Photo: Sunset at Centennial Park

Photo submitted by Melzie Case.
Photo submitted by Melzie Case.
Here's a short video tour of the weather Thursday afternoon in Pembroke and Darien.
Send closings to howard@thebatavian.com.
Indian Falls at the Log Cabin Restaurant was a beautiful scene late this afternoon. Here is a short video and a photo.
Here are some photos from this afternoon taken along the Route 77 corridor of the western part of Genesee County, and on Route 5 and in Alabama and Oakfield.
Above, Darien Lakes State Park.
A home on Sumner Road, Darien.
East Pembroke
On Route 77, south of Gabby Road.
On Route 77, south of Gabby Road.
Judge Road, Alabama.
Bliss Road, Oakfield.
Lewiston Road, Oakfield.
Tonawanda Creek, behind the County Courthouse in Batavia.
Press release:
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Genesee County Highway Department and Emergency Management Services, has canceled the travel advisory for all of Genesee County as of 5 p.m., Jan. 31.
Motorists are encouraged to continue to drive with caution due to present blowing and drifting snow accumulation on roads and sub-zero wind chill temperatures.
Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the state of emergency has also been canceled.
We can confirm, there is a lot of blowing and drifting snow and low visbility at times on county grounds. Photos and video coming, hopefully later tonight.
A motor-vehicle accident is reported on Lewiston Road, Route 77, at Salt Works Road, Alabama.
A truck is jackknifed and the roadway is blocked. Traffic is being shutdown in both directions.
Alabama fire responding.
GO ART! is open for Jazz & Jam tonight (Jan. 31) as part of its Fifth Thursdays series.
The Genesee Jazz Collective will be performing from 7 to 7:45 p.m.
Then from 8 to 9 p.m. the Genesee Jazz Collective will host an open Jam Session.
Tavern 2.o.1 will be open and will be serving flights of jam sandwiches in honor of the Jam Session -- you get to choose from three fruit jams.
Come on in and break your cabin fever!
GO ART! is located at 201 E. Main St. in the historic Seymour Place building in Downtown Batavia.
A winter storm warning and wind chill advisory remain in effect for Genesee County until 7 p.m., with the wind chill advisory in effect until 7 a.m., Friday.
Up to three inches of lake effect snow is possible today before 7 p.m.
A travel advisory and state of emergency remain in effect for Genesee County.
Two truck drivers were cited today in connection with a 21-vehicle pile-up on the Thruway in Le Roy yesterday that hospitalized a state trooper.
Trooper Dominique Wilson sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the accident, which occurred at 2 p.m. in the eastbound lane of the Thruway near mile marker 382. Wilson remains hospitalized at Strong Memorial Hospital in stable condition.
Also injured were Michael L. Bushek, age 60, of Palmyra, and Edward F. Dejoy, age 55, of Hamburg. Both were treated and released at Strong.
Tractor-trailer drivers, Richard Magezi, 41, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Michael L. Lambert, 54, of Hartford, Conn., were ticketed for allegedly disobeying a traffic control device, speed not reasonable and prudent, following too closely, and driving across hazard markings.
The investigation revealed that 19 vehicles, including 16 passenger cars, one box truck and two tractor-trailers, were involved in the crash.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a tractor-trailer traveling eastbound lost control, jackknifed, and struck the rear of a Trooper Wilson’s troop car, pushing it out into the roadway where the patrol vehicle was then sideswiped by a second tractor-trailer.
There was a ban on tractor-trailer traffic on the Thruway at the time of the accident due to the winter storm passing through the area.
Le Roy fire, with Le Roy taking command, along Town of Batavia fire, and Bergen fire, and six ambulances from Genesee, Monroe and Livingston counties responded to the accident, which left the Thruway closed for several hours.
Top photo: submitted by a reader.
A car has struck a utility pole at Colby Road and Route 20, Darien.
There are no injuries but the pole and wires are down in the roadway.
Darien fire dispatched.
UPDATE 12:13 p.m.: Alexander fire police are going to shutdown traffic at Route 238.
UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: Truck traffic is being diverted onto Colby Road to Route 77. The pole will need to be replaced. It's supporting service to the house at that location.
UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: Roadway reopened. All Darien units back in service.
A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported on Bank Street Road near Cockram Road, Byron.
No word on injuries.
Byron fire and South Byron fire dispatched.
UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: Road conditions are not good, according to a first responder. Elba fire requeted to the scene to assist.
UPDATE 11:53 a.m.: The vehicle is off the road. All responding units from Byron and South Byron are parked at the side of the road. The road is not blocked. Elba can stand down. Mercy EMS on scene.
