This is the second post in our series about the two heated Democrat primary battles that will be decided at the polls Tuesday. Read our earlier post for the full details.

In anticipation of these races, we sent out the same question to all six candidates and asked each to please respond by the end of the day today. We've heard from three so far. We'll publish those and add the others as they come in. We asked the candidates a pretty open-ended two-part question: What are your final thoughts heading into the primary? What would you want the voter to have in mind about you as he or she heads to the polls?

We will publish each one in the order that we received it.

Second is Dan Ward, candidate for the 61st Senate District. Ward had this to say:

Heading into the primary, what are your final thoughts?

Well, I've been roasted and I've been soaked. I ridden over a hundred miles on my bicycle visiting Democratic voters across Northern Erie County and Genesee County. I am invigorated by the reception I've been given by the voters I have had the opportunity to meet all the way from the Niagara River inland to LeRoy.

What would you want the voter to have in mind about you as he or she heads to the polls?

First off, I have 3 times as much education as my two opponents combined. Neither of whom have a four year college degree.

I have a greater amount of work experience in the actual "world of work" and I far surpass both in knowledge of government and its workings.

I don't sloganeer that I am going to fight for anybody, my constituents know I do that every day. I do what is right for them and no one else.

When I go to Albany I'm not going to represent a Republican  Rochester Billionaire and his  Democratic New York City special interest allies, both have each supplied thousands of dollars to the campaign of one opponent. Nor am I going to represent the local political and special interest groups that support the other.  

The only special interest group I support is the resident of this community. History is my proof.

Our next post will be from Alice Kryzan, candidate for the 26th Congressional District.

Genesee County Democrats will head to the polls tomorrow to help decide a pair of important primary races for the region. Three contenders square off in the race for the 26th Congressional District: Alice Kryzan, Jack Davis and Jon Powers. Three more take up the fight for the 61st Senate District: Michele Iannello, Joe Mesi and Dan Ward.

In anticipation of the two races, we sent out the same question to all six candidates and asked each to please respond by the end of the day today. We've heard from three so far. We'll publish those and add the others as they come in. We asked the candidates a pretty open-ended two-part question: What are your final thoughts heading into the primary? What would you want the voter to have in mind about you as he or she heads to the polls?

We will publish each one in the order that we received it.

First is Jon Powers, candidate for the 26th Congressional District. Powers had this to say:

I am running for Congress because the America you and I grew up believing in and the America I went to war for had lost its voice in Washington. The America we believe in would not have sent my fellow soldiers and me to war without a plan or the proper equipment, the America we believe in would not allow gas to reach $4 a gallon without a path to secure our energy independence, the America we believe in would not our best and brightest leave Western New York because of a lack of opportunity.

So my family and I decided to run for Congress to change that, and built a grassroots campaign that is based the voices of our friends and neighbors. We started this year holding 30 house parties in 30 days and spent last week visiting all 7 counties in 7 days.

Your neighbors in Orleans, Wyoming and Livingston Counties will tell you that they see me more than anyone else asking for your vote. I’m pleased to spend so much time talking to voters in every county of this district.

We have hosted roundtables talking with farmers about agriculture, small business owners about the rising cost of health care and students about the rising costs of education.

We held a series of teacher roundtables that we kicked off at Main Street Coffee in Bataiva last month. We talked with educators from LeRoy, Batavia, Rochester and Albion. Here is what Russ Stressing of The Batavian wrote.

These conversations have earned the endorsements of all 7 county parties and I am proud that Genesee County was the first Democratic County Party to join our campaign.

I ask for your vote tomorrow. If you believe that together we have the power to change Washington, this campaign is about you.

Our next post will be from Dan Ward, candidate for the 61st Senate.

Visit the Genesee County Habitat for Humanity Web site to learn more about what they do and how they do it. Be sure to check back with The Batavian later in the month as we near World Habitat Day on October 6. We hope to get up video interviews with Habitat volunteers about their experience and hopefully more submissions from the organization.

When an editor or a reporter at the Daily News—or any newspaper for that matter—makes a mistake, the error is routinely corrected in a subsequent edition of the paper. That's how it works. That same striving for accuracy should equally apply to Letters to the Editor and any other content of the so-called "Opinion" page. If the newspaper prints something it knows to be false or misleading in a letter to the editor—something it should know in advance of the printing—the letter ought to be appended with a note saying so.

