A trailer in Batavia that apparently hadn't been occupied for seven years and had no electricity or heat source caught fire Friday night.

The rear half of the trailer was destroyed.

A Sheriff's Office report says how the fire started is "unknown."

The blaze, at 9427 Alexander Road, was reported at 9:12 p.m. by a motorist from Attica.

The trailer is owned by Richard Hale, who told investigators that there was nothing of value in the trailer except some old lawn furniture and appliances.  

Hale, who lives on the property, said he didn't see or hear anything suspicious prior to the fire being reported.

Town of Batavia fire along with Alexander fire departments responded to the scene.

Tice's Rangers, a Revolutionary-era reenactment group was at the Oakfield Historical Museum, 7 Maple Ave., today for the museum's spring reopening.

Above, from left, are Bob Smith, of Batavia, John Dellapenna, of Batavia, Erick Michealsen, of Lockport, Paul Winnie, of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Derek Lindquist, of Williamsville, Mark Houseman, of Medina, Joe Bucolo, of Lockport, Steve Kruppenbacher and Jeff Harding, of Newfane.

More pictures after the jump:

The Local Drug Task Force busted a suspected drug dealer late Friday night and it turns out to be the same man who was wounded in an unexplained shooting on Indian Falls Road nearly a year ago.

Taken into custody was Carlos A. Torres Jr., 35, of West Main Street, Batavia.

He was stopped at 9:45 p.m. on Lyon Street, City of Batavia, for suspected traffic violations. He was found to allegedly be driving under the influence of drugs and allegedly carrying cocaine, crack and heroin with an estimated street value of more than $7,000. 

"The weight of the powder cocaine, along with the number of bags of both crack and heroin, on top of his $4,000 (in cash), is significant for this county," said Sgt. Steve Mullen, head of the task force.

Torres came to the attention of investigators in May 2010 when he showed up at UMMC with gunshot wounds. 

At the time, he claimed he had been walking down Indian Falls Road when a car pulled up behind him, somebody demanded his wallet, then shot him. He called a friend who drove him to the hospital.

At the time, investigators couldn't corroborate his story. No shell casings were found in the area and no witnesses were located.

Eventually, Torres became the target of a drug investigation, which lasted about six months.

Torres was charged with one count of inadequate muffler, one count of improper or unsafe turn, one count of driving while ability impaired by drugs, one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd (intent to sell), and two counts of criminal possession possession of a controlled substance, 3rd (aggregate weight of the powder cocaine and crack).

Participating in the investigation and arrest were uniformed members of the Sheriff's Office, City of Batavia Police, Orleans County Major Crimes Task Force and the Gensee County District Attorney's Office.

A 17-year-old was seriously injured in an accident on Bethany Center Road, Bethany, at 2:09 p.m., Friday, after the driver of a truck apparently pulled onto the roadway off Cacner and struck the car the youth was in.

The car continued southbound, striking a mailbox, going off the left shoulder of the road.

Karl R. Kennedy, no address given, was flown by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital where he is listed in guarded condition this morning (at Strong, any patient in the intensive care unit is listed as "guarded").

Kennedy was unconscious following the accident, according to the Sheriff's Office accident report. He suffered a head injury and was bleeding severely.

Charges are pending against the truck driver, said Deputy Bradley D. Mazur in his report.

The driver is identified as Dean W. Knauss, 53, of 9931 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany. He was driving a 1995 truck owned by a local dairy farm.

The car Kennedy was in was a 1998 Ford sedan driven by Michaela E. Baudanza, 17, of 7303 Morrow Road, Pavilion.  

Baudanza suffered minor injuries. Knauss was uninjured.

(Initial Report)

Walk into Kati’s Place on Main Street in Le Roy and chances are, you’ll see Kati Mancuso ready to seat you or take your order or maybe just shoot the breeze for a while.

The 27-year-old leased the building and fixed up what was formerly Tyler’s Restaurant (closed in 2006) without having to take out any loans or rely on anyone else.

“Nothing worked when I got here,” she shrugged. “The lights didn’t even work when I agreed to take it, but I said yes anyway.”

Mancuso said that although her broker told her the former restaurant was “turnkey ready,” it ended up needing a lot of elbow grease but she was determined.

