The Genesee ARC today held its 38th annual golf tournament at Stafford Country Club, which also included tournaments in bocce ball and tennis.

Above, Steve Pies watches a put just barely slide by the cup during his tournament round.

Ken Barrett hitting a tee shot.

Ray Shirtz playing tennis.

Krysia Mager, Lisa Dechau, Bob Bennett and Marth Bailey, the champion bocce ball team.

Representatives from Alpina yogurt at the bocce ball tournament. Alpina was a silver-tier sponsor this year.

Work has finally begun on the new McDonald's location in Eastown Plaza, Batavia.

First order of business, removing the paving on the parking lot of the site pad.

Crews were on South Jackson Street all day today laying down new asphalt over the recently milled road bedding.

It's one of a handful of streets in the city getting repaved this week.

The lighted path leading to the door of the YWCA was intended to be a symbol of hope for the victims of domestic violence and a remembrance for a former Batavia woman who died recently.

The lights were installed just a week ago.

This weekend, they were all destroyed.

"I personally think it was a malicious, intentional act," said Jeanne Walton, the YWCA executive director. "I think somebody did it to be mean and nasty and to make a statement."

Ever single Malibu light was broken. None remain usable.

"It was a symbolic remembrance of recent murder victim Nicole Sheehan, who had been killed during a domestic dispute," Walton said. "We put in the Walkway of Hope up in her honor."

If anybody has information that may assist in the criminal investigation, Walton asked that they call Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350.

An officer is responding to Walmart after a complaint of a dog locked inside a vehicle. It's a four-door gray Chevy Impala parked in the last aisle of the food entrance near a fire hydrant.

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.: The officer is on location with the vehicle and the complainant.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.: The dog is reportedly showing signs of distress. A Walmart employee is paging the registered owner of the vehicle.

UPDATE 2:40 p.m.: Apparently the owner responded. The officer is back in service.

A 16-year-old male lost consciousness for a little over a minute after an ATV accident on the track at Area 51. The boy's helmet came off, but no mention of whether this occured before or after impact. He is coming to consciousness. Mercy Flight is being dispatched to the scene. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy medics are also responding.

UPDATE 1:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to ECMC.

UPDATE 1:54 p.m.: Responders are back in service.

Doug Gaus assistant leader for Troop 6006 introduced the Eagle Ceremony honoring Nicholas Johnson along with his parents today at the First United Methodist Church. Little did Doug know he would be receiving the Mentor Pin, earned for his help and encourgment to Nick along his trail to Eagle. This marks the troops second Eagle for 2014 and in less than 30 days from when Dennis Alton received his award.  Many prayers were made from Rev. Pamela S. Klotzbach, who led the worship mass along with friends and family who gave their best wishes to Nick before the ceremony started. (Pictured below, Nicholas Johnson)

After Nick recited the Scout Oath, he recognized his dad Tim, pictured below, and fellow scout Tyler, who was there for him as a good friend on his journey through scouting.

He spoke highly of both of them being important roles that kept him motivated and willing to succeed.

A reception followed the ceremony where more than 30 people attended to celebrate the occasion. Many scouts and leaders from the Troop attended also. Pictured below is Scoutmaster Ron Bernard, Assistant Leader Doug Gaus (who received the Mentor Pin), Nicholas, mom Lisa and dad Tim Johnson.

Press release:

The Batavia City Council is seeking City residents who are interested in volunteering as a member of the following Committee/Board:

- Cable TV Advisory Board 

Residents interested in applying can obtain an application from the City Clerk’s Office or can visit our Web site at www.batavianewyork.com and download a Committee/Board Volunteer Application under Documents.  

Applications are due to the City Clerk’s Office by Friday, Aug. 8.

Chapter 193 of the Vietnam Veterans of America sponsored the 25th annual Duck Derby in Le Roy today, with an assist from the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department.

Luke Gottsi won. Rich Noble, second, and Jerry Castantino, third.

While at Darien Lake for the Gus Macker Tournament, I found out three members of the Harlem Globe Trotters were inside the park putting on a show. I got just the tail end.

Herschend Family Entertainment, owners of Darien Lake Theme Park, also own the Harlem Globetrotters.

For years, the Gus Macker Tournament has been played in Buffalo. This year, for the first time, it was played at Darien Lake Theme Park. The tournament was spread over Saturday and Sunday (some Saturday games were delayed to Sunday because of rain). I showed up in time for a portion of two games and the final championship game of the day (among various divisions). The team in the light gray tops won 20-6.

To purchase prints, click here.

A little rain did nothing to deter fairgoers from enjoying the final day of the Genesee County Fair. As of Saturday morning, approximately 14,000 visitors attended the 175th County Fair in Batavia.

“Overall includes lifetime members, volunteers and 4-H’ers and the 9,500 that paid at the gate and thus far 14,000 people have visited the 175th Genesee County Fair,” said  

Norm Pimm, treasurer for the Agricultural Society.

According to Nick O’Geen of the Agricultural Society, the cooler, nicer weather this year played a part in drawing a crowd. Additionally, the number of vendors and local people that have had displays is greater this year, according to Agricultural Society Secretary Rose Topolski.

