Melanie Case submitted this photo of fireworks after the Muckdogs' opening night game at Dwyer Stadium. I don't think I've ever seen a better photo of fireworks at Dwyer.

Last evening was the annual Stafford Firemen's Carnival Parade. Here are a couple photos from the event.

For more carnival and parade photos go to Facebook: Steve Ognibene Photography

With the hard work of all the first-graders and their reading efforts, the animals were able to get back to their normal habitats at the Jackson Zoo today.

Faculty dressed up as zookeepers and animals to put on a closing play and reward students for their reading achievements. With everyone’s help, the zoo was back to normal.

The play was a part of the Parents as Reading Partners program, which began on March 16 with a challenge for students. Faculty put on an opening play showing the zoo animals had gone wild. The animals were eating the wrong foods and living in the wrong places. The zookeepers asked students to help them solve the problem.

To help zoo animals get back to their normal habitat, students were required to read at home for 15 minutes every night. Students had to get a ticket signed by a parent once they completed their reading and return it to school every day.

During the program, the students read a total of 441,000 minutes. For all their effort, they were rewarded with prizes and received a new book to take home at the end of the play.

Heather Landers, first-grade special education teacher, organized the play.

“The program aligned with the curriculum so kids could connect what they were learning in class to the reading,” Landers said. “The kids got excited about reading and loved the play.”

The play was one of many reading incentives students participated in. Other events included a Family Reading Night, Fairytale event and reading with members of the Genesee County Bar Association.

Principal Diane Bonarigo has been thrilled with her students’ reading progress.

“I’m so excited 80 percent of our children are reading at grade level or above,” Bonarigo said. “I have seen the children significantly improve in reading this year.”

Bonarigo hopes children will continue reading and be lifelong learners.

A two-car crash with injuries is reported in front of Safelite AutoGlass in the Eastown Plaza parking lot, Batavia.

The driver of the Cadillac SRX is being evaluated for injuries.

According to Sgt. Matt Lutey, the driver of the Cadillac was traveling eastbound through the parking lot and the driver of a Dodge Avenger was traveling southbound heading toward East Main Street. One of the drivers allegedly failed to yield for the other driver.

City of Batavia firefighters, Mercy medics and Batavia police responded.

At the start of every season the teams are fresh, the players are excited and the fans are restless for some baseball.

The 2015 Batavia Muckdogs season is here and there are many young players, here in Batavia, to get excited about. Highlighted below are three players the Muckdogs are counting on to produce for the upcoming season. 

Gabriel Castellanos, a lefty pitcher, will wear number 37 this year for the Muckdogs. He may seem familiar because he was on the Muckdogs roster last year.

Castellanos was a 2010 free agent signing of the Miami Marlins.

He is 6’1” and 165 pounds. The lefty pitcher started 13 games last year and had a 2-6 record. In total, he pitched 62 innings with 54 strikeouts and an opponent’s batting average of .224. He finished the season with an above average 4.65 ERA.

Castellanos, just 21 years old, will be the Muckdogs' opening day starter as the coaching staff hopes that he continues to show improvement and matures on the mound.

The next player to keep an eye out for is shortstop Anfernee Seymour.

Seymour is just 19 years old and is regarded as the fastest player in the Marlins organization.

Drafted in 2014 in the seventh round (#197 overall) he signed a contract for $400,000. This was significant because that was two times the value of that pick.

Seymour played in the outfield his whole high school career, but after trying out for the Marlins, they told him they wanted him to play in the infield.

During the 2014 season he played for the Gulf Coast Marlins. During his stint there, he played in 26 games, had 98 at-bats with a .245 batting average. He had three RBIs, 12 walks and 27 strikeouts. He also had 11 stolen bases.

Although considered to be a project by the Marlins organization, at only 19 years old and with incredible speed, the Marlins have him listed as their 26^th overall prospect.

The Muckdogs' most high profile player this year will be the guy behind the plate.

Blake Anderson will catch and wear #26. He was drafted in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft. (#36 overall) He signed for $1.17 million straight out of West Lauderdale High School but was committed to play at the University of Southern Mississippi. He decided to turn pro instead.  

During his senior year he lead his team to a 4a State Championship with a .438 BA, 8 HR, 14 doubles, 40 RBIs and an OPS of .523.   