Such was not the case with a letter to the editor today that amounts to little more than hatemongering. In that letter, Frank M. VanApeldorn writes:

National chastening is taking place in America today for long-standing immoralities and because of the removal of almighty God's laws from the land. ... Today, Senator Obama, a born Muslim, may be God's instrument to bring this professed Christian nation to its just rewards for turning their back on God.

Senator Obama's membership of a church in Chicago, whose pastor is known to visit with Muslims in foreign countries that are haters of America, should open our eyes. Osama and Obama sound a lot alike to me. ... I believe our Lord Jesus Christ is warning us to wake up from our sleep before we are taken over by Islam.

Aside from the preposterous rhetoric of such lines as "Osama and Obama sound a lot alike to me," the author of this letter is fundamentally misinformed. Senator Barack Obama is not a Muslim. He has never been a Muslim. This issue has been covered extensively by media across the nation. You can read some of those articles as well as Senator Obama's statements on the issue at his campaign Web site.

The Daily News has made a serious mistake here by printing this letter without amending it with a clarification to situate this individual's commentary in the context of real events. Instead, the Daily News displays a hands-off policy that amounts to no less than the propagation of lies and misinformation.

Hate and misstate sound alot alike to me.

Daily News reporter Scott DeSmit was at Lions Park Saturday for the opening games of the new youth football season. More than 1,500 people came out to scope the nearly 300 players and cheerleaders. This will be the first year for the program at Lions Park after the group was told they would have to vacate Dwyer Stadium after a 32-year run.

DeSmit spends most of the article dwelling on the details of that move and the results of the program's break with the city. Little is said of the games. Instead, DeSmit spoke with the organizers about what had to be replaced because of the move from Dwyer and how much it all cost. He also wrote about parking and traffic problems and the problems encountered by the concessions stand because of the move. The article wraps up nicely with a return to the action of the games.

All in all, DeSmit does a fine job getting some color, previewing the season and handling the problems encountered by the program due to the move from Dwyer, if he doesn't spend a bit too much time on the latter.

Today's front page features one of Matt Surtel's on-the-road dispatches from his trip with area veterans down to Washington D.C. I'm becoming more of a fan of Surtel every day, especially when he gets the chance to write outside the confines of the typical hard news format. "So the buses wind again through the overcast, which resembles night more than day," writes Surtel, proving his penchant for the poetic. Or take this line about the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Museum at the Smithsonian: "It's a collection of the famous, the infamous, the odd and the simply beautiful." Nice.

Musical Celebration 2008 to benefit Crossroads House will be at 7:00pm Saturday at City Church, 210 E. Main St. The show will feature performances by Phyl Contestable and Alan Jones; Aislinn Call and her dad, Glenn Adams; Mark Hoerbelt, Lauren Picarro Hoerbelt and Jason Wiley; accordionist Alex Alexandrov, St. Joe's Brass Ensemble and Bart Dentino. Tickets are $14 prior to the show and $15 at the door. Pick up yours at Travelore Travel Service, 204 E. Main St., or at Main Street Coffee, 111 Main St.

I would encourage folks to get out and pick up a copy of today's paper, if only to read the travel article by Matt Surtel. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

When you're a reporter, you just love ledes that write themselves. Jerry Zremski of the Buffalo News had a real zinger fall into his lap.

Jack Davis collected 7,000 signatures to get his “Save Jobs and Farms Party” on the November ballot, but he forgot the most important one: his own.

Too funny.

If Davis can't beat Powers or Kryzan in the primary, it's unlikely his Save Farms and Jobs Party, will qualify for the November ballot.

Davis, an Akron millionaire who has vowed to spend $3 million of his money on the race, has until next Wednesday to go to court to appeal the decision.

Brehm indicated, however, that the ruling was an easy one on the part of the board.

“I don’t see how we can waive a statutory requirement,” he said.

I don't expect this flub will help him any in the polls.

Angela K. Williamson, 36, of 106 Elssworth Ave., Batavia, was charged with petit larceny and sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail Sunday afternoon, city police said. Williamson was allegedly caught pushing a cart full of groceries out of Tops Markets in Batavia without paying for the items.

Brissle J. Metales, 25, of Rochester, was charged with second-degree obstruction of government administration Saturday, city police said. Metales is accused of interfering with a police investigation into an assault at a residence on Ellicott Street in Batavia. He was sent to Genesee County Jail on $2,500 bail.

Michael A. Cordello Sr., 52, of Henrietta, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana Thursday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Deputies had responded to a disturbance call in Alexander when they found Cordello allegedy in possession of marijuana.