“Let me tell you about ‘turnkey’ anything,” she joked. “If one more pipe exploded in my face or gas line blew up or anything else had gone wrong, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Odds are, even if she had encountered another disaster, she would have managed to get the restaurant open for business on the designated date – March 14.

“I don’t know why but I set that date...I said, ‘You have one month. Now go.’”

Remarkably, Mancuso and all her supporters did just that. Once she leased the building, she and her family and friends managed to get everything ready so the doors could open for business in four weeks.

“Everybody rallied behind me,” she said. “They got together and, I don’t know, it all fell into place. It was just like people were coming in all the time asking what I needed. I went so long without sleeping and eating to clean this place and get it ready by March 14.”

But at one point, Mancuso had some health issues which put her in the hospital for awhile. When she recovered, she “began making phone calls,” calling up vacant places in Le Roy with her vision in mind. She wanted a place of her own where her regular customers could come to eat and enjoy themselves.

“Truthfully, I did it for them,” she said, gesturing toward a few tables of diners. “These people are family and it’s like I’ve been waiting on them all forever.”

Kati’s Place is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

“Every day we’re open, things just get better and better around here,” Mancuso said. “We’re doing just fine.”

(This story originally contained information referring to another individual of a personal nature that upon reflection should have been removed prior to publication. The information and comments referring to it have been removed.)

A few motorcycle enthusiasts have found a way to bring thousands of riders to Genesee County this summer with a Round-up Rally on Aug. 12, 13 and 14 in the Clarion Hotel's south parking lot

Dave Kasinski proudly wore a shirt that reads, “It’s In Our Blood” with a silhouette of him, his brother and his son standing next to their bikes beneath the words.

Kasinski used to ride motorcycles during his college days but the hobby faded when it came time to raise his family. A few years ago, he took hold of the handlebars again and hasn’t looked back.

“When my son Sam went off to college, he ended up getting a motorcycle and so did I, so we could go riding,” Kasinski explained with a smile. Soon, his brother was riding along with them, too.

The trio has gone on trips to meet up with fellow bikers before -- that’s how they came up with the idea to host a similar event in Genesee County.

“That’s the thing, we’ve done it,” Kasinski said. “We pick two or three events a year and we just take a ride. That’s the whole fun part about owning a bike. No one wants to just ride around and around their own hometown forever.”

So in an effort to bring other riders here, Kasinski – with some help from the chamber of commerce – is hosting the Round-up Rally with plans to send riders downtown and throughout the county to check out what we’ve got to offer.

“Batavia has a lot to it – if you look at a map and see how all the streets come from different directions like Route 98, 63, 20, 33, 5 – every direction you could come from. We said, ‘Let’s bring 'em in from all over Western New York!’”

One event, aptly named Cruzin’ the County, aims to get bikers to do just that.

Businesses that aren’t located in downtown Batavia can sign on as sponsors of the event and then they’ll get the opportunity to have their place put on a map handed out to the riders. Places like Alli’s Cones and Dogs in Oakfield, Red Osier in Stafford and the Log Cabin in Corfu have already signed on.

“The map will show all the locations they (the riders) can go,” Kasinski explained. “It will also have an area for the business owners to put a stamp on it once a rider gets there. When riders come back to the Rally with a full sheet stamped, they can enter their map into a big cash drawing.”

The Cruzin’ the County cash winner will be announced at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13.

Riders will also have the option to participate in the Rally Mug Club. Round-up Rally planners are working to create a logo to be printed on coffee mugs. Riders who get the printed mugs can enjoy discounts at restaurants and bars in Batavia. Eight different places will be printed on the mug.

“If you’re not from Batavia you don’t know the places in the city,” Kasinski said. “But if you have a list and a map, and a choice of location, and a discount for having the mug, you’ll try somewhere new.”

On the last day of the Round-up Rally, Kasinski and his crew are planning a Poker Run to benefit a charity.

“We’ll pick a few locations from Cruzin’ the County and we’ll start at the Clarion,” he said excitedly. “Then, riders will go out to each place and get a poker card. At the end of the day, whoever comes back with the best poker hand will win a prize.”

There are still sponsorship opportunities available for the Round-up Rally, and planners hope this first year is a huge success.

“What we’re hoping to see is a little more sponsorship from the members in the city,” Kasinski said. “At minimum, if they would be willing to sponsor a rider they would be recognized for it and the charities we pick would do so well and the Round-up Rally would have an awesome first year.”

