By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The 71^st season of live harness racing at America’s oldest lighted track opens on Wednesday (July 26) and runs through Saturday (Dec. 16). This year’s schedule features 71 race dates including seven matinee cards.

The live schedule this year has new post times. Racing will be presented on Sunday afternoons at 1:15 p.m., opening Wednesday at 6 p.m. (then switches to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays for the remainder of the meet) and Friday and Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. to begin the season. Monday will replace Sunday in September and go at 5 p.m.

The finest standardbreds in the Empire State will be on hand as the New York Sire Stakes will be making eight stops at the Downs this year, each worth an estimated $100,000 for the contestants. Mark your calendars for Wednesday (July 26), Sunday (July 30), Sunday (Aug. 6), Sunday (Aug. 27), Friday (Sept. 1), Wednesday (Sept. 6), Friday (Sept. 8) and Wednesday (Sept. 13) to see some of the best racing all year.

Once again the local action will be highlighted by the very popular claiming series that the track introduced last year. Mid-level claimers who accumulate points throughout the year will vie for championship final purses of between $15,000 and $20,000 for each respective division in November.

Many familiar faces will be returning to drive this year including last year’s dash title winner Drew Monti, runner-up Jim Morrill Jr., Ray Fisher Jr. and Larry Stalbaum.

Monti accumulated 117 wins at the Downs last year before moving to the Meadowlands to drive when this meet concluded. Morrill was right behind him in second with 112 tallies and Fisher was third with 98. Stalbaum never showed up at the Downs until Saturday (Nov. 5) but made the most of his cameo appearance by winning 32 races in only 18 nights.

This year all four are sporting equally impressive numbers and the competition on the track looks to be fierce from start to finish. To date, Stalbaum has won 206 races, earned $1.08 million and has a UDR of .372, Monti has won 155 races, earned $964,900 and has a UDR of .304, Morrill has won 132 races, earned $1.01 million and has a UDR of .333 and Fisher has won 109 races, earned $705,458 and has a UDR of .319.

“The start of a new meet is always busy and exciting and I am really looking forward to getting the horses back on the track” said Todd Haight, director/GM of Live Racing. “We have some great stake action on tap, a good overnight program in place and a very tough driver colony that competes very hard every race. This is definitely a meet that will offer value for our bettors.” 

For the fans, another lengthy slate of 20 promotions dots the live schedule and offers something for everyone that comes to Batavia Downs all year long.

Starting at 4:30 p.m. on opening night, fans will receive a free racing programs and magnetic racing schedules while supplies last. Programs will be available at the program stands and the magnets can be obtained by swiping your Player’s Club card at member services.

Sunday (July 30) is Old Fashion Day when hot dogs and soft drinks are only 50 cents and draft beer is $1. Items are available from noon to 4 p.m. on the track apron and at the Homestretch Grill. Batavia Downs is the only harness track that still offers concession items at this price during the Old Fashion Day promotion.  

Every Sunday in August is Dollar Sunday. Draft beer, hot dogs and soft drinks will all be $1 from noon until the final race of the afternoon.

On Saturday (Aug. 12) there is a great promotion to highlight the newest addition to the track, The Hotel at Batavia Downs. Starting after the fifth race and for four consecutive races after that, 12 names will be randomly drawn to win a free night’s stay at the beautiful new facility. Any Player’s Club member who swipes their card before 7 p.m. will be automatically entered to win. Patrons do not have to be present to win and can only win once.

There will be a gold rush at the Downs on Saturday (Aug. 19) when five sealed boxes will be given away to randomly drawn contestants. Four will contain a one ounce silver bar but one will contain a one ounce pure gold bar valued at $1,500. The promotion is sponsored by TAG Jewelers of Cheektowaga (www.tagjewelers.com ). Any Player’s Club member who swipes their card before 7 p.m. will be automatically entered to win.

Sunday (Aug. 27) is the very popular Family Fun Day and Wiener Dog races. There is a full slate of free fun for kids of all ages including pony rides sponsored by Castilone Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (www.castilonechryslerdodgejeep.net ), Pringles the Clown, Jason the Juggler, Mr. Scribbles and booths set up on the apron including face painting, sand art and sno-cones.

Then following the live harness racing action, the Wiener dogs hit the track for the “Dachshund Dash” sponsored by Genesee Feeds of Batavia. Up to 10 heats with eight dogs per heat will line up before the championship field is decided. There, the top three dogs will earn their owners Clubhouse buffets and gaming Free Play packages valued up to $200. And all dogs entered will be rewarded with a “doggy bag” full of gifts.

