28.

The City of Batavia Charter requires these positions to be filled by individuals currently registered with the Republican Party, as this was the party of the two outgoing at-large city council members.