A hazardous weather outlook for Genesee County and portions of Western New York was issued this morning.

Thunderstorms are likely today. The storms could become quite strong during the midday and early afternoon with the greatest threat from the storms being localized damaging winds and hail.

Strong to severe thunderstorms will again be possible on Sunday with the risk for another round of localized damaging winds and hail.

Afternoon apparent temperatures Sunday through Tuesday may reach the lower 90s or higher. Keep in mind that heat advisories are issued when apparent temperatures reach at least 95 for two consecutive hours.

A car has reportedly hit a pole in the parking lot of Valu Center, behind McDonald's, in the City of Batavia.

Injuries are reported.

City fire dispatched.

Press release:

Effective immediately the is a water shut down on Walnut Street from the city line to Law Street for a repair to a broken water main.

Service will be restored as soon as possible. Once service is restored, you may notice some discoloration. Please delay doing laundry until the water clears up.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Water service has been restored and the roadway is open.

The Child Advocacy Center has completed phase I of its $250,000 renovation project and on Thursday held an open house, which was attended by Rep. Chris Collins.

At 4:41 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement for Southwestern Genesee County and other portions of Western New York.

A strong thunderstorm was located a short time ago over Darien Lakes State Park, moving northeast at 25 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.

Locations impacted include: Batavia, Darien Lakes State Park, Le Roy, Pembroke, Pavilion, Byron and Oakfield.

This includes the following highways: Interstate 390 near exit 10; Interstate 90 between exits 48A and 47.

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

Press release:

Back and expanded by popular demand, please join the Holland Land Office Museum for a Westside Ghost Walk on three Fridays in October.

The walks led by Connie Boyd will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11^th, 18^th, and 25^th.

Take a walk on the Westside and hear tales of murders, hangings, grave robbing, ghosts and other eerie happenings from Batavia's past. Hear stories of Joseph Ellicott, E. N. Rowell and other famous and infamous Batavians.

Admission is $10 and reservations are required with purchase.

Tours are limited to 25 people each.

The tour begins and ends at the museum and will last approximately one-and-a-half to two hours in length.

For more spooky fun from Batavia’s past, please visit the Batavia Cemetery’s Ghost Walk on Saturday, Oct. 26^th.

For tickets or more information, please call (585) 343-4727, email at hollandlandoffice@gmail.com, or stop by at 131 W. Main St. Batavia.

Robert James Barnes, 29, of West Main Street, Corfu, is due in Corfu Village Court at 1 p.m. on Sept. 10 on charges of: falsifying business records in the first degree, a Class E felony; and attempted criminal contempt in the second degree, a Class B misdemeanor. On Aug. 6, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office was notified by the FBI that the defendant allegedly tried to purchase a firearm on West Main Street in the Village of Corfu at 4:47 p.m. on Aug. 2 while there was an active order of protection against him. Further investigation revealed that the defendant allegedly put false information on the background form that was submitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Alan R. Price, 24, of Chili Avenue, Chili, is charged with: second-degree strangulation; first-degree criminal contempt; and endangering the welfare of a child. Price was arrested on the felony and misdemeanor charges and arraigned in Bergen Town Court on Aug. 14. The charges stem from a domestic dispute that occurred at 8 a.m. on April 11 on the eastbound Route 490 at mile marker 3.3 in Bergen. Price is accused of strangling the driver of the vehicle while it was being driven on Route 490. There was a 1-year-old in the back seat and the time and an active order of protection in place. Following arraignment, he was released under supervision of Genesee Justice. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Office Investigator Howard Carlson, assisted by Batavia Police Detective Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Wesley Thigpen, 38, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree criminal contempt. He was arrested after a domestic incident at 7:18 p.m. Aug. 13 on Hall Street in Batavia when there was an order of protection against him. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in Genesee County Jail; bail status not provided. He is due back in city court on Aug. 22. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Call Lynn Bezon today & list your property with Reliant Real Estate!