Labor Day (Sept. 4) brings back the annual drivers' bike race and chicken bar-b-que. A tradition since 1975 the drivers' bike race pits eight of the Downs' top reinsmen against each other on a different kind of bike; a 10-speed. The contest is held after the seventh live harness race and the bikes are randomly given away after the race to eight lucky patrons who correctly put their name in the box of the winning driver. Entry slips will be distributed between noon and 2:30 p.m. and must be deposited before the seventh race. Winners must be present to win. 

The bike race is sponsored by Crazy Cheap Cars of Oakfield (www.crazycheapcars.com ) and the chicken bar-b-que is sponsored by the Center Street Smoke House of Batavia (www.centerstreetsmokehouse.com ).

“With the new hotel added to the property last year, many groups have been here for different functions. We have aggressively promoted live racing to them and are looking forward to many new fans attending starting this Wednesday night,” Haight said. “Our concert series has brought in tens of thousands of people this summer, many of which were new to the track. We hope our promotions keep them coming back to watch the races all season long.”

For more information and updates as they happen, log onto the track's website at www.bataviadownsgaming.com and click on “Live Racing.” Follow us on Facebook as well (www.facebook.com/bataviadownsracetrack )!

The Batavia Jr. Blue Devil Summer Basketball Camp will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 14-18 at the John Kennedy School gymnasium.

The camp is open to boys and girls entering grades 3 through 8 in the fall. Cost is $65 and includes a camp T-shirt.

Campers are asked to bring their own basketball and put their name on it.

The camp will feature Coach Jim Fazio, the Batavia Jr. Blue Devil youth director, and youth coaches and current and former Blue Devil players.

The focus will be on the offensive fundamentals of the game, including shooting, passing, dribbling, and ball handling, with a major emphasis on shooting. There will be daily contests with full court and half court games.

Please note that Batavia City School District is not responsbile for any injury that may happen during camp.

Checks should be made payable to:  Batavia Boys Basketball Boosters; mail to Jim Fazio, 5190 Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020.

To contact Coach Fazio, call 356-0901 or email  jfazio@gvboces.org

With payment, please provide the following information and include a parent's or guardian's signature:

• Camper's name
• Address
• City
• Age
• Grade child will enter in the fall
• School
• Phone number
• Medical concerns
• T-shirt size (specify youth -- small through extra large, or adult -- small through extra large)

John Kennedy School is located at 166 Vine St. in the City of Batavia.

The Byron Heritage Festival will take place all day on Saturday, July 29, at the park behind the Byron Fire Department on Route 262.

It starts with a Fishing Derby at Trestle Park for children age 12 and younger from 8 to 9 a.m. Sign-ins begin at 7:30. The Fishing Derby is sponsored by the Byron Kiwanis Club.

The 5K Run, sponsored by the Byron Rescue Squad, begins at 8:30, with registration starting at 7 a.m. Registration forms are available online at www.byronny.com or at the Byron Fire Hall.

A townwide garage sale starts at 9 and ends when sellers choose.

Chicken BBQ, also sponsored by Byron Kiwanis, starts at 4 and ends when sold out.

Live music will be featured from 4 to 9 p.m. Koko and The Moon Crickets perform. This entertainment is made possible from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the NYS Council on the Arts with support of the governor and the State Legislature, and administered by GO ART!

The festival ends with fireworks.

A house fire is reported at 7735 Creamery Road, Bergen.

Flames are showing

Bergen fire dispatched.

Second alarm going out.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 8:05 a.m.: The City's Fast Team is called to the scene along with mutual aid from Elba, Byron, Le Roy, South Byron and Stafford fire departments. The location is between Cross and North Lake roads.

UPDATE 8:07 a.m.: The second platoon is asked to report to City fire headquarters. A firefighter on scene confirms this is a fully involved structure fire. Two Churchville fire trucks are responding. Mumford is asked to fill in at a fire hall (not clear which one). The second platoon is asked to report to City fire headquarters. A neighbor on Creamery Road says no one is home.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: A crew from Le Roy is also asked to fill in at Bergen's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:19 a.m.: Caledonia is asked to stand by in their own quarters. Le Roy is called to the scene emergency mode. Chili's ladder truck out of its Company #2 is asked to fill in at Bergen's Fire Hall.

