A one-car accident with injuries is reported at 7586 Reuben Road in Alabama. The car crashed into a tree at the curve on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. Alabama Fire Department is responding. Vehicle occupants are out and walking around.
Judy Essig and her two daughters, Jenna and Nicole, were texting away in front of St. James Episcopal Church yesterday.
St. James is in the running for a Pepsi Refresh grant -- the same grant that Robert Morris and Byron-Bergen elementary schools won for the construction of new playgrounds earlier this year -- $50,000 each.
If the St. James community wins the grant, they will use the money for the restoration of the church's bell tower, a project that is still in its early phases.
Laurie Oltramari, president of the Landmark Society of Genesee County, said that the church is getting ready to choose a contractor, and that the Pepsi Refresh grant will fund masonry repairs, architectural and engineering fees, and promotion of the overall project.
Oltramari applied for the grant on behalf of the church out of a desire to preserve one of Batavia's most impressive landmarks. Built by Robert North in 1908, it is based on the Gothic architecture of churches North studied while living in England.
Unfortunately, the tower has been slowly deteriorating over the last 10 years due to water infiltration and very hard mortar in its structure. As you can see in pictures below, parts of the stonework have actually fallen off.
According to Marcia Gann, a member of St. James who is also on the committee for the tower's restoration, "the church has pledges of $350,000 directed toward the repair of the bell tower" as a result of the 2010 campaign.
These pledges have been earned through campaigning and fundraisers, as well as a $40,000 grant commitment from the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
As far as the project's current phase goes, "I'd say we're going to need about $250,000 just in order to have a safe environment (for people to work in for repairs)," Essig said.
Right now, they are still working on removing those parts of the tower that need to be removed just in order to "get it up to code," as Oltramari put it.
Starting Monday at 10 a.m., volunteers will man a free Pepsi stand in front of the church -- at 405 E. Main St. in Batavia -- and hand out voting instructions. People can drop off Pepsi bottle caps any time in a designated barrel at the church.
Voting for the project will continue through July 31. To place your vote:
1) Go to refresheverything.com/savethetower, or
2) Text 107740 at 73774.
You will notice a "Power Vote" option on the Pepsi Refresh site. This allows you to vote up to 10 times a day, according to Oltramari.
If you click on this option -- which is right above the normal voting tab -- you will be asked to enter the code on your specially marked Pepsi product cap.
At the moment, the church's rank is 69 out of 250 runners-up. So get online and start voting to hear those church bells ring!
SUPPLEMENTAL PHOTOS
Kids enjoy what the new playground has to offer at Robert Morris Elementary School -- also funded by the Pepsi Refresh grant.
The 49-year-old woman who, according to witnesses, purposefully stepped in front of a moving car on East Main Street on Thursday night has taken her own life.
According to a source in law enforcement, the woman used a gun this morning not long after being released from Strong Memorial Hospital, where she was taken for treatment by Mercy Flight after being hit by the car.
A teenager from Pavilion who was reported to State Police as missing on July 9 was located about 30 minutes ago, according to Trooper Holly Hansel.
Hansel said 17-year-old Brittany Hackett is fine and she is safe. The case has been closed.
Terry Hills Golf, 5122 Clinton St. Road, Batavia, NY: Terry Hills features a championship 27-hole public golf course that has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the area. Plus, there's an all new clubhouse, boasting both a restaurant and banquet facility with panoramic views of the golf course. We have a foursome for 18 holes of golf with a value of $120 available for $60.
Spirits, 78 Lake St., Le Roy, NY. Le Roy's favorite sports bar, where fun and good food are always on tap. We have $20 gift certificates for $10.
Alabama Hotel, 1353 Lewiston Road, Basom, NY: A historic and legendary tavern and restaurant. The Alabama Hotel is famous for its fish fries, but also serves a variety of top-quality entrees, featuring Certified Angus Beef. Now with expanded hours. We have $25 gift certificates for $12.50.
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.
South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. Decorate your home or office for summer. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.
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.
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.
Bohn's Restaurant, 5256 Clinton St., Batavia, NY. Fine dining in an atmosphere of casual elegance. Lunch and dinner, steak, prime rib and seafood. Ask about Bohn's catering services and banquet facility. We have $25 gift certificates 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 $20 gift certificates for $10.
Kraving's, Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Kravings offers soups, salads and sandwiches, fresh and flavorful; Monday through Saturday. We have $10 gift certificates for $5.