Submitted photo and press release:

The 2019 season for the first-place Batavia Muckdogs has been a special one at Dwyer Stadium. Now, add the all-star game to the memories.

The New York-Penn League has announced seven players will represent Batavia in the all-star game on Wednesday, Aug. 21 in Staten Island.

Nick Ready (third base), J.D. Orr (left field) and Troy Johnston (right field) were named starters. Milton Smith II (center field) and pitchers Julio Frias, Brock Love and Josh Simpson were also named to the team.

The all-star game is at 7 p.m. hosted by the Staten Island Yankees with gates opening at 3 p.m. There will be a home run competition between the New York City Fire Department and NYPD. 

During the pre-game, the 2019 NYPL Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place with Batavia's Gene Baker going in the hall with Bernie Williams, Jane Rogers and Josiah Viera. 

Baker, who died in 1999, became the first African-American manager in organized baseball, when the Pittsburgh Pirates named him skipper of the Batavia club in 1961. 

In 1963, he became the second black coach in the major leagues following Buck O’Neill by a half season. He can also be credited with being the first black manager in Major League Baseball when he took over for ejected Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh on Sept. 21, 1963. He was also the first African-American player to ever make the Chicago Cubs roster in 1953. 

Here is a look at the 2019 Batavia all-stars:

Nic Ready

It has been a wild year for Nic Ready. The son of former Major Leaguer Randy Ready, Nic won the 2019 NCAA Home Run Derby in Omaha, Neb., then was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 23^rd round out of the Air Force Academy.

Ready, a 6-foot-3 righthander who plays third and first, has shown tremendous power this season with seven home runs and 34 RBI’s with 26 doubles and a triple. He is hitting .280 with a .525 slugging percentage.

Ready is currently active duty with the Air Force, but a new law will allow him to play professional baseball and fulfill his military commitments the next two years.

In the all-star game, Ready will start at third.

J.D. Orr

It is no surprise J.D. Orr will start in the outfield in the all-star game. The 5-foot-10 Orr was drafted this year in the 10^th round of the draft by the Miami Marlins out of Wright State in Dayton, Ohio, where he led the nation in stolen bases.

In Batavia, he not only leads the team with 24 stolen bases, but he leads the entire New York-Penn League with a .373 average and has 59 hits. He has hit three doubles, two triples and scored 46 runs.

Troy Johnston

Another starter in the outfield for the Muckdogs will be Troy Johnston, a 17^th-round pick of the Marlins out of Gonzaga University (Spokane, Wash.) this year.

Johnston, a 5-foot-11 lefty is hitting .295 with 46 hits, 11 doubles, a triple and two home runs. He has driven in 26 runs and scored 23. At Gonzaga, he was leading the nation in doubles furing the 2019 season and led his team in average.

Milton Smith II

During the 2019 season, Milton Smith II spent time as the top hitter in the New York-Penn League, and is still hitting .319 with 52 hits, a triple and 17 stolen bases, as he was caught just four times. Smith II is also an outstanding centerfielder for the Muckdogs.

Smith, a 5-foot-10 lefty, was drafted in the 22^nd round by the Marlins out of Meridian Community College in Meridian, Miss., in 2018.

Brock Love

Love is a 6-foot-1 right-hander who has made a big impact on the Muckdogs this season coming out of the bullpen. He has thrown 14.1 innings with 18 strikeouts and just four walks, giving up just four runs for a ERA of 2.51 and a WHIP of 0.77.

He was picked by the Miami Marlins as the fourth pick of the 2019 draft in the 34th round out of the University of Alabama.

In college, Love was injured in 2017 but in 2018 he was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, something he did in his first seven performances with Batavia. In 2019 he led Alabama in strikeouts with 66 in 60 innings while starting 13 games. Love showed right away as a freshman his command of the strike zone, walking just three batters his first year while strikeout 21 with a 2.81 ERA.