According to scouts, he has a hose of an arm and considered to be more of a defensive catcher. Some scouts said that he reminds them a lot of the Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Weiters.

Back for his third season coaching the Muckdogs will be Angel Espada. Pitching coach and hitting coach Brendan Sagara and Rigoberto Silverio both return as well.

The Muckdogs kick off their season tonight at home against their Thruway rivals the Auburn Doubledays. Game time is set for 7:05.

Note there will be a short ceremony before the game to honor Haley, groundskeeper Don Rocks' longtime dog that passed away this past winter.

Photographs submitted by a reader.

This afternoon there was a disturbance in Wendy's parking lot in Batavia possibly involving youths said Batavia's Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.

The parking lot was blocked off on both sides. Officers from the Batavia Police Department and Genesee County Sheriff's Department were on scene. The situation is currently being investigated.

Open House this Sunday, June 21st from 1-3pm at 6524 Main Road in the Town of Stafford. Price: $149,900. Built in 1957 with 3 bedrooms, 2,584 square feet and 2.5 baths.
Le Roy schools & taxes - $5,885.

WOW! Only $58 per sq ft!! Gorgeous Colonial Williamsburg-inspired home has all the warmth and charm of a historic home but the convenience and comfort of today. A beautiful formal dining room with oak flooring and a built-in corner cupboard opens to the formal entry and on to the large,light-filled living room with a marble mantle surrounding the wood burning fireplace. More hardwood in the master bedroom and landing on the second floor. The brick elements in the main bath give the room a unique rustic vibe. Centrally located between Buffalo and Rochester with easy access to 490/Thruway.

NOTHNAGLE: Cenna Clements - Licensed Associate R.E. Broker. Cell: 585.223.9806
cclements@nothnagle.com. Click here for more information

The Genesee County Park & Forest will kick off its 100 years celebration event series with a program on the history of the forest.

The program, "A Place of Peace, Play and Learning: The Genesee County Park and Forest," will be from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on June 20 at the Genesee County Park & Forest Interpretive Nature Center. It's free and open to the public.

County Historian Michael Ula will provide information on the history of the forest with his presentation "The Story of the County Forest."

The Genesee County Forest is the oldest county forest in New York and was officially established in 1915. The forest was purchased in 1882 and supplied wood to the County's Poor House. By 1935, more than 169,000 trees had been planted to provide natural resources to the community. The creation of a county park began in 1966.

 In addition to sharing the history, Ula will also talk about the role the forest plays in the community today.

"It's a place for recreation where people can go to relax with their families and reconnect with the natural world," Ula said. "There is also an Interpretive Nature Center where you can learn about the plants and various animals that live there."

In July, the County Park & Forest is offering two programs  titled "What Trees Know" on July 11 and "Would You Believe It Comes From Trees?" on July 25. The forest will also have its 100th anniversary Forest Fest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 29.

The Batavia Muckdogs have their season opener tonight, at home in Dwyer Stadium against Auburn. A six-game home stand begins tonight at 7:05. There is an early afternoon game at 1:05 on Father’s Day; all other games are at 7:05 p.m. General admission is just $7 for adults.

For more information on tickets and the Muckdogs go to http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t511

Below, the Muckdags practice for the opener. 

From our news partner, WBTA:

State Police suspect a driver may have suffered some type of medical problem causing him to crash into a concrete barrier of the Thruway at the Le Roy exit.

Troopers said the unidentified driver was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with head injuries and chest pain.

The accident happened at 2:30 Thursday afternoon. Entrance and exit lanes were closed for more than an hour.

According to State Police, a Ford 350 pickup truck crashed into the concrete barrier that protects the toll booth. The impact bent one of the steel supports that supports the roof of the booth.

The pickup truck proceeded through the exit lane and flipped over on its roof.

(Photos submitted by Greg Luetticke-Archbell.)

Press release:

The Genesee County Libertarian Party is pleased to announce our endorsement of Lisa Whitehead to be a candidate for Batavia City Council Ward #2.

The Downtown Public Market opened yesterday on Bank Street and Alva Place parking lot. The public market will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Thursday through the end of September. The public market offers a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, maple syrup, crafts, flowers and homemade dog treats, and more. Stop by for lunch -- Alston's BBQ pulled-pork sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs are also available for sale.