Press release:
With the arrival of frigid temperatures and a number of structure fires across the State recently resulting from homeowners utilizing open flames to thaw frozen pipes, City of Batavia Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano reminds all City residents to be mindful and take the following precautions.
OPEN FAUCETS
Prior to thawing a frozen pipe, open any faucet connected to the frozen pipe. Opening faucets with frozen pipes is important for two reasons. Frozen pipes will most likely burst from built-up pressure and not from the expanding ice. The opening of a faucet can relieve the pressure. Secondly, upon thawing frozen pipes, steam will be generated and can lead to increasing pressure and bursting if it is unable to escape out of the open faucet.DO NOT USE OPEN FLAMES
Under no circumstances do not use open flames in any attempt to thaw pipes. The use of matches, a blowtorch or any other method with an open flame will compound the situation rather than solve it.
UTILIZE A GFCI OUTLET
Depending upon the thawing method used, please ensure that any device such as a hair dryer, heat gun or heat tape is connected to a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet. These outlets automatically monitor the current and are designed to protect people from electrical shock. The occurrence of electrocution is more significant during thawing situations due to the tools being electrical in nature and operating near potential water sources.
Chief Napolitano states that following these precautions and enlisting the services of a plumbing expert will safeguard your family and home from the devastation of a fire. He also offers all City residents to contact the City of Batavia Fire Department with any questions they may have regarding the safe thawing frozen pipes.
The phone number for City Fire Headquarters is 585-345-6375.
A chimney fire that is said to be contained, though flames are showing, is reported at 6516 Keller Road, Pavilion.
The location is between Roanoke Road and Transit Road.
The family cannot evacuate because of an elderly resident.
Pavilion fire along with Le Roy and Stafford dispatched.
UPDATE 10:27 a.m.: The homeowner told a first responder he believes the fire burned itself out. Responders warned about road conditions.
UPDATE 10:28 a.m.: Working fire in stove pipe. It's contained to the pipe. The family being assisted with evacuation.
UPDATE 10:32 a.m.: No smoke in the residence.
While a travel ban related to yesterday's blizzard-like conditions was lifted last night, this morning a travel advisory remains in effect and is expected to remain in place until 7 p.m.
A winter storm warning is in place until 7 p.m. though the current forecast doesn't show much snow for Batavia today. That, of course, could change.
The photo above from a reader is of a truck rollover accident at Lewiston and South Main in Oakfield that occured around 10:30 p.m. The road is still closed but should reopen soon. The truck was carrying 80,000 pounds of blueberries. Complicating the effort to get it up right were the powerlines overhead. National Grid installed a new utility pole at that location overnight.
Updates on closings (for our prior post on closings, click here):
Send closings and cancelations to howard@thebataivan.com.
UPDATE 9:01 a.m.: We just spoke with Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator. He said the forecasters with the National Weather Service say they expect a lake effect snow band that is currently south of Genesee County to shift north sometime this morning. The band should stay south of the Thruway. This could mean more snow and wind for Batavia, and if the shift does occur, certainly for the southwestern part of the county. He said, "they used words like two-thirds of the county" could be hit by the band. "It's sunny now but we don't want anybody to get lulled into the idea that the storm is past," Yaeger said. The travel advisory and state of emergency remain in effect. He said county officials will reevaluate the situtation around noon.
UPDATE 9:35 p.m.: There's a report of drivers stuck at the Flying J getting agitated. Drivers are reportedly yelling at each other.
Press release:
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Genesee County Highway Department and Emergency Management Services, has issued a travel advisory for all of Genesee County. Motorists are encouraged to avoid all unnecessary travel due to the significant accumulation of snow combined with strong winds and sub-zero wind chill temperatures and zero visibility at times.
Advisory is in effect from 9 p.m., Jan. 30, until further notice.
Sheriff Sheron reminds motorists that dark traffic signals that are not working are to be treated as a four-way stop.
Twenty-one vehicles, including a State Police patrol vehicle, were involved in an accident that shutdown the Thruway through Le Roy this afternoon.
Injuries were reported but no details have been released.
Several people involved in the accident were transported by van to the Ontario Service Center where they were evaluated by Mercy medics and interviewed by Troopers.
Le Roy Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, with assistance from Caledonia and Monroe County, responded to the scene.
Top three photos released by State Police. Bottom two photos courtesy a reader. If you have photos to share of the accident, send them to howard@thebatavian.com
UPDATE: Reader submitted photo added below.
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