Josh Simpson

The 2019 season has been frustrating for batters opposing Josh Simpson as the 6-foot-2 lefty has a 0.55 ERA in 11 games and has struck out 21 batters in 16.1 innings with just two walks. He has given up just one run all season for the Muckdogs.

Simpson was a 32^nd-round draft pick out of Columbia University by the Miami Marlins this year. He was an all-Ivy League selection and struck out 56 batters. He threw a nine-inning complete game shut out against Cornell as a senior.

Julio Frias

Frias turned 21 as the season started, and the 6-foot-2 lefty out of Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, has enjoyed a great season as a top starting pitcher. Frias has 11 starts and has gone 4-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 56.2 innings with just 21 hits allowed.

In his short career, Frias has tossed 182 innings with 174 strikeouts. His last start was on Aug. 11, a win over Mahoning Valley. Frias signed in 2014 as an international free agent with the Marlins at age 16.

Photo: Batavia has seven all-stars on the New York-Penn League All-Star team, including outfielders Milton Smith II, left, and Troy Johnston.

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum is proud to present its first Murder Mystery Dinner Theater fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 28. An original mystery written for HLOM, it is based on the 19th century local crime of the century, the disappearance of William Morgan.

Will you outsmart the suspects and determine what happened to him and "who dun it"?

The mystery is a live performance at Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in Stafford, with considerable interaction between the suspects and the audience with an extensive comedic touch put on by WNY Improv Inc.

WNY Improv Inc. is a group of eclectic and talented performers from throughout Western New York with extensive experience in acting and improvisation. WNY Improv has performed on stage, in films, on cruise ships, at festivals and many other venues in New York, the City of Toronto in Ontario Province, Canada, and Pennsylvania.

Doors opening at 5:30 p.m., performance beginning at 6, and dinner served by 6:30.

Each ticket will get you a choice of four different entrees for your meal: prime rib, chicken French, blackened salmon, or veggie lasagna, all include sides, salad, and dessert. Cash bar will also be available.

Tickets are $50 per person. They can be purchased by contacting the museum at 585-343-4727, hollandlandoffice@gmail.com, or stopping by 131 W. Main St. Batavia. Please have entree choice ready when buying tickets.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Tonight (Aug. 16) at Batavia Downs is noteworthy for two reasons. One, it’s the first live card of harness racing held on a Friday this meet at the Downs as the track previously hosted their now completed concert series on Friday.  

Second, it’s the night of the Batavia Down’s annual “Races to Benefit the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester” (www.bccr.org) fundraiser that will be held at the track to raise both awareness and dollars to fight this deadly disease. 

This annual event is one of the larger fundraisers held by this organization and Batavia Downs has been proud to put on the event with them and be a part of this very worthy cause. It will be held in the clubhouse and runs from 5 until 9 p.m.

“We have partnered with BCCR for several years now and each year this event gets bigger and better,” said Todd Haight, director/general manager of Live Racing. “It’s an opportunity for us to help raise money to defeat the scourge of breast cancer in our lifetime.

"The generosity of our horsemen and patrons always shines through and I’m sure we will see that again tonight.”

There will be a silent auction held adjacent to the clubhouse with a list of prizes that will please anyone’s taste. They include:

• Two suite tickets to the Buffalo Bills versus Philadelphia Eagles at New Era Field on Sunday, Oct. 27;
• Four suite tickets to the Buffalo Sabres versus the St. Louis Blues at Key Bank Center on Tuesday, Dec. 10;
• Two suite tickets for the Carrie Underwood concert at Key Bank Arena on Sunday, Oct. 13;
• One Batavia Downs Hotel night and racing package;
• Two Batavia Downs clubhouse racing packages;
• A recliner from Max Pies Furniture in Batavia;
• And a host of other items too numerous to mention.

Dozens of local owners, trainers and drivers have already committed to donating some or all of their winnings realized tonight with more coming on board every day.

