It's one of those situations where everybody wins -- people dependent on Meals on Wheels will once again get five days of meal delivery, Genesee ARC is able to expand the services it provides the county, and the county's budget won't be severely impacted.

On Monday, the Public Service Committee approved a contract with Genesee ARC to handle the Meals on Wheels program for the Office of Aging.

The cost to the county will be about the same -- $186,425 annually -- as the current program, which delivers meals only three days a week.

The new program will also deliver hot meals, instead of cold dishes.

"We think it will be a nice service for people, with the personal check for people and they get a nice hot meal," said Pam Whitmore, director of Office for the Aging.

The previous meal provider was the American Red Cross out of Rochester.

The cost works out to about the same because it was costing nearly a $1 per meal just for delivery of meals from Rochester. That $1 will now go toward increased service and improved meals.

The meals will be prepared by Genesee ARC staff and clients at its renovated facility at 38 Woodrow Road, Batavia.

Whitmore said one reason Genesee ARC won the contract is the organization's emphasis on customer service.

"Being part of Genesee County, they really wanted to do what was best for the people in the program," Whitmore said.

WBTA's Dan Fischer contributed to this story.

A car fire is reported on the westbound Thruway at mile marker 399.2. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: A responder on scene says the fire is mostly out. There's still some smoke visible that's coming from the console between the seats.

UPDATE 1:34 p.m.: The fire is out. All units are back in service.

It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while Mercy Flight can't fly a lifesaving mission because of bad weather.

More of those missions could be flown if hospitals installed devices to assist pilots flying instrument-only.

Jeff Mendola, an external affairs director for Mercy Flight, met with the Public Service Committee on Monday and provided an annual review of Mercy Flight operations to the county, including information on plans to move toward greater IFR (instrument flying rules) capability.

In 2011, first responders issued 122 requests for Mercy Flight, and 70 missions were completed. UMMC made 34 requests and 29 missions were completed.

The majority of cancelled missions were ground or in-air standbys where it was determined that the patient did not require air transport, but about one third of the scrubbed missions were cancelled because of weather conditions.

Developing greater IFR capability is a matter have deploying helicopters with IFR technology, training pilots and ensuring point-to-point IFR devices.

A ground device costs about $30,000. And while all airports have them, there haven't been hospitals in the region with instrument flight equipment, including Strong Memorial Hospital and Erie County Medical Center.

Now nearly all of Mercy's helicopters -- including the new Bell 429, known as Mercy Flight 5, pictured above -- have controls for instrument flying.

Getting hospitals upgraded and pilots trained go hand-in-hand so that's the process Mercy Flight is engaged in now.

In 2011, 20 percent of Mercy's missions went to Strong and 43 percent to ECMC.

While Mercy Flight doesn't transport to United Memorial Medical Center, it does pick up patients at the Batavia hospital two or three dozen times per year. But the facility is close enough to the Genesee County Airport that UMMC doesn't need instrument capability, Mendola said.

The airport is within seven minutes for the Bell from any part of Genesee County. If the helicopter could fly to a property equipped Strong or ECMC, the decision for medical responders would simply be what's fastest -- ground transport to a trauma center, or transport to the airport then instrument flying for the Bell from Genesee County to the appropriate hospital.

As it stands, in medical emergency situations where Mercy Flight is grounded, ambulance transportation is the only option.

Last year, Mercy forgave $700,000 in care provided to uninsured and under-insured patients, which worked out to $842 per patient. To help cover those costs, Mercy is running a program where individuals or groups can sponsor a mission.  Donations can be sent to: Mercy Flight, Inc., 100 Amherst Villa Road, Buffalo, NY 14225.

Mendola said Mercy Flight may be the last purely nonprofit medical emergency transport operation in the United States.

Republican congressional candidate and Batavia resident David Bellavia made his tax returns available today for review by journalists and he's calling on his primary opponent, Chris Collins, to do the same.

"This is part of our narrative of being completely transparent," Bellavia said. "If you're going to ask for somebody for a vote, you've got to earn their trust."

