WHAM-13's Sean Carroll is working on a follow-up to our stories on a possible giant food processing plant targeted for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park and had an opportunity to ask Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy about the plans today.

Here's the exchange:

Sean Carroll: "Genesee County Ag Park is one of a couple locations in this region being eyed-up by possibly a food processing company, 200 to 300 jobs, what do you know about it and what can you tell us about it?”

Duffy: “Well, I know one thing, on one of the worst weather days of the year I was out at a meeting in Genesee County on that location. I know the state is working very hard with Genesee County right now. I don't want to negotiate or talk about the details of that discussion right now but we're working very, very hard on that and hopefully it will come to fruition."

Carroll has spoken with state-level officials who confirmed the details of what we've been able to report so far.

Steven A. Mullen, 24, of 123 Liberty St., Batavia is charged with failure to report change of address within 10 days. Mullen is a Level 2 sex offender and required to report a change of residence. Mullen is accused of reporting in June 2011 that he was living on Law Street. An investigation revealed that Mullen was allegedly living on Liberty Street. The charge is a Class E felony.

Katelyn Christen Kubala, 22, of Meadow Lane, Attica, is charged with petit larceny. Kubala was arrested on a bench warrant out of City of Batavia Court. Kubala was jailed on $1,000 bail. Kubala was also arrested on a warrant related to a petit larceny charge out of Town of Batavia Court.

Brittany Megan Kuhn, 22, of Clipnock Road, Bethany, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child, 1st. Kuhn is accused of hosting an underage drinking party at 11:20 p.m., Monday.

Rosemary Renee Waters, 26, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Waters is accused of shoplifting from the Wilson Farms store in Oakfield.

Joseph Stanley Shaffer, 47, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with DWAI - Drugs, unlicensed operator and moving from lane unsafely. Shaffer was charged following a property damage accident at 3:04 p.m., Tuesday, on Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road, Batavia. Shaffer's car reportedly sideswiped another vehicle.

Bradley Robert Jordan, 18, of Silver Road, Bethany, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Jordan is accused of pushing another person to the ground during a dispute.

Rafael Louis Munoz Ramos, 36, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Munoz Ramos is accused of striking a coworker in the face.

Kelsey Lee Eksten, 20, Alexander Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Eksten was charged following a traffic stop on Monday by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Matthew John Mistretta, 22, of Alexander Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Mistretta was allegedly found in possession of a cane sword during a traffic stop by Deputy Brian Thompson on Monday.

Minutes from Batavia City School Board of Education meeting for Nov. 1:

New Board Member
The board received five applications for the Board of Education seat which became available Nov. 1, 2011, due to the resignation of Andrew Pedro. After reviewing applications and meeting with each applicant, the board voted to have Phil Ricci serve the remainder of Mr. Pedro’s term, through June 30, 2012. Mr. Ricci was sworn in at the beginning of the meeting.

Mr. Ricci brings his experience as a branch manager with Bank of America as well as a demonstrated commitment to community involvement. He is president of the city of Batavia Youth Board, a long-standing member of the City of Batavia School District State Audit Committee, and served on the Batavia School District Board of Education from 2005-2007. He and his wife, Laura, have three children - one infant and two who attend Robert Morris Elementary.

Click on the headline to read more.

New Evaluation Procedure for Teachers and Principals
Robert Morris Principal Diane Bonarigo and Batavia High School Principal Christopher Dailey presented a pilot proposal in response to the new legislation regarding the observations/evaluations of teachers.

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio had reported on this legislation to the board last fall, after attending a regional workshop on the topic. Some of the information covered at that time included:
•       Chapter 103 of the Laws of 2010 added a new section (3012-c) to the Education Law regarding annual professional performance reviews of all classroom teachers and building principals.
•       The new law applies first to all evaluations conducted by school districts on or after July 1, 2011, of teachers of “common branch subjects” (any or all of the subjects usually included in the daily program of an elementary school classroom) or English language arts or mathematics in grades four to eight, and principals employing such teachers.
•       By July 1, 2012, the process will be phased in for all classroom teachers and principals conducted by school districts or BOCES.
•       The new section of the law builds on current performance reviews, as opposed to replacing them.
•       The evaluations are intended to be a significant factor for employment decisions including but not limited to promotion, retention, tenure determination and termination.
•       Performance reviews will yield a single-composite effectiveness score (1-100) that incorporates multiple measures of effectiveness.
•       The measures used for scoring include student growth data on state assessments (initially 20 percent of the score, then 25 percent); locally selected measures of student achievement (initially 20 percent of the score, then drop down to 15 percent); and locally developed and negotiated criteria (for 60 percent of the score).