The track will also be taking cash donations from anyone willing to help that will be forwarded directly to the BCCR.

“Last year we were able to raise in excess of $13,000 and this year we aim to break that record," Haight said. "The clubhouse has been sold out for weeks so we’ll have many caring people here that night.

"And we will also have runners in both the paddock and grandstand area taking bids for the silent auction and also collecting any donations people may wish to make."

Post time for the first race is at 6 p.m.

Sen. Rob Ortt, who represents Tonawanda and surrounding areas in Albany, has scheduled a press conference tomorrow to discuss the NY-27 congressional race.

The media advisory does not explicitly say he is planning to announce a primary challenge to Rep. Chris Collins.

Collins, facing a federal indictment on insider trading charges and a House ethics investigation, while maintaining his innocence, has been noncommittal about whether he will seek reelection.

That has kept many potential challenges, including Assemblyman Steve Hawley, on the sidelines.

Hawley reiterated today, "As I have always maintained, we have an incumbent congressman. I will make a decision once his status is known."

Assuming Ortt, a NY Army National Guard veteran who served in Afghanistan and earned a bronze star in combat, enters the race, he will join two other candidates in the primary field against Collins. The other candidates, who have yet to make a publicly announced visit to Batavia, are Chris Jacobs and Beth Parlato.

In the past few months, Ortt has paid a bit of attention to Genesee County, hosting a public forum in Batavia on the farm labor bill and visiting a farm in Corfu, where he first shared a possible interest in running for this congressional seat.

While there is an effort to convince Medal of Honor recipient and Batavia resident David Bellavia to enter the race, Bellavia has taken no public position on the race and is maintaining a busy schedule with the Army to promote service to community and country.

• Beginners (ages 6/7) at 10 a.m.
• Mini (ages 8/9) at 12 p.m.
• Junior Varsity (ages 10/11) at 2 p.m.
• Varsity (ages 12/13) at 4 p.m.

For questions or comments, email:  bataviabulldawgsfootball@gmail.com

From the Genesee County Health Department:

August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month. Today’s vaccines protect against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, including polio, measles, whooping cough, and chickenpox.

Because of advances in medical science, your children and family can be protected against more diseases than ever before.

Paul Pettit, Public Health director of Genesee and Orleans counties, has continually supported vaccination and vaccine education in our communities and believes vaccines are the best defense against preventable diseases.

“Vaccination is safe and effective," Pettit said. "All vaccines undergo long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and the federal government to make sure they are safe."

Immunizations are important for a variety of reasons. When you get vaccinated, you not only protect yourself but you also help protect the people around you who might be too young or too sick to get vaccinated themselves. This is called “community immunity” or “herd immunity.”

If enough people stop getting vaccinated, more outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, will occur.

On June 13, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation removing nonmedical exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children.

Public Health Law §2164(1)(a) defines “school” to include any public, private or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate or secondary school.

This means that if your child does not have a medical exemption, your child must receive vaccines in order to attend school. This new law will help protect against vaccine-preventable diseases within our communities.

For more information on the law, please click here.

From infants to senior citizens, getting vaccines on time is one of the most important way to protect yourself and your family from serious diseases and infections.

During NIAM, the Genesee and Orleans County health departments encourage you to talk to your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional to ensure that you and your family are up to date on recommended vaccines.

We also encourage you to visit CDC’s Interactive Vaccine Guide, which provides information on the vaccines recommended during pregnancy and throughoutyour child’s life. Adults can use the CDC’s adult vaccine assessment tool to see which vaccines might be right for you.

For information about this article or health department services contact the Genesee County Health Department at: 344-2580, ext. 5555, or visit their website here.

The hectic and chaotic business of everyday life can distract us all from what is really important. But what if you could sit down at the beginning of every day and think about what really matters, to take a few minutes, commune with God, and think about His teachings?