On Friday, the Buffalo News ran a story about Bellavia falling behind falling behind on some tax payments and city fees (with all payments being current now), but Bellavia said the decision to release his tax returns is coincidental.

"We always planned on releasing the returns, but (that story) may have pushed it up a week," Bellavia said.

Collins is a businessman who is reportedly wealthy. His press agent, Michael Kracker, has not yet responded to a phone message, nor has the Collins campaign responded to a message on Twitter asking if he will release his returns.

Bellavia betrayed a little frustration with the focus on his finances while Collins, he thinks, has ducked any substantial discussion of issues important to the district.

"When I decided to run for the seat, some Republicans pulled me aside as said I needed to be careful as a Republican not to make the campaign about class warfare. They said Collins is not a bad guy just because he has a lot of money and I agree with that, but now the class warfare is pointed at me. Just as he shouldn't be disqualified for this race because he's wealthy, I shouldn't be because I'm not."

And Bellavia isn't.

While he and his wife, Rochester TV reporter Deanna King, own a house in Ward 1 assessed at $209,000, the family income has only once exceeded $100,000 (in 2007), and in 2009 the Bellavias' gross adjusted income dropped to $29,719. In each of the other three years of tax returns provided by the Bellavia campaign the family income never exceeded $70,000.

In 2007, the Bellavias owed more than $10,000 in taxes at the end of the year, but in each of the other four years the family received refunds.

Bellavia's primary income, according to the returns, comes as an author, and that income has fluctuated widely over the years -- in excess of $100,000 in 2007 (when the family's gross income was nearly $114,000) and as low as $2,400 in 2010).

In 2007, a book Bellavia co-wrote, "House to House: An Epic Memoir of War"  was released. Bellavia has said he also co-wrote and sold the screenplay for the movie "Tie That Binds."

In 2009, Bellavia took time off from writing and speaking to help start and run a nonprofit group for returning veterans called the Warrior Legacy Foundation.

On Friday, Bellevia told the Buffalo News he is "no country club Republican," and he repeated the phrase today.

"It was a fair story," Bellavia said. "It's a story. I'm running for congress and there has got to be transparency, but at the end of the day, it clears the narrative that I'm not a country club Republican.

"You can't elect a person to congress whom it doesn't bother to put $4.05 in their tank," Bellavia added. "It hurts me every day."

Bellavia has repeatedly asked the well-financed Collins to meet in a debate and Bellavia said the lack of substance will hurt either Republican candidate, which ever one wins the primary, when it comes time to face Kathy Hochul in the general election.

"Hochul is a very gifted, talented and competent politician," Bellavia said. "She knows the issues. I disagree with her on the issues, but we can't just wait until after the primary to find out where a candidate stands on the issues, but that's exactly what he (Collins) told the Buffalo News."

Press release:

Genesee County Treasurer Scott D. German announced today that he will be seeking a third term as Genesee County Treasurer in this November’s election. German is in his 19th year in the office, the last eight of which have been as treasurer.

Among the many accomplishments of the Treasurer’s Office, the one that comes to mind first is the extremely successful 2010 refinancing of county debt, which saved Genesee taxpayers over $1,000,000 in interest expense over the next six years. Another highlight of German’s tenure is the successful office merger with Real Property.  Merging operations with the Real Property Department has allowed for the sharing of resources, which in turn has saved county taxpayers money.

As treasurer, German is the chief fiscal officer and tax enforcement officer for the county. Among a wide range of responsibilities as county treasurer, German is responsible for the safeguarding of all county monies, the processing of county payroll, the processing of vendor payments, collection of delinquent taxes, tax foreclosures, maintaining the accounting records, overseeing of the independent audit and working with state and federal auditors.

German hopes the voters of Genesee County return him to office this November so he can continue serving the people of this fine county.

In addition to German’s busy workload, he is also currently the president of the New York State County Treasurers and Finance Officers Association.

German holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Finance from the State University of New York, College at Brockport. He is also a member of 2004 class of Leadership Genesee.  German is a lifelong resident of Genesee County.