Focusing on the locally determined 60-percent portion of the scoring measures, Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo have been working in conjunction with the Batavia Teachers Association to outline the measuring points and effective methods of evaluation.

The committee has utilized ideas from the work two educational experts: Kim Marshall’s ideas as expressed in her book, "Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation: How to Work Smart, Build Collaboration, and Close the Achievement Gap"; and Charlotte Danielson’s work, "Framework for Teaching, that outlines Four Domains of effectiveness."

The resulting model presented by Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo consists of “mini-observations” with timely feedback using evaluation points taken from Danielson’s Four Domains. In other words, rather than having a lengthy, planned, formal observation of a teacher by the principal, mini-observations would be unannounced visits lasting 5-10 minutes and occurring approximately five times per year.

During a mini-observation, the principal would observe a teacher in action spontaneously, looking for level of competency (“highly effective” to “ineffective”) in three of the Four Domains of effective practice: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. Then, within 48 hours, the principal would either provide written feedback, and/or have a conversation with the teacher to discuss that particular “snapshot” of teaching as well as invite the teacher to reflect.

Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo highlighted several benefits to this proposal: it motivates teachers to constantly do their best; it motivates principals to regularly visit a greater number of classrooms; it is more authentic than a pre-planned observation appointment; it provides for quicker feedback that the teacher can begin using immediately; and it invites a higher level of reflection on the teacher’s part, making it more collaborative.

School Board Recognition Week
In honor of School Board Recognition Week, which runs this year from Oct. 31- Nov. 4, the Superintendent of Schools read the NYS Proclamation signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, which highlighted that “members of school boards are dedicated to children, learning and community, and devote many hours of service to elementary and secondary public education as they continually strive for improvement, excellence and progress in education. ... ”

In addition to the Governor’s general description of all school boards, Mrs. Puzio noted that she appreciates, in paricular, the time, cooperation, intelligence, enthusiasm, and dedication of the Batavia City School District Board of Education members.

During this week, a presentation about our board members can be viewed on the district’s website as well as on each school’s television monitors. Current Board of Education members include Mr. Patrick Burk, Ms. Amy Barone, Mr. Wayne Guenther (vice president), Mr. Steven Mountain, Mrs. Gail Stevens (president), Mr. Gary Stich, Mr. Phil Ricci, and Miss Taylor Harkness (student ex-officio member).

The Batavia Teachers Association, represented at the meeting by Mark Warren, made a $250 donation to the Salvation Army in the Board of Education’s name, in honor of School Board Recognition Week. The Batavia Clerical Association also made a $50 donation in the board’s name to the United Way/Salvation Army/Batavia City School District Backpack Program, which provides weekend packs of nutritious snack items for needy students.

Statewide Coalition for Mandate Relief
Superintendent Puzio presented information about Let NY Work, a coalition of nearly a dozen organizations operating in New York State which have outlined a “Common Agenda for the Common Good.” In this agenda, six mandates are targeted with specific and detailed recommendations for reform. Those six items are:
1.      Make the pension system predictable and affordable;
2.      Redefine compulsory arbitration;
3.      Reduce the costs of construction on public/private projects;
4.      When contracts expire, freeze step increases;
5.      Establish minimum health insurance contributions level for     employees and retirees;
6.      No new mandates.

Mrs. Puzio noted that mandate relief would lessen some financial burdens on school districts, allowing that money to be more effectively spent on maintaining quality education.

The diverse members of the coalition are: Associated General Contractors/New York State; The Business Council of NYS; the NYS Council of School Superintendents; New York Farm Bureau; National Federation of Independent Business; New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM); New York State Association of Realtors; NYS School Boards Association; Unshackle Upstate; Westchester County Association; and the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York.

Overnight Fieldtrip and Fundraising Committee Report
Community committee member Cheryl Kowalik addressed the board, noting her appreciation for the committee being formed and that members have met and made some useful suggestions for the board to consider. She also stated, however, that some committee members were confused as to the guidelines the board used to determine that the hockey team should not be permitted to take an overnight trip for a tournament.