UPDATE 8:24 a.m.: Route 19 is being shut down at Creamery Road. Caledonia is now called to Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:51 a.m.: It's unconfirmed but there's some speculation that this fire was caused by a lightning strike. There are no flames showing at this time but smoke remains heavy. One Mercy ambulance is on scene for rehab and a Byron ambulance has been called in.

UPDATE 10:02 a.m.: Bergen Fire Chief Garrett Dean said the initial call came in to dispatch at 7:58 a.m. and it was reported that smoke was spewing from a vent at the top of the house. A second call reported flames coming from a window. The first crews to arrive on scene quickly knocked down exterior flames and then focused on the interior. Balloon construction, Dean said, along with some remodeling made fighting the blaze challenging. Stairways "were compromised" so firefighters used ladders to fight the fire in the second story. They had a difficult time ventilating the thick roof, which they found had half-inch plywood on top of three-quarter-inch plywood, leaving a thin airspace for smoke to seep in. Dean said most of the fire damage was contained to the south end of the structure; there is smoke and heat damage on the north end of the second floor; the first floor is mostly OK. No pets were known to be on the property and none were found. No one was injured, but due to the humidity, Dean said three ambulances were called in for rehabing firefighters. Power is off, so is gas. Dean said he hasn't talked to investigators and did not know what caused the fire, whether it was lightning or what. Dean said because volunteer fire companies have manpower issues during workdays, many companies were called to the scene early to the working structure fire. A total of 17 companies responded from Genesee, Monroe and Orleans counties. 

Fathers and sons met in a baseball game at Williams Park today.

The Dads were down 7-5 going into their last at bat and they ended up winning 8-7.

The game was organized by Eddie Betances.

Participating were: Anthony Beckman, Dylan Beckman, Jason Harasimowicz, Michael Harasimowicz, Mark Harasimowicz, Quinten Betances, Eddie Betances, Andy Laforce, Matt Beach, Bubba Beach, Lazavier Beach, Cory and Zach McDonald, Dan and Peyton Armison, Ian and Landon Schultz, Joe Gufell Jr. and Sr., and Ryan Aimee.

Photos and info submitted by Daniel Armison.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 4:45 p.m. with wind gusts up to 60 mph and quarter size hail through parts of the county.

The storm is coming in from the southwest and will mostly hit the southern part of the county, according to the National Weather Service.

Minor damage is possible along with localized power outages.

There is an apparently unrelated power outage now in the Narramore Drive area. Some 100 customers are without power. Power is expected to be restored by 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE 4:18 p.m.: Flash flood warning in effect until 7:15 p.m.

Dick and Betty Rung were honored Saturday night at the District Council meeting of Kiwanis at B.W.'s Restaurant in Pavilion for their support of the Lyme Disease Foundation.

Their monetary donations were recognized with the Brittany Fellowship Award and an Emerald Fellowship Award.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by deer ticks. The disease affects the brain and can cause severe symptoms. The treatments are expensive and often not covered by insurance. The foundation assists those afflicted by Lyme disease.

Presenting the awards were Peter and Doreen Pellittieri, board members for the New York Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation.

This past week, students in the Le Roy Central School District participated in Camp Invention, which was a chance for kids to apply the skills and knowledge associated with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) to see what they could create from their own ideas.

This was the first year for the weeklong camp, which had 46 participants.

Lessons explored by students:

• Duct Tape Billionaire: Students launched their own accessory business with creations made from duct tape! They learned about patents, designing a product, creating a mock-up and presenting to potential investors "Shark Tank Style."
• Mission Space Makers: Students created new planets for human habitation. They grew crystal trees and hatched eggs in the Space Lab and created their very own planetary system through lots of teamwork.
• Have a Blast: This module focused on engineering different launching tools such as snowball throwers, balloon catapults, a giant air cannon, bubble blasters and more.
• Operation Keep Out: Hands down this was a camper favorite! Students brought in old items such as DVD players or VCRs, X-Box remotes, radios and used reverse engineering to take them apart. Then they used items from their Take Apart to create their very own spy gadget box equipped with an alarm.  

Part of the instructional team included seven leadership interns from Le Roy Jr./Sr. High School as well as three counselors-in-training. These students ranged from grade seven to seniors and each received 40 hours volunteer credit, a certificate and letter of recommendation.

Sponsors included: Camp Invention, Wolcott Street School, Beth Russ, Julie Cook, Brandie Rogoyski, Rotary Club of Le Roy, PARP, Le Roy Tops Market, Woody's Deli, and Woodward Memorial Library.

