At the age of 18, Tracy Miller and James Keller were just two teens riding their bikes on an evening in Bergen in 1958.

They happened to hear there was a fire on Maple Street, so they rode by the scene with great interest. To their surprise, the fire chief at the time yelled to the boys to get up on the fire truck and help out.

Holding the water hose and instantly becoming a part of the crew at the scene was the moment when both men fell in love with the idea of being a firefighter. Looking back on that fond memory, Miller explained how “it was so exciting” for them to be able to offer help to such a critical service.

Both lifelong residents of the Bergen community, and lifelong friends, were happy to share their stories with me.

This spring, the Town of Bergen commended Miller and Keller for their 50 years of service. It was an honor to get to meet them and their wives, Loretta and Wilda, respectively.

Miller shared with me that at the age of 18 when he signed up to be a Bergen firefighter, his name was placed on a waiting list.

“At the time, volunteering for the community was the thing to do," Miller added.

It was in July of 1959 when Tracy Miller officially joined the fire department. Keller was appointed as a member in 1958, just after his father was recognized for 65 years of service to the fire department.

"It has been an ongoing generation sort of thing for the Keller family to be a part of the fire department," he said.

Both men are still active and greatly involved with the fire department and now serve as fire policemen. Their exceptional contributions and volunteerism continue to inspire junior fire members, as well as Bergen and its youth.

For Miller, the most gratifying reward for being a part of the FD for so many years, he told me, has been “simply being able to help my neighbors in their time of need.” Keller also agreed that being able to help others has definitely been the most satisfying result of this uncompensated labor of love.

As if dedicating one’s life as a volunteer firefighter isn't enough public service, these guys do a lot more and Bergen is the better for it.

Miller served on the Town Board of Bergen for 16 years. He is the vice president of the Historical Society, a Mason, and a deacon at The First Presbyterian Church. He also volunteers at the Senior Center in Batavia to help people with their taxes, and he provides elderly people he's met through the FD with transportation when needed.

Bergen Town Supervisor Don Cunningham said “what makes Tracy’s 50 years of service even more extraordinarily unique is that he still remains active. Whether arriving at the hall to pilot the ambulance, direct traffic at a fire scene, or just be available to lend a hand where needed."

Currently, Miller is helping to the fire department plan its 150^th year celebration for 2011.

Keller is active in the Cemetery Association at Mt. Rest as is Miller.

Keller was a member of the EMT rescue squad for 10 years. And he currently participates as an Institutional Representative for Boy Scouts, which is sponsored by United Methodist Church, where he has been a member for 20 years. Keller is also a member of the V.F.W.

Not only have both men been recognized for their 50 years, and counting, of outstanding work as a volunteer for the Bergen Fire Department, they both continue to gain satisfaction from their incredible volunteering roles in the community by participating in various village functions.

Tracy Miller is pictured on top. Above is James Keller.

City of Batavia firefighters are asking local residents to once again "fill the boot."

The annual fundraising drive benefits the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

At 9 a.m. Friday, residents are encouraged to drive through the intersection of Court Street and Ellicott Street or Court and Main and drop donations into a firefighter's boot.

This is the 16th year City of Batavia Fire Department Local 896 has sponsored a local "fill the boot" drive.

Last year, the community donated $4,500 to the effort.

"Everyone at the firehouse is looking forward to this Friday," said Union President Greg Ireland.  "The guys really appreciate the generosity of those that can give, whether it be their spare change, a dollar or even more."

Donations help cover everything from wheelchairs to braces, physical therapy sessions to kids summer camps.

Photo: File photo from last year.

The driver of a car hit from behind on Route 63 in Pavilion at 4:10 p.m., Tuesday, was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

A witness to the accident disputes the account of the accident given by the driver who rear-ended the other car.

Brandon R. Brade, 28, of 1943 Genesee St., Corfu, said he was driving northwest on Route 63 when a car ahead of him swerved to avoid a car that had stopped for a left turn. Brade said he didn't have time to stop before hitting the car.

Paul Cody of Corbettsville said he saw the accident, but he never saw another car swerve ahead of Brade's car.

Injured was Craig S. Prucha, 49, of 6810 Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion. Prucha had apparently stopped to make a left hand turn into a driveway of 6808 Ellicott Street Road.

Brade was driving a 2003 Olds sedan and Prucha was driving a Ford pickup.

Deputy Matt Butler issued a traffic citation to Brade.

Michael T. McKeever, 42, of Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion, is charged with menacing, 2nd. McKeever is accused of exiting his home with a shotgun and approaching his son with it during a domestic incident. McKeever then approach a car and shot out the passenger-side window. At McKeever's arraignment, an order of protection was issued and McKeever was ordered to turn over all of his weapons to the Sheriff's Office.