A 24-year-old Le Roy man was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 10 years probation Thursday for downloading and possessing pornography involving children under 17 years old.

Thomas J. Smith, of Main Road, Le Roy, was arrested in December following an eight-month investigation by State Police.

Earlier this year, Smith entered a guilty plea to promoting sexual performance by a child for downloading pornography involving a child under age 17, and a second count of promoting sexual performance by a child for possessing pornography involving a child under age 16.

Both counts are Class E felonies.

Smith will return to Genesee County Court on May 31 for a sexual offender status hearing, which will determine his standing in the New York sexual offender registry.

A 29-year-old Batavia resident has been charged with a hate crime after he allegedly hurled homosexual insults and got into a fight with an acquaintance.

John Gerald Crosby, of Wood Street, Batavia, was charged under section 240.30 (3) of the NYS penal law, which makes it a crime to get into a physical altercation with a person because of the person's real or perceived "race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation."

Aggravated harassment is a Class A misdemeanor with a possible sentence of up to one year in jail.

Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble said according to the report, Crosby's conduct could be described as "direct and in your face and repeated," but declined to provide details citing the ongoing legal process.

"It was pretty intense from what I read in the report," Dibble said. "It's certainly not something somebody should have to put up with."

While hate crime charges in Genesee County are rare, they do happen from time to time, Dibble said.

The incident is alleged to have occurred at 11:45 p.m., April 20, at a location on Lewiston Road, Batavia.

Crosby was arraigned Friday in Town of Batavia Court and released on his own recognizance pending an appearance May 21.

The Elba Elementary Central School will operate under the supervision of an interim principal for the remainder of the school year, according to District Superintendent Jerry Piwko.

Last month, the school board was unable to reach a consensus on who to hire permanently for the position and two weeks ago, Tom Cox, a retired administrator from Lyndonville, was placed into the job temporarily.

A new recruitment and interview process won't start until the school year closes, Piwko said, adding that he hopes a new principal can be hired by August, if not sooner.

"The sooner the better, and we'll go from there," Piwko said.

The position has been vacant since early December, when former principal Jason Smith resigned to accept a superintendent's job in Lyndonville.

"Jason is a great person and a great administrator and he was offered a great opportunity," Piwko said.

The process used to try and find a replacement for Smith involved a faculty search committee, a second interview community, parental involvement and the final two candidates interviewed with Piwko.

However, at their April meeting, the board was unable to come to an agreement on hiring a candidate.

Piwko said the process will be reviewed and he anticipates using a similar process this summer.

Gorge L. Correa, 19, of 72 Ward St., F, Rochester, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th, trespass and possession of marijuana; Arami Morales, 16, of 72 Ward St., F, Rochester, is charged with harassment, 2nd, resisting arrest and trespass; Markeef H. Royal, 23, of 9 Beechwood St., Rochester, is charged with trespass; Joshua L. Burris, 22, of 21 Baumen St., Rochester, is charged with trespass; Malik J. Johnson, 19, of 916 Plymouth Ave., Rochester, is charged with trespass. The five suspects were arrested after Batavia PD responded at 6:40 a.m., Sunday, to a report of a disturbance at the Batavia Gardens Apartments, 679 E. Main St., Batavia. Morales is accused of hitting Officer Darryl Streeter. Further investigation led to the alleged discovery of a handgun and marijuana in the vehicle of Correa. Burris was turned over to Rochester PD on an arrest warrant. Correa and Morales were arraigned in Batavia City Court and jailed on $5,000 bail each.

Joel D. Prouty, 25, of Maple Avenue, Oakfield, is charged criminal contempt, 1st, unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, and criminal mischief, 4th. Prouty is accused of violating an order of protection by slammng a woman who is seven-months pregnant into a doorway and threatening to punch her in the stomach. Prouty also allegedly smashed the woman's mobile phone while she tried to call 9-1-1 and restrained her against her will. Prouty was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Gary Robert Dean, 61, of Buffalo Street, Alexander, is charged with felony aggravated unlicensed operation, DWI and a violation of unlicensed operation. Dean was stopped at 9:32 p.m., April 4, on Broadway Road, Alexander, by Deputy Howard Carlson.