For more information, visit their Web site or contact Dave Kasinski at 585-768-7260 or John Kasinski at 716-683-7647.

The release of 2010 Census data last week seemed to tell the story of a dramatic shift -- the City of Batavia shedding 791 residents and the Town of Batavia adding 894 people.

Does that mean people in the city have been calling Louis Reeb to move them to the town?

Probably not.

Data now available on the Genesee County Planning Department map tells a different tale.

The most dramatic growth for Town of Batavia hasn't come from housing developments or single-family residences -- it's driven by government and educational growth.

In 2000, there was no Federal Detention Facility in Batavia. Now there is. The census track for Federal Drive has shown a jump in residents from zero in 2000 to 612 in 2010. Those 612 residents are, presumably, inmates.

In College Village, where some students from Genesee Community College live, the population has increased from 64 in 2000 to 366 in 2010.

Those two institutions, the federal jail and GCC, seem to have brought 914 residents into the Town of Batavia.

Take away those two facilities, and it appears the town would have 20 fewer people. The overall county decline would have been 1,206 residents instead of the 291 reported in the census.

To check out the block-by-block census report for Genesee County, click here, scroll to the bottom of the text and click "ok," then on the left is a menu called "map features," click the arrows; then, scroll down the menu of check boxes and find 2000 and 2010 census blocks and check those boxes, then click the arrows to close the menu.

You can zoom in on any section using the magnifying glasses in the top menu. To pan, you need to use the pan tool. When you find an area you want to check, click the "Identify" button and then click on the block you want to select.

A Batavia resident -- found by agents of the Local Drug Enforcement Task Force in possession of numerous packages of heroin -- entered a guilty plea this afternoon to a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 5th.

Jarrett James Locicero, 21, of 320 W. Main St., admitted in Genesee County Court that he possessed heroin with the intent to sell it.

When he was arrested in mid-March, Locicero also possessed some marijuana, packaging for narcotics, a gravity knife and $4,000 in cash.

As part of a plea deal, Locicero will complete 28 days in substance-abuse treatment at Hope Haven. There were no conditions placed on his sentence. He will be sentenced following completion of treatment.

After a warrant was issued in March, Locicero was located in his car on Clinton Street, Batavia, and stopped by members of the task force and uniformed deputies. His apartment was also searched.

Following his arrest, Locicero was jailed without bail. He appeared in court today dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit.

His attorney, Earl Key, agreed to transport Locicero personally from the jail to the treatment program.

A motor-vehicle accident with possibly serious injuries is reported in Bethany at 10330 Bethany Center Road near Cacner Road.

Mercy Flight is airborne and heading to the location. The helicopter is to land right at the scene, in a field south-southeast of the accident.

Bethany Fire Department and Mercy medics are called to respond.

UPDATE 2:55 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital. Another victim was taken to UMMC via ambulance.

A jogger was reportedly bitten by a loose dog in the vicinity of Knowlesville and Ham roads in Alabama.

A law enforcement officer happened upon the scene and attempts to control the dog were unsuccessful. The officer used a Taser gun to subdue the dog. Then the owner came to the scene and secured the dog.

An ambulance was called for the bite victim and an Animal Control officer is en route to kennel the dog.

No word on the kind of dog involved. The dog had been on a leash, but managed to get free of it.

UPDATE 2:03 p.m.: Mercy medics have been cancelled.

A little bit of snow -- and it was a very little bit -- hasn't kept Steve Hawley (pictured above) from opening Hawley Hots outside of Glass Roots on Center Street today. Steve said he'll be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

An effort to boost membership in the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is being launched and will culminate in a drive in May to sign 100 new members.

On May 11, 12 and 13, chamber volunteers will call on local businesses that are not members and ask them to join.

Above, Lori Stupp, Kelly Bermingham and Chad Zambito, who are heading up the effort.

There are 800 businesses in Genesee County that are eligible for membership.

Photo submitted by the chamber.

Full press release after the jump:

Committee organizers are preparing for the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Membership Dive which will be held May 11th, 12th and 13th. Community volunteers will be contacting local businesses that are not currently Chamber Members and encouraging them to join the already 800 local businesses that are members to become a Chamber Member.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has seen a steady decline in membership over the last several years and getting the community behind this event will allow the Chamber the manpower it needs to significantly increase the number of Chamber Members and has set a goal of 100 new members during this 3 day event.