Randell Lee Krtanik, 59, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI, moving from lane unsafely, failure to reduce speed for hazard. Krtanik was arrested following a traffic accident on Bethany Center Road, Bethany, at 11:33 a.m., May 22. Krtanik was uninjured in the accident, and neither the mailbox he hit nor his vehicle were damaged. Krtanik allegedly swerved to avoid another car making a turn. The accident was investigated by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

Melvin Leverne George, 42, of E Avenue, Akron, is charged with trespass. After being arrested for an alleged fight on Council House Road, Alabama, George is accused of staying on private property after being told to leave.

Robert Conrad Grant, 48, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Deputy Jason Saile reports that at 2:22 a.m., Sunday, he stopped Grant on Angling Road, Pembroke. Upon investigation, Saile determined that Grant was allegedly in possession of stolen telephone wire from a property on Route 5, Pembroke. Grant allegedly fled the scene of the traffic stop on foot. Grant was also charged with unlicensed operation, driving left of pavement markings, unregistered motor vehicle, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Grant was issued an appearance ticket.

Mike Klotzbach and Mike Corona showed up at the Batavia Elks Lodge #950 today, they said, for a sense of closure.

Klotzbach had been involved with the lodge for more than a decade and Corona for nearly 15 years.

They had a lot of good times in the lodge building, they said, and they enjoyed serving the community through Elks.

In February, the Grand Lodge shut down Batavia's 105-year-old lodge for reasons that have never been fully explained.

Today, the Bontrager auction service took bids on many of the items left in the lodge building at the corner of East Main Street and Wiard. Both Klotezback and Corona said they wanted some memento of their dedication to the lodge. For Klotzbach, he walked out of the back door with an American flag. Corona successfully bid on a set of red velvet chairs.

"It's just  a keepsake," Klotzbach said, "just something to remember the club by, the time and effort."

Klotzbach said there were 200 members in the lodge, 35 or so who were active and essentially kept the lodge running, and among those, he said he would count himself as the top three most active. As a trustee and board member, he said, he was deeply involved in the issues surrounding the Grand Lodge's decision to pull the local charter.

He said it came as a total shock when it happened.

"I felt let down," he said.

As Corona loaded the last of his dozen or so chairs in the back of his black pickup truck, he said he would miss his time at the lodge. For him, it wasn't just a place to hang out, it was a place that enabled community involvement.

"I'll remember the time we gave to the community," he said.

The local Elks were involved in fund raising for local youths, including scholarships for deserving high school students.

Klotzbach added that everybody involved in the lodge misses the camaraderie.

"People just don’t know what to do now,"  Klotzbach. "Where do you go? It was more than just a neighborhood bar.

"With the closer of something you’re intimately involved with there is a hole," Klotzbach added. "The schedule of our lives revolved around this place. We’re doers. We’re leaders. We weren’t followers."

Both Klotzbach and Corona expressed concern about some items not being put up for auction (which resumes at 9 a.m., Wednesday) and those are the plaques upstairs that list the names of deceased members. They said auctioneer Todd Jantzi only told them the plaques weren't being put up for auction, but he doesn't know what will happen to them.

"The last thing I want to see," Corona said, "is for them to wind up in the basement of some other lodge."

The Batavian attempted to contact Kenneth Perry, one of the trustees appointed to the closure of the Batavia lodge by the Grand Lodge, but he was not available when we called.

"We knew a lot of the people on those plaques," Corona said.

Sheriff's Dispatch has received a report of four or five water buffalo loose on Chaddock Road in Alexander.

Attempts to contact the man on Spring Road who is believed to own the water buffalo have been unsuccessful, so a deputy is in process of trying to make contact now.

UPDATE: 8:45 p.m.: A deputy reports that the animals have broken into the pasture of a neighbor and that neighbor has contacted the owner of the water buffalo.

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It's been 20 years since the Genesee County Nursing Home had a new roof, and it's gotten to the point where the facility staff must battle against leaks.

The ceiling tiles are stained in places, and that look can lead to demerits on state inspections, according to County Manager Jay Gsell. Too many demerits, and reimbursements for care get held up.

Today, the Human Services Committee approved a $132,277 bid for a new roof on the front five-story section of the building. The contract, if approved by the full Legislature, will go to Elmer W. Davis, Inc., of Rochester.

According to Legislator Hollis Upson, Elmer W. Davis is currently doing the roofing job on 400 Towers. He said it's one of the few companies in the region with the equipment to handle multi-story roofing jobs.

The highest of the five bids for the project was $247,000. The names of the other five firms who submitted bids were not released at the Human Services meeting, where new Nursing Home Director Charles Rice presented the proposal.

Gsell said the new roof will be a rubberized layer over the existing roof. He said what many homeowners might refer to as a "tear-off" would cost more than $1 million.