Board member Amy Barone reported on the committee’s progress, noting that they have met several times to review the current official board policies for field trips and fund raising, to review the concerns about both, as well as to brainstorm ideas for how to create new policies that are responsive to the concerns.

Committee discussions about fund raising included such topics as students carrying student identification, selling door-to-door, putting limitations on fundraisers, lessening stress for parents and students, creating a centralized calendar of fundraisers, voluntary vs. mandatory participation, methods of participation, and providing parents with a standardized form that would detail the necessary information for each fund raiser. The topic of overnight trips focused on the procedure for approval and the fund-raising process.

With the ensuing discussion by board members, it was determined that there are a myriad of issues surrounding these two topics and, as one issue gets addressed, others emerge. Mrs. Puzio suggested and board members agreed that all board members will submit their concerns about both topics to board President Gail Stevens who will compile the topics and forward them to Amy Barone for the next committee meeting.

School Boards Convention
Board Member Pat Burk, who is also a Resolutions Committee member for the NYS School Boards Association (NYSSBA), attended the New York State School Boards Association’s 92nd Annual Convention and Education Expo in late October, as did Superintendent Puzio and board members Gail Stevens and Amy Barone -- along with approximately 3,000 other school board members, superintendents, and educators from across the state. In addition to informative sessions, there was much opportunity for networking as well as visiting the tradeshow that highlights various programs and projects.

Mr. Burk also stated that the top priority arising out of the State Education Department is to seek a federal waiver for No Child Left Behind, citing unrealistic expectations, and that impressive data has been collected to support a waiver for NYS. (Compliance with No Child Left Behind is tied to receiving federal funds; non-compliance is penalized by withholding of some of those funds. The waiver application process was recently introduced in recognition of the need for more flexibility in how to effectively educate all students.)

Financial Summary Report for September 2011
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the September 2011 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the September 2010 figures.

Revenues were up by $245,800, or 6.9 percent, primarily in the Non-property Tax Items category (utility tax), the Miscellaneous category, and the State and Federal Aid category. The utility tax, which had been in decline for several years including the 2010-2011 school year, increased by a very encouraging $49,000, or more than 42 percent.

The $70,300 increase in Miscellaneous revenue reflected a reimbursement from 2010-2011 expenditures that were chargeable to 2010-2011 grants and, because of the timing of the processing of the transactions, are recorded as revenue for the 2011-2012 school year.

State and federal aid were up $150,800 from last year at this time, largely because last year’s aid had been adjusted down by .67 percent as a contingency plan to offset possible losses due to reconfigured FMAP (Federal Medical Assistance Percentages).

Recorded expenses were up by nearly $1.7 million or 40.50 percent due to the timing of transactions, as several bills that were paid last year in October, this year came due in September. For example, September 2011 had three payroll dates whereas last year, there were only two in the month. This was similarly true for the BOCES and health insurance payments, which came due in September this year, whereas in 2010, they were recorded during the month of October.

Jackson Elementary Tour
Jackson Elementary Principal Shawn Clark and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Jim Jacobs provided a tour of the Jackson facility. Some features of the tour included the separated parking and parent drop-offs from the bus loop that allows for safe and smooth transportation of students; the remodeled main entranceway which provides the main office staff with a clear view of who is approaching the front doors; the cafeteria and gym which were both part of recent renovations to the building; large classroom sizes; and multiple access doors to the playground.

With the recent reports of burglaries in Oakfield, some residents have questioned why the village isn't patrolled by a deputy.

Oakfield resident Jeremy Yasses posted on Facebook a request for people to attend a meeting at the village hall at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 14.

"I actually did quite a bit of research a few months ago before we had all the break-ins," Yasses wrote. "The Village of Bergen has a deputy a few days a week on different shifts in four-hour intervals and it costs $12,000 annually. I have already spoken with Sheriff Gary Maha and the Village of Bergen mayor, who praised the work done by the deputies."

Yasses said he doesn't anticipate a proposal to raise taxes and he's not suggesting a deputy be dedicated to the village full-time at a cost of $50,000 a year.

"We need a presence here in Oakfield to question those walking around aimlessly," Yasses wrote. "There have been problems all summer long on the south side of the village and now it is widespread."

Yasses is asking people to attend the village meeting and support the proposal.