Information and photos provided by Jen Bertrand, instructional tech coach, at Le Roy CSD.

A car has driven into the building at the Dollar General, 3 West Ave., Le Roy.

An injury is possible.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance responding.

UPDATE 4:47 p.m.: No injuries.

It was standing room only, with as many as 70 cars entered, for the 2017 Demolition Derby at the Genesee County Fair on Friday night.

Saturday, July 22nd - Farm Bureau Day & Bring Your Tractor to the Fair Day

• 8:30am NIOGA Colored Breed Show (Show Ring)
• 9am NIOGA Holstein/Open Class Dairy Show (Show Ring)
• 9am ECYSS - Youth Breed Show (Old Draft Horse Barn)
• 10am FARM STOCK TRACTOR - Bring Your Tractor!!
• Enhanced Tractor * Garden Pullers (GRANDSTAND)
• 10am EXHIBIT HALLS & BUILDINGS OPEN
• 1pm 4-H Goat Obstacle Course Contest (4-H Goat Barn) 
• 1pm - 11pm Midway Open (Amusement Area)
• 12pm Cowgirl Couture - Barrel Racing (Horse Ring)
• 2pm 4-H Vegetable Contest (Kennedy Building)
• 2:30pm 4-H Rabbit Knowledge Contest (Merton Building)
• 3:30pm Small Fry Tractor Pull (Exhibition Building)
• 4pm 4-H Market Animal Master Showman Contest (Show Ring)
• 6pm 4-H Scavenger Hunt (Kennedy Building)
• 6:30pm Empire State Pullers Tractor Pulls (GRANDSTAND)
• 8pm -12am - Divided by Zero - Band (Entertainment Tent)
• 8pm 4-H Non-Market Animals - Beef, Goat, Sheep & Swine Released
• 8pm 4-H Non-Animal Exhibits Released

*This schedule is tentative and is subject to change at any time*

DAILY AT THE GENESEE COUNTY FAIR: $5 Carload Admission Every Day & Night! * Midway Rides * DAILY WRIST BAND SPECIALS AVAILABLE. 
* Agricultural Awareness Exhibit * Livestock Exhibits * Air Sculpture – Transforming Balloons into Art (Exhibition Building), Chainsaw Carver—Elaine Foy.

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported on the eastbound Thruway at mile marker 394.6. The vehicle landed on its side in the median. It is a refrigeration unit and its cargo is not known at this time. Unknown injuries. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. 

UPDATE 5:49 a.m.: No injuries.

These are photos from the accident scene discovered after-the-fact in Pavilion this afternoon. A deceased male victim, who is not from Genesee County, was found inside the wreckage.

It remains unknown when the accident occurred. The Genesee County Sheriff's Office expects to put out a press release on the incident later. The family has already been notified.

UPDATE 9:50 p.m.: The victim is identified as Gregory A. Walters, 29, of Marilla. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The accident was reported at 2:58 p.m. The time of the accident remains unknown. The accident investigation is being conducted by Deputy Ryan DeLong, Deputy Richard Schildwaster and Investigator Chad Minuto. Assisting at the scene were State Police, Pavilion fire, Mercy EMS, Coroner Tom Douglas.

A two-vehicle accident is reported at 300 Ellicott St. in front of the Southside Deli. No injuries. Subjects involved in the collision were reportedly outside their vehicles fighting. City police are now on scene.

Tonight could be the biggest crowd ever at the Genesee County Fairgrounds assembled to watch the Grand Demolition Derby. It's packed -- SRO: Standing Room Only. And the traffic jam getting into the venue was one for the record books. 

City fire is responding to 10 Maple St. in the city after it was reported that some lighter fluid was dumped on some bushes and set on fire.

UPDATE 6:22 p.m.: City fire back in service.

A farmer working in his field in Pavilion spotted a car wrapped around a tree this afternoon and approached it. He saw a body inside and found it was cold to the touch. He called 9-1-1.

Now Pavilion Fire Department, troopers, and investigators for the Genesee County Sheriff's Office are on scene.

It is unknown at this point when the accident happened. The location is near Route 20 and South Road. The vehicle is not readily visible from the roadway. It is down a ravine, off the north shoulder of the roadway.

UPDATE 4:23 p.m. (By Howard): At the scene. We'll need to confirm a farmer or other passerby found the wreck. The victim is a male who is not from Genesee County.