Here's an interesting story from the D&C that could have local implications: State lacks standards for private well water.

In another test, arsenic above recommended levels was found in the water, and now Wagner faces the expense of hooking up to the public water supply.

"It's the state that let us down," Wagner said. "Everybody should be assured that if a well is tested before the sale of a home, it's fully tested."

New York doesn't require that well water ever be tested at all and there are no state cleanliness standards for private wells. The 10-parts-per-billion federal and state arsenic standard, for example, applies to public systems but not to private wells.

And the state also doesn't know how many wells are in use or where they are. Well-owners in New York — one estimate puts the total at 1.5 million — are largely left on their own.

How's your well water, if that's what you use?  Have you ever had it tested? Have you bought a house only to find the well water wasn't what you expected?  Have you had trouble getting into a water district so you could get off well water?

Michael Thompson, 41, of 28 Buell St., Batavia, is charged with criminal position of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a controlled substance outside its original container. Thompson was allegedly found to possess four white oblong pills with markings M/367 in a cigarette pack. The pills are identified by Sheriff's deputies as Hydrocodone.

Carrie Blaszak, 38, of 7893 Townline Road, Bergen, is charged with harassment. Blaszak is accused of having a physical confrontation with another person.

Justin P. McInerney, 20, of 188 Gregory Place, Grand Island, and Steven P. Subsara, 21, of 747 Genesee St., Grand Island, are accused with hosting an under-age drinking party at 8148 South Lake Road, Corfu, early Sunday morning, about 3:30 a.m. Both were charged with unlawfully dealing with a child.

Daniel Denault, 18, of 272 Crowley Drive, Buffalo, is accused of stealing a pack of gum at Darien Lake. He is charged with petty larceny.

Andrew Rogers, 19, 153 E. Hazeltine Ave., Kenmore, was supposed for alleged traffic violations on Route 77 in Corfu and found to allegedly possess marijuana. He is charged with unlawful possession of Marijuana.

A 17-year-old from Lakeview is accused driving while intoxicated at Darien Lake. The youth was reportedly observed driving at a high rate of speed in the parking lot. He is charged with DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving out of restrictions.

Local Batavia area motorcycle club, The Mayhem Riders, needs riders to help support a good cause. We will be riding from Stan's Harley Davidson in Batavia to the Arcade Speedway, We will be doing parade laps around the track at halftime just before they present the money to the united way officials. Please come out and help us support the community.

JUNE 12 2009

webmaster@mayhemriders.com

The sign up and starting point will be at Stan's Harley Davidson in Batavia next to the airport. Sign up will be from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., kickstands up at 5:30 p.m., then we will meet at Tops in Arcade at 6:45 p.m., leaving from Tops at 7p.m., arriving at the Arcade speedway at 7:15 p.m. If you need information go to the clubs website,or email the club:  http://www.mayhemriders.com

We will be hosting a "UNITED WAY" night on June 12th. We are working with several people in an effort to raise funds to support the efforts of United Way. Times are tough for all but no matter how tough it is for you it is probably worse for someone else. Please give generously. Check out their website.

BIKERS FOR A CAUSE FUN RUN

Dan Jr went to Niagra Falls ,Friday with the middle School on a field trip.He took the kodak z650 camera.He got some good picss.

Do you remember the bleachers at Kibbe Park and the concession stand that sold ice cream under the bleachers?  I believe the Anzalone family ran that stand.

A vintage jet based at the Genesee County Airport and once restored and owned by actor John Travolta crashed yesterday due to engine failure.

The 1947 Viper came down just short of the runway at 3:20 p.m. at  Rochester International Airport after the pilot tried to return to the airport five minutes after takeoff.

The pilot, Peter Treichler, 40, of East Aurora, suffered a back injury and is in satisfactory condition, reported the Democrat and Chronicle.

The wooden aircraft hit on its belly. Pieces were scattered 200 feet and the runway was shut down for three hours, causing flight delays and some cancellations.

UPDATE: RNews has a picture of the crashed plane.

A Basom man was killed this afternoon in a single-vehicle accident on Judge Road on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation in the Town of Alabama.

Alan M. Jones, 53, of 6835 Meadville Road, Basom, lost control of his vehicle for an unknown reason, driving off the left shoulder of the highway, striking an earth embankment. The vehicle became airborne, rolling and coming to rest on its roof. Jones was ejected from the vehicle.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Jack Taylor.

It has yet to be determined if alcohol or speed played any part in the accident.

Jones was driving a 1988 Ford F150 pick up. The accident was reported via 9-1-1 at 4:10 p.m.

The accident is being investigated Deputy Minuto, Sgt. Walker, Deputy Seppala, Investigator Stone and members of the Genesee County Sheriff's Crash Management Team.

Local teens are being recruited to head into stores where alcohol is sold and, with the merchant's permission, place stickers on the booze warning about the dangers of under-age drinking, according to the GCASA blog.