Batavia resident Marlene Burling, in her 365-days devotional book, “A Daily Walk with God,” offers her readers this exact opportunity.

She offers musings on the scriptures and God’s teachings, encapsulated in daily messages, one for each day of the year.

Many of them were written in the aftermath of her husband’s death as part of the grieving process, and finding renewed meaning in her life. Marlene’s husband, Autry, was a preacher, and they worked together for many years before his passing.

This is Marlene’s second spiritual book; her first book,“Morning Walks with God,”was received gratefully by many seeking to be closer to God. This book is perfect for those seeking meaning in a life often filled with superficialities and materialism. It offers readers a chance to take a moment every day and think about God’s purpose for their life, and presents them with opportunities to take steps to bring them closer to God.

“A Daily Walk with God” is thoughtful, insightful and beautifully written.

“A Daily Walk with God” is available at Amazon and your favorite online book retailers. You can check out more about her books from his website at https://marleneburling.com/

About the Author 

Marlene Burling, a resident in Batavia, is a widow. She was a pastor’s wife. She has three married children, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She and her husband began their ministry as home missionaries and later served in regular pastorates.

She has been a teacher of children, youth and ladies, and has been a speaker at ladies’ banquets and workshops. She has written articles for newsletters, a children’s book titled “Grandma, Tell Me the Easter Story,” and has compiled a workshop titled, “There’s Life After Death—(Living in Widowhood),”  which she is able to present to churches, ladies’ groups, or other groups.

She started a widow’s ministry in her church for widows and singles. The group is called The King’s Daughters. She lived with her in-laws as their caregiver until their deaths. She was a graduate of Elba Central School in 1962. She and her husband graduated from Elohim Bible Institute in Castile in 1979. 

RIck von Kramer shared with us this quick video of new spans that have been delivered for installation over the Tonawanda Creek for the new Pratt Road Bridge.

Here's a video we did previously about the project:

Rep. Chris Collins paid a visit Thursday to the Child Advocacy Center in Batavia (more on that later) and after his visit we spoke with him about his campaign plans and his criminal case.

A driver told investigators that he was singing to his 18-month-old daughter, and briefly looked at her at the back seat before his 2002 Acura sedan crossed the center line on Route 33 in Stafford at 9:23 a.m., last Friday, and struck an oncoming truck that was hauling garbage.

Alexander P. Ortiz, 22, of Canary Street, Rochester, was cited for driving without insurance, driving with an expired inspection, driving left of pavement markers, unlicensed operation, and driving on a suspended registration.

His baby daughter, Elle A. Ortiz, who was placed properly in a child safety seat in the backseat of the car, was uninjured but was transported to UMMC for evaluation.

The Acura clipped at 2019 Mack truck driving by R.W. Kellen II, 40, of North Road, Scottsville. The impact caused the driver-side front tire to be torn from the vehicle and Kellen lost control of the truck. It crossed the oncoming lane of traffic, the westbound lane, and left the roadway, flipping onto its side and dumping its load of garbage on the roadway and onto the field as it slid out of control.

A third vehicle, a 2010 Nissan sedan, driven by Alexander Boehlig, 17, struck some of the debris, causing damage to the front bumper and windshield.

Boehlig, from Bergen, was uninjured.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush.

Previously: No serious injuries reported, including to 18-month-old, in trash-truck vs. car accident in Stafford

Photos: Previously published photos.

Press release:

CARF International announced that Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) has been accredited for a period of three years for its Opioid Treatment Program. This is the first accreditation that the international accrediting body, CARF, has given to GCASA.

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be given to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality. 

GCASA is a not-for-profit organization, providing substance use disorder treatment and prevention services in Genesee and Orleans counties for more than 40 years. The Opioid Treatment Program is licensed through NYS Office and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and can serve up to 150 patients.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement services that center on enhancing the lives of the persons served.

Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website at www.carf.org.

For additional information, contact Senior Services Director Kathy Hodgins at 585-343-1124.