Indian Falls at the Log Cabin Restaurant was a beautiful scene late this afternoon. Here is a short video and a photo.
Here are some photos from this afternoon taken along the Route 77 corridor of the western part of Genesee County, and on Route 5 and in Alabama and Oakfield.
Above, Darien Lakes State Park.
A home on Sumner Road, Darien.
East Pembroke
On Route 77, south of Gabby Road.
On Route 77, south of Gabby Road.
Judge Road, Alabama.
Bliss Road, Oakfield.
Lewiston Road, Oakfield.
Tonawanda Creek, behind the County Courthouse in Batavia.
Press release:
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Genesee County Highway Department and Emergency Management Services, has canceled the travel advisory for all of Genesee County as of 5 p.m., Jan. 31.
Motorists are encouraged to continue to drive with caution due to present blowing and drifting snow accumulation on roads and sub-zero wind chill temperatures.
Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the state of emergency has also been canceled.
We can confirm, there is a lot of blowing and drifting snow and low visbility at times on county grounds. Photos and video coming, hopefully later tonight.
A motor-vehicle accident is reported on Lewiston Road, Route 77, at Salt Works Road, Alabama.
A truck is jackknifed and the roadway is blocked. Traffic is being shutdown in both directions.
Alabama fire responding.
GO ART! is open for Jazz & Jam tonight (Jan. 31) as part of its Fifth Thursdays series.
The Genesee Jazz Collective will be performing from 7 to 7:45 p.m.
Then from 8 to 9 p.m. the Genesee Jazz Collective will host an open Jam Session.
Tavern 2.o.1 will be open and will be serving flights of jam sandwiches in honor of the Jam Session -- you get to choose from three fruit jams.
Come on in and break your cabin fever!
GO ART! is located at 201 E. Main St. in the historic Seymour Place building in Downtown Batavia.
A winter storm warning and wind chill advisory remain in effect for Genesee County until 7 p.m., with the wind chill advisory in effect until 7 a.m., Friday.
Up to three inches of lake effect snow is possible today before 7 p.m.
A travel advisory and state of emergency remain in effect for Genesee County.
Two truck drivers were cited today in connection with a 21-vehicle pile-up on the Thruway in Le Roy yesterday that hospitalized a state trooper.
Trooper Dominique Wilson sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the accident, which occurred at 2 p.m. in the eastbound lane of the Thruway near mile marker 382. Wilson remains hospitalized at Strong Memorial Hospital in stable condition.
Also injured were Michael L. Bushek, age 60, of Palmyra, and Edward F. Dejoy, age 55, of Hamburg. Both were treated and released at Strong.
Tractor-trailer drivers, Richard Magezi, 41, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Michael L. Lambert, 54, of Hartford, Conn., were ticketed for allegedly disobeying a traffic control device, speed not reasonable and prudent, following too closely, and driving across hazard markings.
The investigation revealed that 19 vehicles, including 16 passenger cars, one box truck and two tractor-trailers, were involved in the crash.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a tractor-trailer traveling eastbound lost control, jackknifed, and struck the rear of a Trooper Wilson’s troop car, pushing it out into the roadway where the patrol vehicle was then sideswiped by a second tractor-trailer.
There was a ban on tractor-trailer traffic on the Thruway at the time of the accident due to the winter storm passing through the area.
Le Roy fire, with Le Roy taking command, along Town of Batavia fire, and Bergen fire, and six ambulances from Genesee, Monroe and Livingston counties responded to the accident, which left the Thruway closed for several hours.
Top photo: submitted by a reader.
A car has struck a utility pole at Colby Road and Route 20, Darien.
There are no injuries but the pole and wires are down in the roadway.
Darien fire dispatched.
UPDATE 12:13 p.m.: Alexander fire police are going to shutdown traffic at Route 238.
UPDATE 12:22 p.m.: Truck traffic is being diverted onto Colby Road to Route 77. The pole will need to be replaced. It's supporting service to the house at that location.
UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: Roadway reopened. All Darien units back in service.
A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported on Bank Street Road near Cockram Road, Byron.
No word on injuries.
Byron fire and South Byron fire dispatched.
UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: Road conditions are not good, according to a first responder. Elba fire requeted to the scene to assist.
UPDATE 11:53 a.m.: The vehicle is off the road. All responding units from Byron and South Byron are parked at the side of the road. The road is not blocked. Elba can stand down. Mercy EMS on scene.
Press release:
With the arrival of frigid temperatures and a number of structure fires across the State recently resulting from homeowners utilizing open flames to thaw frozen pipes, City of Batavia Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano reminds all City residents to be mindful and take the following precautions.