Lauren G. Logsdon, 23, of Holley, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana Thursday, sheriff's deputies said. Logsdon was stopped on Lewiston Road in the town of Alabama when she was allegedly found in possession of drugs. She was also ticketed with speeding.

Brandon M. Cross, 23, of Rochester, was charged with driving while intoxicated Sunday, sheriff's deputies said. Cross was driving on Route 20 in the town of Bethany when his car veered off the road and into a ditch. He then continued along in the ditch until he struck an access lane, overturned, slid back up onto the road and came to a rest there. There were no passengers, and Cross was not injured. Cross was also ticketed with moving from the lane unsafely.

All above reports were issued in published releases by the various departments.

Renovation will begin today at the former St. Jerome Hospital on Bank Street, according to WBTA. United Memorial Medical Center plans to erect a 37-unit affordable senior housing structure for the site. The project is expected to disrupt traffic and parking in the vicinity.

In other news, Batavia's City Council will meet tonight at 7:00pm at City Hall. Please refer to our earlier post for more details or to download the agenda.

I completely support McCains decision to add Sarah Palin as his running mate for this presidential election. I have always supported McCain; This only adds to that. As a woman who believes in the tradition of family, I look up to Palin and see her as someone who is not only a leader in her own family, but someone who could be an outstanding leader as V.P. to this country.

The Batavia Muckdogs (46-28) clinched a first place finish in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League and ended their regular season last night as they took down State College (18-56) 4-1.

Miguel Tapia started on the mound and Scott Gorgen (5-2) got the win in his five innings of great pitching.  Gorgen let up only three hits and one walk while striking out five.  Adam Reifer (22) got the save in the 9th with no hits, runs or walks and one strikeout.  Gabriel Alvarado (0-1) finished his season suffering the loss, throwing one and one third innings with three hits, two runs, one walk and one strikeout.

The Muckdogs put two on the board in the 2nd, starting the inning with a single by Xavier Scruggs.  Jose Garcia then reached on a throwing error, putting two on for Edwin Gomez to drive home on a double.  The Spikes answered with one of their own in the bottom of the inning when Adenson Chourio and Ciro Rosero both singled.  Chourio moved to third on a force out before coming home on a wild pitch.

But that would be all the State College offense of the night, while Batavia scored one more run in each the 4th and the 8th.  In the 4th, Garcia singled, stole a base and came home on a wild pitch.  And in the 8th, the bottom of the inning started off with a Christian Rosa singled and Jermaine Curtis walked.  On a pickoff attempt, the Spikes had a throwing error that allowed Rosa to come around to score.

Rosa and Scruggs had the only multi-hit nights for the Muckdogs. Rosa went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Scruggs went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.

*I'll have another post with final regular season stats and playoff info. later!

Habitat volunteers have been busy getting ready to "raise the roof" on their latest project.The second floor ceilings were too low. Friday,  the volunteers showed up at 8:00 and after a brief safety meeting, began to remove the house roof. By lunch time the volunteers had completely removed the roof and even had a  coffee break. The team of volunteers could be up to 15-20 people.

Starting Saturday morning at 8:00 the wall extensions were built, braced , and windows framed. Then the trusses were pushed, slid and pulled by over 12 volunteer workers. By 3:00 the trusses were installed and covered until the next work day, Wednesday. The workers enjoyed one or more breaks with coffee and donuts furnished by Dunkin Donuts, and lunch furnished by the ARC people.

It all came down to the final game of the season, but with a Muckdogs 4-1 victory over State College at Dwyer Stadium tonight, Batavia can now boast that it's home to the 2008 Pinckney Division Champions.

The Muckdogs won the title with a slim half-game lead over Jamestown, which finished the season on a high note, taking it's final five games, including two crucial games agasint Batavia.  The Jammers beat Williamsport tonight 9-5.

The end-of-season surge helped Batavia's Western New York rivals secure a wild card birth over the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Cyclones came up short with a pair of loses in the season's final games after losing only one game in the previous two weeks.

The Muckdogs now travel to Lowell for the first game of the playoffs.

Most likely, we'll see a post from Mollie soon with an update on the final game and more information on the playoff schedule.

Division Champs!!!!

Lets just keep winning!!!

Batavia (45-28) won big over State College (18-55) by a score of 10-2, but Jamestown swept Williamsport in a doubleheader to take a share of the division lead.  However, Brooklyn lost, securing at least a wild card spot for the Muckdogs.