Statement from City Manager Jason Molino:

The City fully understands the inconvenience and delays this project has caused the households and families affected by the construction, and we are very appreciative for your patience. I want to ensure the residents that the City is taking every step to make certain that the contractor completes the project this construction season, work is performed properly and in the best interests of the City's residents.

The contractor has advised the City that milling and paving North and Ross Streets are scheduled to take place this Thursday, Friday and Monday.  Please be reassured that the City is taking all possible action to vigorously protect the City’s interests.

Accordingly, should any resident have any concerns or complaints regarding the project, work performed, contractor or subcontractors on the job, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 345-6330 and we will address your issue as promptly as possible.

It is not the City’s policy to comment publicly on legal matters.

Dispatchers were able to use mobile phone GPS to help locate a hunter in Alexander who fell from a tree stand and suffered injuries.

The hunter, John P. Starkweather, 44, of Ellicott Street Road, Bethany, called 9-1-1 after his fall, but was unable to give a precise description of his location.

Starkweather was hunting on property at 4314 Gilhooly Road, Alexander. He was located south of the house there, south of a creek on the property.

The Sheriff's Office did not release the nature of his injuries, but Starkweather was taken by Mercy Flight to ECMC, where he is listed in serious condition.

Starkweather was apparently descending from a tree stand when a branch he had put his foot on gave way, causing him to fall about 20 feet to the ground.

The tree stand was about 30 to 35 feet off the ground.

Alexander Fire and Mercy EMS responded to the scene along with the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

The incident is being investigated by Deputy Patrick Reeves and Rick Rauscher of the NYS DEC.

Bethany Fire Department assisted at the scene.

(Initial Report)

New York Times: Local Food: No Elitist Plot

Oakfield Fire has responded to an incident at 23 Forest Ave., Oakfield, as a report of an illness.

Responders reported some sort of fumes in the house and set up blowers to clear the house.

Another responder reports a possible hot water heater explosion in the basement.

There are three patients. All three patients are now out of the house.

Mercy Flight is being dispatched to Oakfield's Fire Hall.

UPDATE 8:16 a.m.: When a patient was transported by ground ambulance to UMMC, the medic reported heavy CO detected in the house. The patient was conscious and alert. Another patient transported by Mercy Flight.

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Town of Batavia officials are going to work as quickly as possible to get development plans reviewed and approved for a food processing facility on an 81-acre parcel at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

Sources tell The Batavian that a company is planning a large facility that could employee from 200 to 300 people. But when asked for confirmation on details Tuesday night, GCEDC CEO Steve Hyde said confidentiality agreements prevent him from discussing both the name of the company and the nature of the processing plant.

While Hyde cautioned that the deal is "not 100 percent," it's clear from the discussion of planning board and zoning board members Tuesday night that the company is serious about building its new plant in Batavia.

"This project is going to move very fast," said Gary Diegelman, chairman of the zoning board.

It must, Hyde said.

"They want to move very fast," Hyde said. "There is some extended time frame for negotiations, but they want to get moving in advance to take advantage of the good weather before it gets nasty."

The zoning board will meet Nov. 7 to discuss three requested variances to the zoning code.

The company is requesting permission to build a warehouse higher than the 40 feet allowed by the zoning code, Diegelman said. The initial request is to build a 45-foot-high warehouse, but the company anticipates eventually expanding to 120 feet high.

Diegelman suggested the board just consider approving the 120-foot high variance now to save the company the trouble of coming back later for a new variance.

Because of the Monroe County water towers on the other side of Route 5, and variance already granted for the O-AT-KA Milk Products plant, the variance shouldn't be a problem, Diegelman indicated.

The company also wants to provide parking based on three shifts of workers, rather than a number of parking spaces dictated by the total square feet of the facility.

And they want parking spaces that are 9' x 18' rather than the code of 10' x 20', but the variance request is not unusual in the town.

As for the planning board, it will hold a meeting to discuss any changes in the SEQR process. The ag park already has been through environmental review, but the 81-acre project could have additional or different environmental impacts that need to be considered.

On Nov. 14, the board will discuss a proposal to change parcel boundaries in the park to create the 81-acre project.

Hyde indicated that while the project isn't completely locked down, Genesee County is the frontrunner, well ahead of sites considered in Pennsylvania and even Livingston County.