The program is called "Sticker Shock."

A traffic accident involving a car and a motorcycle at 4164 Rose Road has been cleared.

There were no injuries, though the initial dispatch included an ambulance because of the report of a minor injury.

There was a small amount of gas spill reported.

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Earlier this week I was in the store of a local business talking with the owner when a woman walked in and identified herself as the head of a local charity event. She mentioned that last year the owner had donated an item from the store as a door prize. He said, "Is a gift certificate OK this year?"  "Yes," she said. He pulled out his gift certificate book, wrote out a gift certificate for a reasonably significant amount and handed it to her. They then chatted briefly about the charity and she went on her way.

I told him, "Now that's not something you're going to see in a Wal-Mart or Home Depot."  The manager of such chain stores just doesn't have the authority to so casually hand a donation to a small, local charity. 

The store owner said, "That's right. We give out thousands a year that way."

Now, I'm not sure if by "we" he meant just his store, or all the local shop owners in Batavia, but the point is made: Local store owners support the local community in a myriad of ways, from donations to local charities to serving the community through civic groups to running for elected office.

Small businesses are the backbone of any community and they give it vitality and make it a place that is worth living in.

Below is a list of the local businesses that support The Batavian so we can bring you local news and local commentary. Please support these sponsors and let them know you appreciate their support of The Batavian.

• Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle
• Affordable Floor Covering
• Alex's Place
• Barrett's Batavia Marine and Sporting Supplies
• Batavia Downs Casino
• Batavia Muckdogs
• Blue Pearl Yoga
• Carlson's Studio
• Cedar St. Sales and Rentals
• Center Street Smokehouse
• D'n'R Fireplaces and Stoves
• Diegelman Plumbing
• Eclectic Creations
• The Enchanted Florist
• Essence of Candles
• Fastec Automotive
• Genesee County Chamber of Commerce
• Genesee County Red Cross
• Godfrey's Pond
• Herbly Wonderful
• Holland Land Office Museum
• The Insurance Center
• Larry's Steakhouse
• Lewis and Lewis
• Main St. Pizza Company
• Max Pies
• Oliver's Candies
• Roxy's Music Store
• South Main Country Store
• Southside Deli
• T.F. Brown's
• Valle Jewelers

Matthew Bratcher, 19, of Hamburg, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bratcher was camping at site #729 of the Darian Lakes Campground when deputies found him allegedly in possession of a pipe containing marijuana residue.

Michael G. Huskins, 37, of Bergen, was arrested Friday morning for alleged DWI. State troopers stopped Huskins on Route 98 for allegedly failing to keep right. Upon investigation, the trooper suspected Huskin of being intoxicated and placed him under arrest. His reported BAC was .12 percent. He was issued an appearance ticket.

The following suspected DWI arrests were made by New York State Police following the Kenny Chesney concert at Darien Lake on Thursday.

Norine V. Bushen, 54, of Hamburg, was stopped for a suspected traffic violation on Colby Road in the Town of Darien.  Upon investigation, the trooper suspected Bushen was intoxicated and placed her under arrest. She is accused of having a BAC of .08 or greater. Bushen was issued an appearance ticket.

Chad W. Robinson, 22, of Lancaster, was stopped on Sumner Road for an alleged traffic violation.  The trooper suspected Robinson of being intoxicated and placed him under arrest.  He is accused of having a BAC of .19 percent. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Christina J. Wilson, 25, of Rochester, allegedly attempted to turn into a parking lot through the exit. After an interview, she was placed under arrested for a suspected DWI. Her reported BAC was .10 percent. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Caitlin L. Neill, 20, of Almond, was stopped on Route 33 in Pembroke for an alleged traffic violation.  The trooper suspected she was intoxicated and placed her under arrest. Her reported BAC was .10 percent. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Can anyone explain why the traffic lights on Main St., between the hours of 6pm and 6am. are not regulated by a trip light?

With the exception of Oak St. and the light in front of the Post Office at the confluence of Main St. and Ellicott St.,  red lights on Main St. should be activated by traffic coming off the side streets.  There is no reason, for example, that the lights at the intersection of Main and Ross; Main and Vine; and Main and Harvester should change so fast as to not allow cars waiting on the side streets to enter Main St.

For example, you hit the red light at the corner of Harvester and Main with the intention of turning left onto Main St.  That light stays red for at least four minutes.  The light only stays green long enough for one or two cars to make the turn.  If you are the fourth car in line then you wait another four mnutes for the light to change again.

Any answers?

Fire units were dispatched to 52 Main St., Le Roy about 20 minutes ago to respond to a carbon dioxide alarm.

A few minutes ago, a request went out for fire police to respond to the scene.

UPDATE: A Le Roy chief just reported (5:52 p.m.) a negative reading on the gas meter and the residents have been allowed back into the house.