Adam Veres (1-1) got the start and win in six innings with five hits, one run, three walks and five strikeouts.  Ramon Aguero (1-10) suffered the loss, pitching two and a third innings with eight hits, six runs (five earned) and two strikeouts.

The Muckdogs scored all their runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings, beginning with three runs in the 2nd.  Christian Rosa singled and Chris Swauger followed with a two-run homerun.  Later in the inning, Jose Garcia singled and advanced to second on a throwing error.  Edwin Gomez then singled to bring Garcia home.

In the top of the 3rd, the Spikes scored on a walk, single and force out.  But Batavia answered right back with three more runs in the bottom of the inning.  The runs came on a Shane Peterson single, Rosa triple, Swauger single and Frederick Parejo single.

Their biggest inning came in the four-run 4th.  It all started when bases were loaded after Charlie Cutler was hit by a pitch, Peterson reached on an error and Rosa walked.  Swauger then came up with another RBI on a sacrifice fly.  Parejo followed with a RBI single.  The last two tallies came when Garcia reached on a throwing error that allowed two to come home.

Swauger ended the night 2-for-3 with a homerun, two runs scored and four RBI.  Rosa also went 2-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored and one RBI.  The two teams face each other again tonight in Batavia at 7:05.

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Tonight, Batavia can clinch a first place finish with a win over State College.  As stated earlier, the Muckdogs are a guaranteed playoff team after Brooklyn fell out of the wild-card race with a loss last night.  Here's where our Muckdog players stand in the NYPL:

• Adam Reifer: 2nd in saves (21); 1st in games (31).
• Colt Sedbrook: 7th in batting (.306 BA); 4th in hits (83).
• Jose Garcia: 2nd in stolen bases (25); 5th in runs scored (46).
• Shane Peterson: 2nd in on-base percentage (.402); T2nd in doubles (20).
• Collectively: 3rd in batting (.268 BA); 3rd in pitching (3.30 ERA).

Its been a great season at 299 Dwyer stadium and its not over yet! The Muckdogs have made the post season and can still win their division tonight.  The crowd was great last night and so was the game!  I hope everyone returns this evening and brings a friend! Let's make some noise tonight and win the division!  Who would have even thought last December when the future of this franchise was in real doubt that we would be in the post season? Thanks again to everyone involved and in saving this team and I'm looking forward to seeing the stands packed for the post season! 

Two weeks ago today, Patrick Burk left a comment here on The Batavian that caught our attention and that we thought might deserve to catch the attention of some other folks. It was the day after a fire destroyed the home of a Byron family (the Schramms). He wrote:

Maybe the Muckdogs can help this poor family of ten foster children that just lost thier entire home this Saturday..... Have players and/or employees do collections for them. This act of compassion would be the icing on the cake of a fine season indeed. Just a thought.

Well, what was just a thought has become reality. Thanks to a little bit of tenacity on our part and willingness from every corner, the Batavia Muckdogs have agreed to host a collection drive and a fundraiser at the home game Saturday versus State College.

Here are the details:

The Schramm family’s home burned in the afternoon on Wednesday, August 27, 2008. The entire family of 15 survived but are now left with little or none of their personal belongings. While they have received a lot of clothing through the generosity of many in the community, their needs are still great.

Among items they are requesting are non-perishable foods, personal care products, large cooking pots and pans, bedding and towels, gift cards or cash donations.

Please bring only new items. The Muckdogs will also be holding an auction of baseball memorabilia during the game on Saturday night at 7:05 vs. State College, to help raise money. All proceeds will go to the Schramm family.

So for Patrick and anyone else who may have asked: What can I do? There is your answer. Head out to the game this weekend to not only support the hometown team as they try for the pennant but to help out your neighbors, too.

For those who don't already have all the info about the team, here's that:

Location: Dwyer Stadium, 299 Bank Street, Batavia, NY 14020
Phone: 585-343-5454; Fax: 585-343-5620
E-mail
Website
Tickets: $6 – box seats; $5 – general admission; $1 OFF – group rate (20+ people)
Season Tickets: $175 – box seats; $130 – general admission

We received this press release today from the state police. It seems they're trying to give folks a fair warning. Here it is:

The New York State Police is warning tailgaters to beware! In an effort to deter drunk driving the New York State Police will have extra patrols following the Buffalo Bill’s game this Sunday, specifically looking for motorists driving under the influence of alcohol. Troopers will be on patrol throughout Erie County in an effort to deter drunk drivers and keep the roadways safe. Anyone traveling in the area should expect to see extra patrol vehicles and possibly DWI checkpoints.