At approximately 5 p.m. there was a bear sighting near South Main Street and Wortendyke Road in the Town of Batavia. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and police are at the scene. Updates will be posted as they become available.

UPDATE 10:40 a.m.: There has been no further information from the DEC.

The Genesee County Legislature objected to a salary increase in the proposed union contract with the Deputy Sheriff's Association at the Ways and Means Committee meeting Wednesday night.

The proposed contract called for a 7.5-percent salary increase over three years. County officials said the total cost of deputy salaries for three years would be more than $390,000. The contract would have covered 46 employees.

For the legislature to make a decision, Jay Gsell, county manager, provided information on deputy union contracts in adjoining counties and all of their salary increases were lower. According to county officials, the salary increases stated in deputy contracts in Orleans County and Livingston County were 2 percent for two years.

"I think based on the numbers involved and what it's going to cost the county I think it's excessive," Legislature Chair Raymond Cianfrini said. "If this contract came from any other union in the county, I would have had the same objection."

The legislature recently approved a management salary schedule for an average 1-percent increase for five years in an attempt to bring nonunion employees in line with what they pay union employees. According to Cianfrini, if the legislature approved the Deputy Sheriff's Association contract it would be unfair to other management employees.

Cianfrini hopes to resolve the contract issue with the Deputy Sheriff's Association as soon as possible.

Press release:

The Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) has scheduled public hearings on June 22 and June 23 for project applications submitted by ADK Hospitality, LLC, and Manning Squires Henning Co., Inc. The public hearings are required because both projects have applied for incentives totaling more than $100,000 from the GCEDC.

A public hearing for ADK Hospitality will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 22 at Batavia Town Hall. The company is proposing to build an 82-room hotel connected to Batavia Down’s gaming facility. ADK Hospitality is seeking an estimated $638,193 in sales tax, mortgage tax and property tax exemptions. The planned capital investment is approximately $5.49 million.

A public hearing for Manning Squires Hennig Co. will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, at Batavia Town Hall. The company is proposing to expand its corporate offices and maintenance facilities in the Town of Batavia by up to 5,000 square foot. Manning Squires Hennig Co. is seeking an estimated $170,556 in incentives.

Hardly the mental image conjured whenever one hears the word marsh, Ringneck Marsh has greened up considerably in recent weeks.

A young angler tries his luck from the shoreline...........   

while his brother fishes from the dock. Part of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Ringneck Marsh is home to northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish.

A variety of furbearers and birdlife also call Ringneck home. An osprey nest is seen in the above photo ......

and a pair of adults tending to the nests occupants. To give you an idea of how big this stick nest is, an osprey is a large fish-eating bird with a massive wingspan -- perched atop this nest they look pigeon-sized. For much of the morning this pair alternated between visiting the nest and soaring high above the marsh.

Discovery! When the fish failed to cooperate, this young angler took to exploring among the shoreline rocks and was rewarded for his efforts.

These fellas stuck it out a bit longer.....then joined their brother exploring the shoreline and searching for frogs, snakes and aquatic bugs.

Calling it a day!

Year-over-year job growth for Genesee County was stagnant in May, according to data released by the Department of Labor.

In May of 2014 and 2015, there were 23,900 jobs locally, according to the department's count.

The unchanged non-farm jobs number comes in a month that New York State as a whole added more than 142,000 jobs, jumping from 9.133 million jobs to 9.276 million jobs.

The Rochester area added 7,100 jobs and the Buffalo region added 13,000.

Wyoming County was also flat in jobs growth for May, holding steady at 13,500 jobs. The data for Livingston and Orleans counties are included in the Monroe County data.

 A man was taken by Mercy Flight for lower body injuries after a motorcycle vs. pickup truck accident in the Town of Pembroke.

Motorcyclist Stephen R. Ryan, 36, of Corfu, was flown by Mercy Flight. Pickup driver Peter J. Hilchey, 33, of Oakfield, had no injuries.

The crash happened at 6:02 a.m. at the intersection of Cohocton and Lake roads.

The northbound motorcycle hit the westbound pickup truck. Hilchey was issued a traffic ticket for allegedly failing to stop at a stop sign. Charges are pending for Ryan.

An investigation is being done by Sheriff's Deputy Chad Cummings. Pembroke, Corfu and Indian Falls fire departments and Mercy Medics responded to the scene.