Clor's Meat Market, 4169 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: For the best, most flavorful, juiciest chicken or hamburger in town, hands down, stop by Clor's. Oh, and the steaks are great, too. And the sausage. Clor's also serves lunch and dinners from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have a $10 gift card for $5.
Red Osier, Route 5, Stafford, NY: Truly, one of the landmark restaurants of the area. Red Osier features prime rib carved table side. We have $25 gift certificates for $12.50.
T.F. Brown's, at 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 card for $10.
SOLD OUT
The engine compartment of an RV is on fire on the eastbound Thruway and Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. The location is mile marker 388.7 by the Bank Street overpass. State Troopers are on scene.
UPDATE 11:31 a.m.: The RV fire is fully involved. Both water and foam will be used to put it out.
UPDATE 11:40 a.m.: The fire is knocked down.
UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: The Town of Batavia assignment is back in service.
Genesee County's farms are facing some of the same difficulties hitting farmers across the nation -- a combination of increased use of E-verify, bureaucratic difficulties with H-2A visas, a dwindling supply of immigrant labor and few U.S. citizens willing to do the work, making it difficult to bring crops in on time.
The confluence of events led to an unusual meeting in Washington, D.C., this past week, organized for Rep. Lois Slaughter (D-Fairport), with participation from Rep. Kathy Hochul and one of Genesee County's farmers, Maureen Torrey.
Torrey, owner of Torrey Farms, said the meeting was the first time high-level representatives of the U.S. Department of Labor, congressional representatives and famers have been able to sit down and discuss immigration issues.
The meeting lasted longer than planned, going two hours.
"Some of the old-timers there were surprised at some of the responses that we got," Torrey said. "We do think maybe there might be some improvement."
Hochul also said the meeting was productive and a unique opportunity to bring together two sides -- the DOL and farmers -- who are historically adversarial.
"There is so much bureaucratic red tape it that it becomes a challenge for the farmers to get the workers they need," Hochul said. "These are people who are playing by the rules and they deserve all the help they can get from the government."
Torrey said the way the H-2A visa program is handled can really jeopardize the ability of farmers to harvest crops at the right time.
For example, she said, apples need to be picked on just the right day and pickers need to be experienced at recognizing the right color and firmness to pick apples at the right time, as well as be able to handle them properly to avoid damaging the fruit.
U.S. citizens, Torrey said, typically don't want the jobs and they lack the experience and training necessary to do the job properly.
Farmers want to be able bring back the same workers year after year to ensure they have the best labor force.
H-2A visas can be held up for a variety of reasons -- mistakes in the multiple pages of paperwork, a barely missed deadline, or a bureaucrat snafu can delay approval past harvest time.
Torrey said that a farmer might submit a batch of applications, have one disapproved and then face getting the entire batch rejected if she appeals just the one disapproval.
Hochul said the situation is just unacceptable.
"Some of the fields can’t be brought to market in time because they don't have enough popele to harvest the crops," Hochul said.
While the H-2A program requires that farmers first seek qualified labor among U.S. citizens, Torrey said few American ever respond to the required job listings.
In states such as Georgia, Florida and Alabama, where state legislatures have mandated use of a program called E-verify to check the legal status of workers, crops have been left to rot in the fields because there's been no workers available.
Torrey said even the DOL admits there are only about 50,000 qualified legal agricultural workers in the United States, but the annual demand is for 900,000 to one million workers.
Torrey said even Darien Lake Theme Park has trouble filling all of its season worker positions with citizen workers. The park hires about 300 foreign students on J-1 visas.
"If Darien Lake needs 300 people on J-1 visas, it just shows you there are not enough people to take these jobs," Torrey said. "And that's fun work compared to working in a field."
Until there is a sustainable guest worker program, Torrey said, farmers are going to struggle to fill positions at harvest time.
A guest worker program has been under negotiation for 16 years, Torrey said, and while it wasn't the topic of the meeting organized by Slaughter, Torrey did attend a meeting on the subject while in D.C.
Meanwhile, according to a recent story in The New York Times, the immigrant labor pool from Mexico is drying up. As economic and educational opportunities improve in Mexico, and the Baby Boom population that fueled the big illegal immigration moves in previous decades is getting older, there are fewer workers willing to take the risk of coming to America for work.
It's all of these forces pushing down the labor pool that made the meetings in Washington so important, Torrey said, and why she's glad they seemed so productive.