The Chamber of Commerce has a lot to offer our local businesses such as Promoting your Business, Employee Discounts, Consulting, Networking, Advocacy and Health Insurance just to name a few of the many benefits. Becoming a member of the Chamber is one of the best investments your business can make.

For more information on the Membership Drive or becoming a Chamber Member please contact Kelly Bermingham, Director of Membership at 585-343-7440 or email her at kbermingham@geneseeny.com.

Lori Stupp – Chamber of Commerce Board Member
Chad Zambito – Chamber of Commerce Board Member
Kelly Bermingham – Chamber of Commerce Director of Membership

John Terry Boyce, 22, of Maple Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Boyce is accused of choking his girlfriend during an argument at 10:50 a.m., Thursday. He allegedly refused to let her leave the bedroom while holding their 1-year-old son in his arms.

Matthew L. Nagle, 22, of 34 Parkway Drive, North Chili, is charged with petit larceny. Nagle is accused of shoplifting from a supermarket in Le Roy.

Jason H. Freeman, 29, of Alden, is charged with petit larceny. The alleged crime took place in Alabama at 3:57 p.m., March 16. Freeman was arrested at the Genesee County Jail by State Police. No further details released.

It came down to a tie breaker, but Batavia renewed it's crown as local mock trial champions following a match Thursday in Warsaw.

Warsaw and Batavia tied at 1-1 and 111 points each in Thursday's match, but because Batavia had the better record in the semi-finals, Batavia was named the winner.

Batavia was 2-0 in the semi-finals and Warsaw was 1-1.

A date for the regional mock trial competition has not been announced yet.

A resident in an apartment at 89 Colony Run, Attica, reports the smell of smoke in the dwelling.

Alexander Fire Department along with Attica being dispatched.

UPDATE 8:04 p.m.: Both Attica and Alexander chiefs on scene. Assignment being held to one truck from each department.

UPDATE 8:15 p.m.: Alexander assignment back in service. No smell of smoke found.

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This information comes from Genesee Community College.

Genesee Community College's Earth Club, Student Activities Office and College Village are once again joining Cool Kids to collectively produce the 6th annual Cool Kids Eco-Fest.

This free, fun-filled, yet educational event aims to increase awareness of important environmental issues and it celebrates Earth Day.

From alternative fuel cars to kites, solar power displays to a big plastic bag bash, water bugs to a giant map of the Earth, Eco-tips to Eco-button making -- it's all at the Batavia campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 9.

Both indoor and outdoor activities will be happening throughout the four-hour event, which winds down with the Eco-Raffle of great green prizes, including the Grand Prize -- a mountain bike provided by Adam Miller Bikes and Toys. (You must be present to win.)

While many of the popular eco-opportunities will be back -- such as the annual residential E-Waste Collection and Sloat Tires Inflation Station outside in the parking lot -- there will also be many wonderful new green alternatives to explore and enjoy.

New to this year's celebration will be the collection of worn American flags for honorable disposal by Sheppard, Maxwell and Hale. In addition, this year's ECO-Tips Illustration Contest, sponsored by ESL Federal Credit Union, features fun and unique prizes in the following six categories:

• Children's Coolest Category: Pre K through Sixth Grade
• Most Unique Reused Item
• Best Illustration
• Longest Term Impact for the Environment
• Greatest Innovation / Absolutely Cool Awesome Idea
• Most Fun or Funny

Last year, we had some incredibly clever contributions to the Eco-Tips Contest and we are looking forward to seeing what local citizens, from pre-K classes to senior citizens' groups will create.

"It's a great way to 'get your green on,' " said Donna Rae Sutherland, Genesee's Earth Club co-advisor and associate director of Marketing Communications. "Eco-Fest continues to grow each year and the upcoming festival promises to be the best ever."

Entries for the ESL Eco-Tip Illustration Contest are being accepted now through to 11 a.m. April 9 for the Eco-Fest by sending them to Donna Rae Sutherland, GCC, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020.

All entries will be on display at the event, and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. contest judges will review entries and select the six prize winners. There is no limit on the number of Eco-Tip entries any one person or group can submit, and there is also no limit on the size of paper or form for each submission.