Route 77 at the Thruway is apparently blocked following a traffic accident involving a tractor trailer.

At least one person suffered minor injuries.

Pembroke and Indian Falls Fire are responding as well as Mercy EMS.

There's a report of "quite a bit of liquids leaking."

An unshaven Scott F. Doll appeared in City Court this afternoon to deny a charge of promoting prison contraband.

Doll is accused of hiding on his body a green balloon containing a white powder when he was admitted to Genesee County Jail on May 21 following his conviction by a jury of murder, 2nd, for killing Joseph Benaquist.

Lab results on the white powder are not yet available.

After Doll's attorney, Daniel Killelea, entered Doll's not guilty plea, Judge Robert Balbick set an other hearing date for June 29, giving the county ample time to produce the lab results.

Even though Doll, who appeared in the jail's orange jumpsuit and shackles, is locked up without bail on the murder conviction, Killelea ask for a nominal bail in the case so that Doll might get credit for time served on the contraband charge.

Balbick declined to set bail since Doll showing up for future appearances in the case is not in doubt.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced last week that the Downstate Assembly Majority "under the cover of darkness at 3 a.m." introduced legislation to reopen state parks and historic sites which were closed due to budget constraints.

In a press release, Hawley said he could not vote in favor of the bill, however, "due to its proposed $14.9 million tax increase on businesses and manufacturers, an $800,000 additional cost to Kodak, and the sweeping of the Environmental Protection Fund to the General Fund, instead of making the necessary cuts in state spending."

He says the bill will also be harmful to the agricultural industry since it will reduce funding for farmland protection and soil and water conservation.

"I have advocated for the reopening of state parks throughout the budget process, but this legislation and its increased burden on employers will only discourage job creation, while also setting a precedent for Albany to sweep state funds to close budget gaps,” Hawley said.

Here's a press release from the New York Farm Bureau:

The New York Farm Bureau today announced a fight-back campaign against proposed Department of Environmental Conservation regulations that aim to restrict the use of outdoor wood boilers in rural New York.

"This is another attempt by Albany bureaucrats to single out the rural residents of New York," said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau. "DEC's decision on restricting the use of outdoor wood boilers will literally impact thousands of farmers and rural landowners across the state."

"Rural New Yorkers have been heating their homes with wood since the first Dutch settlers came up the Hudson," Norton said. "We all know it gets extremely cold in New York and DEC's actions will just drive residents back to using costly oil heat -- leaving a much cleaner renewable resource unused."

The Farm Bureau will rally its 30,000 members to fight these proposed regulations and will be lobbying furiously in the halls of Albany.

Thousands of owners of outdoor wood boilers will be forced to retrofit costly smokestacks to meet new DEC height requirements, limit the use of their units for almost half of the year and ultimately prohibit the use of any outdoor wood boiler that does not meet new, strict DEC emissions requirements.

The proposed regulations will have significant financial implications for farm and rural homeowners that heat their houses, barns and greenhouses.

"DEC's proposal is an overly broad plan to address the relatively few complaints that they have received about air-quality impacts from outdoor wood boilers," said Jeff Williams, Farm Bureau's deputy director of Public Policy. "This regulation punishes thousands of honest people that own outdoor wood boilers, use their own wood from their property and operate their units responsibly."

New York State residents will be required to retrofit their current units and then take their outdoor wood boilers out of service before the end of the unit's useful life and lose a major investment that can cost upwards of $10,000.

The owners can make the decision to purchase either a new, more expensive, outdoor wood boiler or return to non-renewable, petroleum-based fuels or natural gas.

"It must be pointed out that DEC does not provide any financial reimbursement or incentives for the retrofitting of smokestacks or the purchase of a new, compliant outdoor wood boiler," Williams said. "It is like the government telling you that you have to switch out your farm truck for a hybrid-electric car, but you have to pay for it yourself. It doesn't make sense."

DEC is holding a series of public information sessions/hearings around the state this month on the proposal. Farmers and rural residents are encouraged to go to <www.nyfb.org> for the hearing schedule, talking points and to send an e-lobby letter opposing the regulations to DEC and your state legislators.

Written comments will also be accepted by DEC until July 2.

Lee Earl Galton, 31, of East Main Street, Angelica, is charged with criminal mischief and trespass. Galton is accused of allowing a vehicle to be driven onto a farmer's cornfield, then setting up camp on the field and burning a wood campfire while camping overnight on the recently planted field, all without permission of the landowner. The field is in the area of 9666 Route 77, Darien. Also arrested and charged in the alleged incident was Bethanne Marie Brown, 27, of Angelica.

Michael John Johnson, 19, of Sprucewood Road, Cheektowaga, is charged with assault, 3rd. Johnson is accused of using Super Glue on a person who was sleeping. He is accused of trying to glue one of the person's eyes and ears shut. Johnson was jailed on $500 bail.