"I think there’s a lot of excitement (about the project), not just in Genesee County, but across the region and the state. People recognize that the Finger Lakes and Western New York are primed for growth in food processing, a recession-proof industry, because people have to eat and our country continues to grow."

Photo: GCEDC's Mark Masse, VP of business development, shows site map plans for parcel changes to the agri-business park to members of the planning and zoning boards.

A hunter has reportedly fallen from a tree stand and needs medical attention in a wooded area behind the residence at 4314 Gilhooly Road, Alexander.

The hunter appears to be on a mobile phone and directing dispatchers as to his location, which is south of the residence and south of a creek at that location.

Alexander Fire Department and ambulance along with Mercy EMS are responding.

Mercy Flight is on standby.

UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: Mercy Flight requested to the scene. Alexander's Gator requested to the scene.

UPDATE 6:49 p.m.: Patient fell about 20 feet. Mercy Flight has a 12-minute ETA.  Bethany Fire Department requested mutual aid.

UPDATE 7:20 p.m. (Billie): Mercy Flight landed about 15 minutes ago and loaded the patient, a man who medics say had deformity to both collarbones as a result of his fall.

UPDATE 7:27 p.m. (Billie): Mercy Flight is headed to ECMC and Bethany fire is back in service.

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I was out in Elba chasing a story that didn't pan out, but I remembered I've long wanted to stop by the Pine Hill Cemetery on a fall day.

Closed, hole-dotted roads, heavy equipment parked in yards, and the smell -- the odor of open sewers -- residents around North Street are getting fed up with the months-long sewer repair project.

When work started in July, the expectation was that the worked would be completed by early September. It's now Nov. 1 and there's seemingly no end in sight.

WBTA's Geoff Redick spoke with Project Manager Mike Amadori of Tom Greenauer Development, who reportedly told Redick the company will "probably be facing litigation" over the delayed project.

The work is being done on North Street, Ross Street, Miller Avenue and Seneca Avenue.

"It's very annoying," Mary Beth Suozzi told WBTA News. She lives at 156 Ross St. "Every morning I take my son to school, and I don't know which way I'm going – and then when I come back, I'm blocked off," she said.

Sometimes, Suozzi's own driveway is obstructed by machines, preventing her from leaving for as much as a half-hour.

"The sewer smell is really bad," she continued, "...it permeates through the whole house."

She also noted that the loud noises often shake her house and that the Greenauer crews were "pretty rude" when they were on scene. (Currently, Greg Post General Services of Batavia is subcontracting, and Suozzi says that crew is more pleasant.)

There's apparently no official explanation for why the project is delayed.

For the complete story, click here.

If you're looking for coverage of the homicide in the parking lot of Walmart in Albion, The Batavian won't be covering the story. We concentrate our limited resources on Genesee County.

However, WBTA has coverage.

While on Harvester Avenue this morning, I took a short walk through the Batavia Cemetery, because it's always possible to find a picture in the Batavia Cemetery on a clear fall day.

What was once the home to a father, mother and their six children on Harvester Avenue was reduced to rubble Tuesday morning.

The house was badly damaged in a fire Sunday afternoon that started after one of the children was reportedly playing with a lighter in a back bedroom.

The family lost almost all of their belongings.

Owner and landlord Andy Young said the structure was insured. He doesn't have plans to rebuild on the property at 23 Harvester Ave.

Press release:

Batavia, NY – The Batavia Muckdogs, Class A affiliate of the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, today announced ticket prices, packages and game times for the seven Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games that will be played at Dwyer Stadium in 2012.

The Yankees will play at Dwyer Stadium on the following dates and game times:

• Friday, April 20 vs. Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles Affiliate) at 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, April 2 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.

Individual game ticket prices for those games will be as follows:

Box Seats                                           $9

General Admission (Adult)                  $8

General Admission (JR/SR)                 $7

The Muckdogs will also be offering a ticket package that will allow fans to see all seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium next season. Those prices are as follows:

Yankees Ticket Package

Box Seats                   $50

General Admission     $43

Current Muckdogs season seat holders will have the opportunity to reserve their seats for the Yankees games at $50 for box seats and $43 for General Admission. Seat holders will have until Jan. 1 to reserve their seats for the Yankees games before they will be released to the general public. Individual seats for Yankees games will go on sale March 5.