For Eco-Tip guidelines and the official entry form go to: http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/eco_tip_guidelinesform.pdf

Also new this year will be the bird-banding demonstration by Tom Klotzbach, a local birding expert and researcher, as well as a GCC alumnus and employee. He is currently in the second year of a three year bird-tracking project featuring more than 60 bird boxes located at GCC and on the western portion of the Ontario State Parkway.

The seasonal outdoor effort starts in early April when he will once again begin tracking various species of native and non-native birds. Through banding and bi-weekly nest box checks, Klotzbach is collecting bird data such as age, sex, fat score, and body mass. The collected data is used to study migration patterns with the U.S. Geological Survey, and is the foundation for his research on nest site fidelity.

The 6th annual Cool Kids ECO-Fest also includes more than 35 exhibits, presentations and activities, including the Cool Kids Wild Life Show and the Big Bag Bash.

As in years past, hundreds of people of all ages are expected to attend the event enjoying environmental fun and educational opportunities, and the more green things they do – the more Eco-Raffle tickets they collect to increase their chances of winning the mountain bike.

Among the ways to earn Eco-Raffle tickets:

• Donating residential E-Waste or electronics such as old computers, monitors, calculators, TVs, VCRs, stereo equipment, video games, and microwave ovens (No other kitchen appliances, please.);
• Donating paperbacks books for American troops overseas;
• Donating worn American flags for proper disposal by Sheppard, Maxwell and Hale;
• Donating cell phones and ink cartridges for Oakfield-Alabama Schools collection;
• Creating an Eco-Tip for the ESL Eco-Tip Illustration Contest;
• Getting your tire pressure checked by Sloat Tires Inflation Station;
• AAA mercury hood lamp switch-out (for 2002 or older cars);
• Being an Eco-Fest volunteer;
• Wearing green.

 For further information contact Donna Rae Sutherland at 343-0055, ext. 6616.

UPDATED 12:44 p.m.

Genesee County gained 300 non-farm jobs in February over January, according to NYS Department of Labor statistics.

For February 2011, there were 22,200 non-farm jobs reported in Genesee County compared to 21,900 in January.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate dropped month-over-month from 9 percent to 8.7. That is down from February 2010 when it was 9.5 percent.

That's still higher than the 12-month low of 6.4 percent in August 2010.

The 12-month high in jobs is 24,400 in June 2010.

Month-over-month, manufacturing jobs held steady at 2,800, and up from 2,700 in February 2010.

Private-sector service jobs also held steady at 12,300 -- up from 12,100 in February 2010.

Government jobs grew from 6,000 to 6,300.

There are 33,300 people -- up 100 from January -- in Genesee County's labor force. The total number of people employed is 29,500. That's up 200 from January.

Press Release:

The 2011-12 state budget made a number of positive strides toward the significant reforms New Yorkers have demanded and rightfully deserved. Unfortunately, this spending plan falls short in several key areas, representing a missed opportunity for the Legislature to heed the call of the state’s taxpayers.

Continuing an unacceptable trend, the formula used to determine education aid once again unfairly impacts Western New York’s schoolchildren. Time after time, we see our students shoulder an unfair portion of funding cuts in an effort to support downstate school districts. This budget repeats those mistakes of old that have plagued our children for far too long. Furthermore, this legislation shifts costs for essential services like special education to individual school districts, driving up the cost of local government and, in turn, the cost to the taxpayer.

In addition, this spending plan reduces funding for the judiciary branch but fails to do the same for the Legislature. I believe the Assembly could find efficiencies and cost savings within numerous administrative operations involved with the chamber. State government should not be asking children, families and businesses to tighten their belts if we are not prepared to do so as well.

However, this budget did make a variety of much-needed improvements to the state of affairs in New York. Vital restorations have been made to protect the services that benefit our most vulnerable citizens, such as funding for elderly abuse prevention programs and EPIC prescription drug payments. The appointment of regional Economic Development councils will renew New York’s focus on stimulating our economy with targeted planning, rather than an ill-advised, one-size-fits-all policy. Along with significant reforms to the Medicaid system that will result in savings both now and in the long-term, this budget certainly has its share of positive aspects.

When all is said and done, this budget has taken baby steps in the right direction, rather than a substantial leap forward. I hope that the Legislature can build on the progress we have made here today and continue this momentum toward putting New York on the road to recovery.