Joseph M. Miano, 20, of Akron Road, Corfu; Joseph N. Striegel, 19, of Main Road, Pembroke, as well as a two 17-year-olds from Pratt Road, Batavia, are charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. At 2:49 a.m., Tuesday, Deputy Jason Saile was dispatched to the TA Travel Center where a group of people were reportedly causing a disturbance. Striegel was also charged with petit larceny for allegedly stealing a laser pointer.

Sandra Lynn Pearce, 51, of Genesee Street, Corfu, is charged with disorderly conduct. Pearce is accused of interfering with a police investigation of a reported disturbance at an address on Genesee Street.

Robert Gehron McCarthy, 52, of Belvadere Lane, Batavia, is charged with harassment.  McCarthy is accused of getting into a fight with another person while at the dog show in Alexander Fireman's Recreation Hall.

Johanna Marie McCarthy, 60, of Belvadere Lane, Batavia, is charged with harassment. McCarthy is accused of getting into a fight with another person while at the dog show in Alexander Fireman's Recreation Hall.

James Ross Sweet, 49, of Shady Lane, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. Sweet was taken into custody at 2:59 a.m., Monday, after the Sheriff's Office was called to the Country Meadows Trailer Park on three separate occasions within an hour's span. Sweet was reportedly playing his music too loud, honking a car horn more than 10 times and using profane language. Sweet was jailed on $250 bail.

A 17-year-old from Depew is accused by Batavia City Police of providing a false identification to a police officer on May 19, even after being warned that it was a crime to provide a false identity. Her true identity was later learned by police and she was located on Monday and arrested. She was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Kevin J. O'Connell, 29, of 433 E. Main St., Apt. 8, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. O'Connell was charged following a domestic incident in which he allegedly hit another person and the child was knocked down.

Judson James Adamski, 42, of 142 Pamona Drive, Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. Adamski is accused of walking into a Subway restaurant in Pembroke at 9:02 p.m., Monday and yelling profanities.

Michael Cameron Humphrey, 19, of East Bethany Road, Le Roy, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child and criminal nuisance, 2nd. Humphrey is accused of hosting an underage drinking party. The alleged party was discovered while the Sheriff's Office investigated a 9-1-1 hang up call.

Cheryl A. Wittman, 40, of Bergen, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17. Wittman was arrested by State Police following an alleged incident reported at 3:16 p.m., Saturday. No further details were released.

Matthew L. Hume, 19, of Silver Creek, and Joshua Fisher, 24, of Warsaw, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Hume and Fisher were cited by State Police at 12:10 p.m., Wednesday, on Route 19 in Le Roy.

Eric J. Chaffee, 28, of Akron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC. of .08 or greater with two priors and unsafe turn. Chaffee was stopped at 11:46 a.m., Wednesday, by State Police on Akron Road in Pembroke.

Accidents reported in the State Police blotter:

9 p.m., Friday, Gillate Road, Alexander, one vehicle; Driver 1: Gary R. Ewert, 58, of Corfu. No injuries reported.

10:18 a.m., Thursday, West Main Street Road, Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Michelle L Konieczny, 41, of Batavia; Driver 1: left the scene. No injuries reported.

4:11 p.m., Thursday, Home Depot parking lot, Batavia, two vehicles; Driver 1: Walter C. Purtell, 73, of Retsof; Driver 1: Lawrence P. Steen, 83, of Le Roy. No injuries reported.

There was a nice turn out on a bright sunny day for Batavia's Memorial Day Parade.

More pictures after the jump:

A residential fire has been reported 5050 Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Batavia.

Batavia Fire and multiple other fire departments are being dispatched to the scene and for standby.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: Some fire units breaking down. The porta-pond is being broken down.

UPDATE 9:44 p.m.: Fire out. Town of Batavia Fire picking up.

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A tractor trailer vs. car accident has been reported in the area of mile marker 378.5 on the Thruway.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance are being dispatched.

UPDATE 7:50 p.m.: The fuel tanks on the truck are leaking, and are full. No word on injuries.

These photos of the Alexander Memorial Day observance were submitted by Pamela Dayton and Rick Franclemont. Top photo by Pamela, second by Rick and the ones after the jump by Pamela.

An ATV rider in the area of Malby Road, east of Fisher Road, reportedly suffered facial and rib injuries in an accident.

He also lost consciousness, but is awake and alert now.

Oakfield Fire and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 7:05 p.m.: No need for Mercy Flight.

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With new construction at UMMC, local veterans must raise funds for the displaced War Veterans Memorial that sat for decades outside the main entrance to the hospital.

Today, local veterans gathered at the Jerome Center on Bank Street to honor America's war dead and kick off the fund raising efforts for the new memorial.

More pictures after the jump