Marquis Kwanaine Saddler, 21, of Brockport-Spencerport Road, Sweden, is charged with violation of sentencing conditions. Saddler was arrested by Village of Brockport PD on a warrant out of Batavia City Drug Court and jailed on $100,000 bail.

Raymond Kyle Jonathan, 23, of Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, unlicensed operator and failure to stop at stop sign. Jonathan was arrested by Deputy Kevin McCarthy following an investigation into a rollover accident at 3:17 a.m., Sunday, at 890 Judge Road, Basom.

Tara L. Hall, 33, of 132 State St., lower, Batavia, is charged with two counts of harassment, 2nd. Hall is accused of threatening two people.

Jennifer L. Stack, 25, of 5861 Walkers Corners Road, is charged with failure to appear. Stack was arrested after being located at an apartment on South Main Street during a disturbance at that location. Stack was jailed on $500 bail.

Sky M. Lewis, 18, of 38 Walnut St., lower, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Lewis is accused of fighting with another person while in the presence of two young children.

Shawn Michael Kwiatek, 33, of Alleghany Road, Darien, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. Kwiatek is accused of bringing alcohol to a party and serving it to people under age 21.

A person apparently tried to steal a Milton Cat excavator from a location on Craigie Street, Le Roy, and damaged the machine in the process.

The attempt was made some time between Friday about 11:30 a.m. and Sunday about 4 p.m..

According to Le Roy Police, a person apparently tried to hot-wire the excavator, breaking open a control unit and cutting wires.

The excavator was parked on Craigie Street as part of a gas line replace project in the area.

Any person with information pertinent to the investigation, or who may have seen people around the excavator, are asked to call Le Roy PD at 768-2527.

A car fire "with complications" is reported at Lewiston and Meadville roads in Alabama. Alabama firefighters are dispatched.

UPDATE 5:46 p.m.: Apparently the fire is out. No idea what the complications were. The vehicle was a Chevy Camaro registered to a Gasport driver. A tow was called to haul it away.

UPDATE 5:50 p.m.: Alabama is back in service.

A car fire is reported at 9156 Clipnock Road in Stafford. The Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 11:42: A firefighter on scene reports the vehicle owner is using a fire extinguisher on the blaze and has it under control.

UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: The fire is out. Stafford is back in service.

Saturday, athletes from throughout the region converged on Batavia HS to compete in the annual invitational track and field event. These photos were submitted by Bare Antolos.

Here's a link to the results.

Soccer players from throughout the region were in Batavia on Saturday for an Olympic soccer clinic. These photos are from a session held at Genesee Community College in the afternoon.

It was all about looking good today at GCC as the college hosted its 31st annual fashion show, this year titled "Soiree."

Hundreds of students and faculty participated. Students from the fashion business program showed off their design skills and students from the tourism and hospitality management program helped put the program together.

Several local businesses also donated services to help make the show possible.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Genesee County children were invited to the YMCA today to kick-off spring and summer with Healthy Kids Day, a free community event where children could play, exercise, meet firemen, the Muckdog's mascot and learn about healthy choices.

Pavilion Fire Department, non-emergency, is responding to a barn fire that's almost out at 6305 Sparks Road, Pavilion.

The call started with a report about 15 minutes ago of an unknown type fire in the area of Sparks Road and Transit Road.

A lot of smoke was reported in the area.

It's unclear how the fire got to the point that it's almost out.

UPDATE 8:27 p.m.: Bethany Fire Department was also dispatched to this, now both Pavilion and Bethany are providing mutual aid to put out a structure fire on Wyoming Road in Wyoming County.

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Today you can get rid of outdated or unneeded medications safely with no questions asked at drug drop-off points throughout the county.

There is one behind the Batavia PD station, one at the Le Roy PD and Pembroke Town Highway barn on routes 5 and 77.

Drugs can be dropped off until 2 p.m.