“Several local businesses have set up (displays/food stands), so there is a familiarity to them; people recognize local shops,” Topolski said.

Entertainment options have been ramped up to draw families as well as adults. 

“We’ve kept the family entertainment tent but we also added a beer tent with entertainment for the older crowd,” said Agricultural Society Member Alton MacDuffie.

Other additions to the fair included adding the Princess Contest and new sponsors for the Tractor Pull.

“A lot of new 4-H members put forth ideas and carried through on them,” Topolski said. “The young blood brought forth more to the fair -- more grandeur.”

“For a week people become like your family because you see and wave to them every day.” O'Geen said.

A fond farewell to this year’s Genesee County Fair -- the 175th Anniversary celebrations came to a close Saturday night.

“We’d like to thank all the 4-h'ers, volunteers, sponsors, and fair supporters for making the 175th Genesee County Fair a success,” O’Geen said. 

A car versus tractor-trailer accident, unknown injuries, is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 379.4. That's in the area of the Route 19 overpass. Le Roy fire and ambulance responding.

UPDATE 6:13 p.m.: A female victim needs to be extricated.

UPDATE 6:39 p.m.: Byron fire also responded and was put back in service by Le Roy command at 6:28 p.m. State Troopers remain on scene. Le Roy is back in service. Didn't hear the outcome of the patients.

UPDATE 6:35 p.m.: Le Roy ambulance is transporting a 33-year-old female to UMMC who complains of left side body pain.

A motorcycle accident with two people injured is reported at 8971 Creek Road. Two Mercy rigs and Town of Batavia fire are responding. The victims are conscious and alert but bleeding. The location is between Lehigh and Dorman roads.

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: A rescue engine from East Pembroke is on scene. A patient who was pinned down as a result of the accident is free now. The bike is down an enbankment.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Mercy Flight, which was on standby, is cancelled. One person is being transferred to UMMC.

UPDATE 2:57 p.m.: East Pembroke's rescue engine is back in service.

UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: Both patients are going to Strong.

UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.

A resident on Alexander Road near Stroh Road reports that a neighbor's dog has killed 36 of his chickens.

A deputy is responding.

Heading back from Le Roy yesterday afternoon, I spotted a sign off Route 5 that said "Model Airplane Show."

Well, that sounded interesting.

I followed the signs to Randall Road and discovered an airfield behind a set of barns and met members of the Radio Controlled Flying Club of Batavia.

They were hosting special guests yesterday, professional flyers from Rochester, Devin McGrath and Kyle Stacy.

McGrath, Stacy and club member Don Lefever.

After 30 years of coaching Le Roy High School football, Andrew Paladino is retiring at the end of the 2014 season.

Paladino was defensive coordinator under Head Coach Brian Moran for 25 years. This season will also be Moran's last, and he and Moran always said they would retire together.

"Also, it's time to go," Paladino said during a party in his honor at the shop of Bill Fox. "We've got three former players on staff now. We're leaving them in good hands. Brian Herdlein is a very capable coach. He'll do fine."

Paladino's Le Roy football career started as a player with junior varsity in 1970. In his junior year, as the only junior on the team, he was the starting center and made the All County Team. The following year he slimmed down and started at full back and line backer and was named to the All Rochester Team, the All State First Team, and was named a Prep All American.

Rather than go to college, Paladino decided to get married, take a job and stay in Le Roy.

His coaching career started a couple of years later when he became a youth football coach (as a kid he couldn't play youth football, he said, because he was too fat).

During the Moran/Paladino years, the Oatkan Knights won a state championship (1995) and more than a dozen sectional titles. 

At the party Saturday was Paladino's high school coach, Don Santini, who joined Paladino for a cigar. Paladino said, "This is the man who started it all right here."

Photo: Santini, Paladino and Ron Plummer.

Big crowd and lots of great community spirit were on display Saturday during the annual Oatka Festival Parade, followed by fun and games at the festival in Trigon Park.

The biggest cheers of the parade went up when the Class of 1984 came through and the announcers said among the things the class supports is saving Frost Ridge, and then again when the Save Frost Ridge group itself came through the parade (above).

To purchase prints, click here.

More than 20 volunteers hauled out 180 pounds of garbage from the Tonawanda Creek this morning under the supervision of Boy Scout Alex Hansen.

The cleanup was the culmination of Alex's Eagle Scout project, which he said took a year to plan and execute.

It required the cooperation of Genesee ARC (who hauled away the garbage for free) and Sloat Tire to pick up the tires that were collected, and Alex had to coordinate the volunteers through the Tonawanda Watershed Committee and Troop 6069.

"The creek over the years has become really polluted with trash," Alex said. "People just throw tires and water heaters and even air conditioners right over the bridges in town. All this stuff gets washed to places, such as Kiwanis Park, and so we have people people cleaning because there's trash everywhere."

The 16-year-old scout said volunteers dispersed to Kiwanis Park, Kibbe Park, behind the courthouse and behind Valu Plaza.

"We think this will make a positive difference for the community because people want to enjoy the creek again," Alex said. "We want to make it a better place for people and wildlife."