Season tickets, coupon books, ticket packages and individual game ticket prices for Muckdogs games will remain unchanged for 2012. Muckdogs coupon books will not be redeemable for the seven Yankees games at Dwyer Stadium.

All packages are currently on sale and can be purchased by calling 585-343-5454, or in person at Dwyer Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's been the talk of the town for a couple of months -- a big food processing plant is being planned for the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park.

The plant has been described as "O-AT-KA-sized" and could employ from 200 to 300 people.

Sources tell The Batavian it's now pretty much a done deal and more information should be coming out soon.

This is the second big-win for the GCEDC's agri-business park off of Route 5 in the Town of Batavia.

Last month, Colombia-based Alpina Products broke ground on a yogurt processing plant that will start out employing 50 people.

There's an item on the Town of Batavia's Planning Board agenda tonight that deals with further subdivision of the agri-park. We may find out more at this meeting.

Well known for its spectacular autumn scenery, Letchworth State Park sees a good number of visitors this time of year. And while many sightseers flock to the High Falls, Lower Falls and Great Bend overlook, all noted scenic attractions, there are several smaller, lesser known falls and cascades, all equally picturesque. 

I spent a fair amount of time at the park in the mid to late '90s, but always down on the river. That said, I never noticed settings such as the one pictured above.

A forrested section of the gorge

A nice steady flow, pleasing to the eye

This setting conjured an image of a dish of broccoli sprinkled with Trix!

Come late March and into April, with the spring runoff, the water must be roaring over this place.

Great Bend. I was a fortunate to be able to raft and kayak the Genesee River through the gorge back in the day -- it gives one a totally different view.

lf the water wasn't so cold I would like to have rolled up my pants and hunted for crayfish and salamanders.

For fall color, maples are among my favorite - especially when they're deep red.   

I used my zoom to the max to capture this hawk high above the gorge. While I had to make several stops to get these photos, all he had to do was glide on the thermals.

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

Alli's Cones & Dogs, 7063 Lewiston Road, Oakfield, NY: Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu; all-you-can-eat salad bar; ice cream served year-round; eat-in or take-out. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Bourbon & Burger Co., 9 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: Batavia's newest burger joint offers more than two dozen different types of tasty hamburgers. Our menu also includes a variety of sandwiches, appetizers and an extensive beer list, plus a full bar. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Authentic Southern BBQ, from ribs to brisket with all the fixin's. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Cookies & Milk, 28 City Center, Batavia, NY: Cookies & Milk offers a wide selection of delicious cookies, cakes and pies. Now offering a full lunch menu that includes soups, salads and sandwiches. Stop by for something sweet! We have a $10 gift certificate for $5.

Delavan's, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently until you try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Ficarella's Pizzeria, 21 Liberty St., Batavia, NY: Dine-in, drive-thru or delivery. Featuring fresh, hearth-baked pizza since 1985, plus wings, pasta and more. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10. (Good only at the Batavia location.)

Kravings, Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Kravings offers soups, salads and sandwiches, fresh and flavorful; Monday through Saturday. We have a $10 gift certificate for $5.

Larry's Steakhouse, 60 Main St., Batavia, NY: The name says it all -- Larry's is a great place for steak. Larry's has a fine dining atmosphere with a great menu and outstanding service. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Oliver's Candies, 211 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Oliver's, a Batavia landmark, offers the finest chocolate and confections in the area. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Salsa & Curry, 13 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: An authentic Mexican restaurant, offering all of your favorite dishes from enchiladas and burritos to tacos and fajitas, as well as daily Indian food specials. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

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

Spirits, 78 Lake St., Le Roy, NY. Le Roy's favorite sports bar, where fun and good food are always on tap. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Stafford Trading Post, 6173 Main Road, Stafford, NY: Lunch or dinner, Stafford Trading Post offers a variety of fresh, homemade meals, as well as snacks and drinks. Now in a new, expanded location. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50. Gift certificates valid on menu items only. Not applicable to in-store purchases.

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

Viking Valhalla Restaurant & Rose Garden Bowl, 21 Buffalo Road, Bergen, NY: Open for lunch Monday through Sunday, and dinner Friday and Saturday evenings. Dinner favorites are our succulent prime rib and Friday fish fries! We are always happy to help plan your special occasion -- wedding, shower, rehearsal dinner, stag party, graduation, company function, banquet, family or class reunion. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

SOLD OUT