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The story of Geoffrey Balkam dying has nothing to do with Genesee County. Or maybe it has much to do with Genesee County.

Reading the story I thought about the little dust up we had earlier in the week about a Pavilion superintendent earning a rather sizable paycheck.  Residents from Pavilion defended the salary, saying Ed Orman has done a great job for many years.

The Climax-Scotts school district in Michigan is now wondering what it's going to do with out Balkam, who has led the school district through some tough times, including recent economic constraints.

The untimely death of Superintendent Geoffrey Balkam not only is a personal tragedy for Climax-Scotts Community Schools, but could hasten the demise of a small, rural district already struggling to survive.

"The fear is real. There's no denying it," said Climax-Scotts athletic director Kevin Langs, who delivered the eulogy at Balkam's memorial service Tuesday.

"I don't know what the future holds. I don't," Langs said. "I believe, and Geoff felt the same way, that there is a niche in today's world for small, rural public schools. But just because I believe that doesn't mean it will happen."

The story kind of illustrates the idea that the complexity of running a school district is not necessarily tied to the number of students in the district. Small, rural districts have their own unique challenges.

The Senate has passed legislation designed to make it easier for people like you and me to get into the packaged food business.

S3594 is supposed to promote small business start ups, such as maybe somebody looking to can an old family sauce recipe or gourmet cookies.

Glich: You or I can't benefit unless there's already a government or non-profit production facility available in your neck of the woods.

Know of any of those in Genesee County?

It's nice that the Senate wants to throw some money in the direction of start-up businesses, but would lowering taxes have the same stimulating, and maybe more, effect?  Or how about a state program to off-set the inescapable self-employment tax that makes starting a small business so difficult and risky?

We need more small businesses, more entrepreneurs getting a start in New York. It's the best long-term solution for economic growth, but maybe Malcolm Smith could start at the taking end rather than the giving end.

Crews are being called out to a reported mulch fire in front of M&T Bank, 54 Main St., Oakfield.

In California, any temblor less than 4.5 on the Richter Scale isn't even worth a little chit-chat by the water cooler, but in New York, anytime the earth shakes, people notice.

A reader sent in this message:

Workers at the Attica Prison have reported feeling an earth tremor that shook the building and has also been felt in other areas of attica. Has this been felt in other places as well or just Attica?

The USGS Web site, which notes any tremor of 1.0 or greater, does not list any earth movement in Western New York.

UPDATE: We just received this e-mail:

My mom just called me and told me there was a very large boom at her house  outside of attica and it shook her house pretty good and my aunt who lives in  the town of attica also heard it and it shook her house also.  Do you know  what it was???????

UPDATE II: I just called the Attica Police Department. They've receive reports, too. The boom was about an hour ago. "We have not been able to confirm what it was," a dispatcher said.

UPDATE III:  USGS now confirms an Earthquake:

Magnitude: 2.9
Date-Time: 11:07:52
Location: 42.828°N, 78.248°W
Depth: 3.1 miles

Three miles from Attica, five miles from Alexander.

The rumors flow in almost weekly: St. Nick's Social Club on S. Swan is closed, is closing or will close.

The latest rumor had St. Nick's with doors shuttered as of June 1.

I stopped by St. Nick's yesterday and today: Still open.

"We have no intention of closing," said Mike Rimmer, president of the board of directors. "Things have been tough financially, but we're still here."

He added, "Things are tough for a lot of clubs and restaurants. We're all hurting in this economy, and of course, people like to start rumors."

If St. Nick's were to close, the announcement would be made publicly at a monthly membership meeting.

Daily News reporter Tom Rivers spoke to the Elba Historical Society yesterday evening about his award-winning series on farm labor.

Rivers gave an energetic, anecdote-laden, hour-long talk on the series in which he explained that he set out to really understand what it's like to work in the fields, doing the work that migrant workers do, and whether an average American could handle the task.

His conclusion: Not only can't the average American not handle the jobs (and they rarely apply, and when  they do, they usually wash out after two hours of work), most world class athletes couldn't handle what immigrant workers do every day.

"After being out in the fields with these guys for eight hours a day, professional sports seems pretty lame," Rivers said.

He's used his experience picking cucumbers and tossing cabbage to help him get through running a marathon, which he said wasn't nearly as difficult compared to his work among the migrants.

The work ethic of the migrants astonished him, Rivers said. He explained that in picking berries, it's important to get the ones at the right stage of ripeness, otherwise the suburban housewife will be unhappy if she arrives home with bitter berries.  At the berry farm where Rivers worked one day, the owners had tried hiring teen-age workers once, but they just didn't take enough care about which berries they threw into baskets.

"The Mexican workers impressed me with their quality control," Rivers said. "Among themselves there is a lot of pride, you could even say perfection."

Such praise for the migrant workers didn't always win Rivers fans, he said. He said people actually called the paper to complain about his stories.

"Some people have a problem with showing the humanity of farm workers," Rivers said.