"It was really positive," Torrey said. "It is not only going to help Genesee County, but it's going to help farmers all across the country who are having the same issues, so our peers were really happy these meetings took place."
We've come into that part of the season where there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables at the local farmers markets. Yesterday afternoon, I stopped by the Genesee Country Farmers' Market at Batavia Downs and took a few pictures.
The market is open Tuesdays and Fridays.
While out at the Genesee County Airport tonight, I noticed the beautiful full moon right after a Mercy Flight helicopter landed.
An unknown type fire is reported behind a residence at 45 Garibaldi Ave. in Oakfield. Town of Oakfield Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 9:22 p.m.: The fire is a small campfire. The chief said those having the fire should be reminded of the regulations. The caller to dispatch also expressed some concern as to whether the fire was on the owner's property. The fire is being extinguished and the property ownership is being determined.
UPDATE 9:32 p.m.: The fire is out. Oakfield returning to service.
An airplane has rolled over on the west-end runway at the Genesee County Airport and the pilot is still inside. Unknown injuries. No fire seen.
Mercy medics and Town of Batavia firefighters are responding. The airport is at 4705 E. Saile Drive, Town of Batavia.
UPDATE 8:48 p.m.: No extrication needed. The pilot is conscious and alert but medical attention is required.
UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: Medics will need assistance in getting the pilot out.
UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: A "hydraulic rescue cutter" is needed and will be brought to the scene.
UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: A pumper truck out of Oakfield is asked to stand in at Town of Batavia's fire hall. Mercy Flight is responding to the scene.
UPDATE 9:05 p.m.: The patient has been extricated.
UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: There's a 10 minute ETA for Mercy Flight.
UPDATE 9:12 p.m.: The Mercy Flight pilot says the airfield is in sight and it should arrive in about three minutes. The injured pilot is said to be in stable condition with a head laceration and an "open fracture" on one of his legs.
UPDATE 9:17 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.
UPDATE 9:30 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, en route in Strong Memorial Hospital.
UPDATE 9:48 p.m.: Town of Batavia firefighters returning to service and so is Oakfield. The runway and taxiway are being checked, and swept, as per Federal Aerospace Adminstration requirements. State police will be the last to leave and then the runway will be reopened.
UPDATE 9:51 p.m.: The airport runway is clear of debris.
UPDATE: WBTA's Geoff Redick was still on scene when a State Trooper conducted a short press conference. Watch the video here. The pilot is Patrick McCabe, 54, of Caledonia. McCabe suffered a compound fracture to his leg. The trooper said this flight was McCabe's maiden voyage with the plane. The crash occured before take-off for an unknown reason.
A fully involved car fire was reported at the Arrowhawk Gas Mart, located 852 Bloomingdale Road in Basom. Alabama Fire Department is on scene. The fire is now out. A person has suffered smoke inhalation and Mercy medics are en route.
Cheer Camp, sponsored by the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football League, is going to be held from 9:30 to 11:30 Saturday morning, July 30, at Kibbe Park. Drop-off starts at 9 at the check-in table.
Cost is $15. Participants must be between 6 and 12 years of age. Birth certificate is required to register.
Registration is 6 to 8 tonight and also from 9 to 11 a.m. tomorrow at Batavia City Centre. To register by mail, send check or money order no later than July 23 to:
Batavia Bulldawgs Football
Atten: Cheer Camp
7 Highland Park
Batavia, NY 14020
Regarding attire, each athlete should come dressed and ready to play. Please wear workout apparel, including T-shirt, shorts, socks and athletic shoes or cleats. NO JEWELRY.
There will be plenty of water but kids are welcome to bring their own drinks.
This two-hour camp will teach the basics of cheerleading. It will include stunts, tumbling, jumps, cheers and dancing! The camp will be coached by Batavia High School Cheer Coach Krista Shamp, along with a few of her alumni cheerleaders and present varsity cheerleaders.
Smoke is reported in the area of 7899 Route 98, north of Saile Drive. No flames are showing. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.
UPDATE 3:44 p.m.: A small fire is reported in a field north of the farm there.
UPDATE 3:58 p.m.: The fire is out. It was determined to be "animal fecal matter." The chief said "It was probably caused by friction." Dispatch replied "Thank you, chief."
A two-car accident with injuries is reported in front of McDonald's restaurant on West Main Street in Batavia.