OPEN FAUCETS
Prior to thawing a frozen pipe, open any faucet connected to the frozen pipe. Opening faucets with frozen pipes is important for two reasons. Frozen pipes will most likely burst from built-up pressure and not from the expanding ice. The opening of a faucet can relieve the pressure. Secondly, upon thawing frozen pipes, steam will be generated and can lead to increasing pressure and bursting if it is unable to escape out of the open faucet.DO NOT USE OPEN FLAMES
Under no circumstances do not use open flames in any attempt to thaw pipes. The use of matches, a blowtorch or any other method with an open flame will compound the situation rather than solve it.
UTILIZE A GFCI OUTLET
Depending upon the thawing method used, please ensure that any device such as a hair dryer, heat gun or heat tape is connected to a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet. These outlets automatically monitor the current and are designed to protect people from electrical shock. The occurrence of electrocution is more significant during thawing situations due to the tools being electrical in nature and operating near potential water sources.
Chief Napolitano states that following these precautions and enlisting the services of a plumbing expert will safeguard your family and home from the devastation of a fire. He also offers all City residents to contact the City of Batavia Fire Department with any questions they may have regarding the safe thawing frozen pipes.
The phone number for City Fire Headquarters is 585-345-6375.
A chimney fire that is said to be contained, though flames are showing, is reported at 6516 Keller Road, Pavilion.
The location is between Roanoke Road and Transit Road.
The family cannot evacuate because of an elderly resident.
Pavilion fire along with Le Roy and Stafford dispatched.
UPDATE 10:27 a.m.: The homeowner told a first responder he believes the fire burned itself out. Responders warned about road conditions.
UPDATE 10:28 a.m.: Working fire in stove pipe. It's contained to the pipe. The family being assisted with evacuation.
UPDATE 10:32 a.m.: No smoke in the residence.
While a travel ban related to yesterday's blizzard-like conditions was lifted last night, this morning a travel advisory remains in effect and is expected to remain in place until 7 p.m.
A winter storm warning is in place until 7 p.m. though the current forecast doesn't show much snow for Batavia today. That, of course, could change.
The photo above from a reader is of a truck rollover accident at Lewiston and South Main in Oakfield that occured around 10:30 p.m. The road is still closed but should reopen soon. The truck was carrying 80,000 pounds of blueberries. Complicating the effort to get it up right were the powerlines overhead. National Grid installed a new utility pole at that location overnight.
Updates on closings (for our prior post on closings, click here):
Send closings and cancelations to howard@thebataivan.com.
UPDATE 9:01 a.m.: We just spoke with Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator. He said the forecasters with the National Weather Service say they expect a lake effect snow band that is currently south of Genesee County to shift north sometime this morning. The band should stay south of the Thruway. This could mean more snow and wind for Batavia, and if the shift does occur, certainly for the southwestern part of the county. He said, "they used words like two-thirds of the county" could be hit by the band. "It's sunny now but we don't want anybody to get lulled into the idea that the storm is past," Yaeger said. The travel advisory and state of emergency remain in effect. He said county officials will reevaluate the situtation around noon.
UPDATE 9:35 p.m.: There's a report of drivers stuck at the Flying J getting agitated. Drivers are reportedly yelling at each other.
Press release:
The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Genesee County Highway Department and Emergency Management Services, has issued a travel advisory for all of Genesee County. Motorists are encouraged to avoid all unnecessary travel due to the significant accumulation of snow combined with strong winds and sub-zero wind chill temperatures and zero visibility at times.
Advisory is in effect from 9 p.m., Jan. 30, until further notice.
Sheriff Sheron reminds motorists that dark traffic signals that are not working are to be treated as a four-way stop.
Twenty-one vehicles, including a State Police patrol vehicle, were involved in an accident that shutdown the Thruway through Le Roy this afternoon.
Injuries were reported but no details have been released.
Several people involved in the accident were transported by van to the Ontario Service Center where they were evaluated by Mercy medics and interviewed by Troopers.
Le Roy Fire, Town of Batavia Fire, with assistance from Caledonia and Monroe County, responded to the scene.
Top three photos released by State Police. Bottom two photos courtesy a reader. If you have photos to share of the accident, send them to howard@thebatavian.com
UPDATE: Reader submitted photo added below.
This video was shot around the one o'clock hour.
App Users: Click here to view the video on TheBatavian.com.
In order to enact a travel ban today, Bob Bausch, chairman of the Genesee County Legislature, signed a letter at 2 p.m. today declaring a state of emergency and that state of emergency is expected to be in place through tomorrow.
The travel ban could be lifted this evening, though, said Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator.
"It was busy," Yaeger said. "It came in fairly quickly around noonish and started hitting very quickly. It has started to subside a little bit. Now, it's quieted down quite a bit. We're expecting the lake effect to move south but then reenter back into Genesee County tomorrow during the day."