“We want everyone who attends that game to have an enjoyable time, but most importantly to drive responsibly. By increasing DWI enforcement we hope to deter motorists from drinking and driving and avoid needless accidents or deaths,” stated Captain Steve Nigrelli, Zone II Commander. If you plan on drinking at the game, have a designated driver or make arrangements ahead of time to find a safe way home. The State Police is committed to protecting motorists here in Western New York. Anyone who is found to be driving under the influence of alcohol can expect to be arrested.

The State Police is committed to DWI enforcement and will continue to have extra patrols following all of the Buffalo Bill’s home games throughout the football season. Anyone with questions may contact Captain Steve Nigrelli at (716) 864-6390.

You've been warned.

Batavia's City Council agenda looks relatively uncontroversial—and we can all use a break, I'm sure—for their coming meeting Monday. During the business session, the group will vote on mostly financial issues, such as the "resolution to transfer $15,700 from the contingency account to the finance department professional fees and training accounts in the 2008-2009 general fund budget for the purpose of satisfying additional fees associated with the annual audit and training." Phew. Let's take a breath there. Does anyone else get a kick out of knowing that "fees" can be satisfied?

Seriously, though, Council will also take up the recently reviewed "Council Member Rules," which were brought back to the table by Council President Charlie Mallow during the conference session of the meeting two weeks ago. Rules include:

Council members understand that the time of the professional staff is valuable and will limit discussions and phone conversation during business hours to reasonable amounts of time.

Council members shall not use their position to intimidate Staff to secure a request.

Council members agree to act through the office of the City Manager and will not directly or indirectly give order or make request of department heads or City employees...

Council members are not to give direction or to give orders to any Staff member...

And so on... Do you see a pattern here? Or should I say blatant repetition: not to give orders, not to giver orders? Every rule seems to be a variation on the theme of: leave the staff alone. In fact, it seems that the "Council Member Rules" could be that one simple rule, and perhaps the title ought to reflect that, since no other type of rules are discussed.

Council will also vote to authorize the Center for Governmental Research to conduct a consolidation for the city and town of Batavia.

Click on the link below to download the agenda for the business meeting and the details regarding the agreement with the Center for Governmental Research:

• City Council Business Meeting Agenda: September 8
• Center for Governmental Research - I
• Center for Governmental Research - II

Council will meet at 7:00pm at City Hall.

A crew of other area veterans led by Assemblyman Stephen Hawley take off today on a four-day bus trip down to Washington D.C. to visit solider memorials and Arlington National Cemetary, according to the Daily News. What's more, the paper sent Matt Surtel on the trip with them. Surtel "will be writing stories on the experience for the newspaper."

This would be a perfect oportunity for Surtel to log onto The Batavian and do some live blogging of the trip, even let some of the veterans get on the computer and talk about their time at Arlington, on the road and in the capitol. What would it take to persuade Surtel to post his travelogues on The Batavian? If he can't do that, does he at least have a private blog of his own that we can link to? Batavia would really love that.

Batavia's new fire chief, Thomas Dillon told reporter Joanne Beck that he intends "to include all the members of the department and include them in the day-to-day decisions ... I know I will depend on them tremendously, and I will include them in my decision-making as much as I can." Dillon starts September 17.

John Lincoln will retire as state Farm Bureau president after 14 years in that position. The Bloomfield dairy farmer "was a strong advocate for getting the new federal Farm Bill to finally include aid for specialty crops, the many fruits and vegetables that are grown locally." Tom Rivers put together a detailed piece on this, for those interested.

Genesee County GOP Chairman Richard Siebert told Tom Rivers this morning that he has already "fielded a dozen calls from people looking for signs touting the John McCain and Sarah Palin ticket." Judging from the response we got from a post about Palin we put up following her speech earlier this week, we can see that folks in Genesee County on both sides of the party aisle are fired-up about this election and this veep choice especially.

As always, we encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Head down to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Saturday, September 13, between 9:00am and 1:00pm for the Fall Harvest Gala.

There will be a traditional mum sale, as well as unusual Colorblends of spring flowering bulbs, perennials right from the master gardeners own gardens, house plants, a Chance auction, free soil testing, and refreshments.

Participants may also try “taste testing” heirloom vs. traditional varieties of vegetables.  Lunch will also be available for a nominal fee at the event.

Don’t miss your chance to pickup some great plants for your own garden.

Call Gail Culver at (585) 343-3040 ext. 132 or stop by the extension at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia for more information.