Town volunteer firefighters and Mercy medics are responding.
UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: The 19-year-old female driver of a sedan was transported to UMMC as a precaution. She was able to walk to the ambulance. She suffered some minor left arm pain, possibly to due to air bag deployment, and a slight chemical burn. She struck a county highway department truck.
UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: Town fire units returning to service.
A three-day Youth Football Camp, sponsored by the Batavia Bulldawgs, will be held at Kibbe Park Thursday, Friday and Saturday July 28, 29 and 30.
Registration for the camp will be from 6 to 8 tonight and again from tomorrow 9 to 11 a.m. at Batavia City Centre. Cost is $25.
To register by mail, send a check or money order no later than July 23 to:
Batavia Bulldawgs Football
Atten: Football Camp
7 Highland Park
Batavia, NY 14020
Camp on July 28 and 29 will run from 4 to 6 p.m., with drop-off beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the check-in table. On Saturday, July 30, camp is from 9 a.m. to noon, with drop-off beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Participants must be entering third- through seventh grades and be between the ages of 7 and 12 by Nov. 30. Birth certificate is required for registration.
The camp is designed for kids to learn: the fundamentals of football, techniques of throwing, catching and carrying a football; play calling; new drills; and knowlege of the game. This is NOT A CONTACT CAMP. It will teach kids to have a good time while learning the game of football and being physically active.
The Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football staff and volunteers will work with the athletes on fundamentals, football drills, skill development and agility. Kids will have a positive and fun experience!
Kids receive:
Regarding attire, each athlete should come dressed and ready to play. Please wear workout apparel, including T-shirt, shorts, socks and athletic shoes or cleats. NO JEWELRY.
There will be plenty of water but kids are welcome to bring their own drinks.
For more information, please contact the camp organizers:
John Reigle -- (716) 228-5787
Paul Grazioplene -- 344-4411
Tyron Woods -- 813-2636
Or by email at: bataviabulldawgsfootball@gmail.com
Mark D. Tooley, 28, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with a felony count of DWAI-Drugs, felony aggravated unlicensed operation and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. At 2:28 p.m., the Sheriff's Office received a report of a red Dodge Caravan being driven erratically on Westbound Route 33, Bergen. The vehicle was located driving on Route 33 in Stafford and observed crossing a double solid center line and weaving within its own lane. The car was stopped and Tooley was charged with the offenses listed above along with criminal impersonation, 2nd, for allegedly giving a false name and date of birth to a deputy and driving left of pavement markings. Tooley was was jailed on $25,000 bail.
Steven Keith Snyder, 46, of Westside Drive, Chili, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to reduce speed and refusal to submit to breath test. Snyder was arrested during an investigation into a property damage accident reported at 12:02 a.m. Thursday on Walker Road, Darien, by Sgt. Brian Frieday.
Earl Shateek Anthony Lockhart, 18, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lockhart is accused of shoplifting from Kmart on June 21, but he could not be apprehended that day. He is accused of stealing $54.23 in merchandise. Lockhart was jailed on $1,000 bail.
A car has struck a pedestrian at East Main and Elm streets in the City of Batavia. Injuries are serious. The fire department and Mercy medics are responding. Mercy Flight out of Buffalo has been notified and will be responding.
UPDATE 9:17 p.m.: Mercy Squad #2 is en route to the Genesee County Airport with a patient on board for Mercy Flight to transport.
UPDATE 9:32 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
UPDATE 9:57 p.m.: Statements from witnesses indicate the woman who was struck, whose name has not been released yet, may have been trying to get hit by a car. Gretchen Hawley, who was sitting on the patio of a nearby restaurant with her father, Ted Hawley, said she saw the woman dart out into traffic as a car was heading west with a green light. The car managed to stop before hitting the woman. The woman then went back to the sidewalk and waited a while then with a green light for westbound traffic and a small black sedan approaching, the woman ran into the street again. "She went out in the street and then sped up to get in front of the car," Gretchen said. Ted added, "It was totally deliberate." Police confirmed that other witnesses told consistent stories. The driver of the car was shaken up, but not injured. The woman said she was "hurting all over" and transported to Strong by Mercy Flight as a precaution. It's unknown if she has any internal injuries. She was conscious and alert at the time of transport.
UPDATE: The victim has been identified as a 49-year-old woman from Le Roy, but her name is not being released at this time. Her medical condition is not known at this time.
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