Besides enabling the sheriff to declare a state of emergency, it gives county officials additional power, though Yaeger said there's no plans to, say, impose a curfew or ban alcohol sales. The county has also not used the state of emergency to ask for assistance from other counties or the state.
"We're continuing to monitor it at the point that we checked with our highway department superintendent and he's checking with the municipalities," Yaeger said. "But because the amount of snow at this point is manageable, we're going to continue to manage that. But that option is always open but at this point (no assistance) is needed."
Even as the snowfall slows down, the county remains on a ready footing. Each county fire department has personnel at their fire halls, City fire has extra personnel on duty, and the local law enforcement agencies have extra officers on patrol.
The Emergency Management Center is operating as a command center but Yaeger said it is at a "level 3" standard of operation.
"We are open and active and we're monitoring the weather and monitoring phone calls that are coming in the different situations so we have good situational awareness of what's going on in the county, so we can react to any of needs that may come up," Yaeger said.
The travel ban serves two primary purposes, Yaeger explained. It helps keep the public safe but it also helps keep first responders safe.
"The weather is our concern with the public out there," Yaeger said, "then the first responders trying to do their their work, to respond to emergencies, first to gain access there and then to be in these elements is extremely dangerous."
In this weather, it's especially important for first responders to get to stranded motorists quickly and safely.
"Because of the extreme cold you cannot be in those elements, or be in a vehicle and not be able to move and not have heat in your car," Yaeger said. "It is not safe at any point."
A reader from Byron shared this photo and the photo immediately below.
If you have a photo to share, send it to howard@thebatavian.com. You can also try to send video or upload your video to YouTube and we can share it.
Andrea Brown said she took this photo about 12:30 p.m. on Route 77. "I was stuck along with other drivers for almost three hours until we all braved it to get home. I live in Attica so after I got past this, I sat in a gas station driveway along with a few others for another hour then finally made it home, getting here at about 4 p.m."
George F. Anderson, 38, of 61 Myrtle St., Le Roy, was arrested by the Le Roy Police Department on Jan. 29 and charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that Anderson failed to exercise reasonable diligence in maintaining control of a 4-year-old child by failing to be aware that the child left the apartment for about 40 minutes and was found crying in the common area of the apartment with no shirt on. Anderson was issued an appearance ticket to appear in Le Roy Town Court at a later date.
Craig L. Fien Jr., 46, 17 Mill St., rear apartment, Le Roy, was arrested by the Le Roy Police Department on Jan. 29 and charged with one count each of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a Class E felony, and fifth-degree conspiracy, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that between September and January, Fien knowingly possessed stolen property consisting of one pump shotgun (color black), belonging to the victim and he allegedly refused to return the gun to the victim when the victim asked then demanded that he do so. Fien was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.
Steven C. Kazmierczak, 34 of 92 Gilbert St., Le Roy, was arrested by the Le Roy Police Department on Jan. 17 and charged with one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a Class A misdemeanor. It is alleged that during a Probation check of Kazmierczak's residence, he was found unlawfully in possession of a shotgun due to a prior felony conviction. Kazmierczak was issued an appearance ticket and released to answer the charge in Le Roy Town Court at a later date.
Juaquin E. Davis, 23, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with first degree criminal contempt. Davis was arrested at 2:20 p.m. on Thomas Avenue in Batavia after he allegedly violated a Batavia City Court order of protection. He allegedly did so by being in the presence of a protected party and engaging in a verbal altercation with that protected party. He was arrested and issued an appearance ticket for Feb. 5 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider.
Alexander D. Kibler, 21, of School Street, Batavia, is charged with: speeding; driving while ability impaired by drugs; possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle; and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. Kibler was arrested at 1:24 a.m. on Jan. 19 on Walnut Street in Batavia after Batavia police conducted a traffic stop on a gray 2014 Jeep. Police subsequently allegedly found Kibler impaired by marijuana. He was issued traffic tickets and is due in City Court on Feb. 6. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.
Dorothy Gray De Roque, 46, of Mechanic Street, Elba, is charged with: DWI -- first offense; refusal to take breath test; and speed exceeding posted 55 mph. De Roque was arrested at 2:23 a.m. on Jan. 27 on Ford Road in Elba. She was stopped for speeding and allegedly found to be intoxicated and failed to submit to a breath test. She was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released on her own recognizance. She is due in Elba Town Court on Feb. 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Mullen, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.
Taylor L. Finnin, 26, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and failure to appear. Finnin was arrested Jan. 26 on multiple arrest warrants after Batavia police were called to a South Main Street, Batavia, address on an unrelated matter. Finnin was arraigned in City Court and jailed in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or bond. Finnin is to return to court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Christopher Lindsay.
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