The Easter Bunny hopped into Oliver's Candies today, and he had lots of candy for lots of children.

Driving down Norton Road, Elba, today, it was hard not to notice the pond on the eastside just teaming with birds. Ron Graziaplena created the waterfowl sanctuary and maintained it over the years. Graziaplena, a Batavia resident, passed away last year, but his sanctuary is still a popular place for the birds he loved (many, no doubt, decendents of ducks he raised).

One of the first pictures I ever took in Genesee County was of this once productive food processing plant on Old Ford Road, Elba.

All I had then was a Casio point-and-shoot camera.

Every once in a while I think I should go back and try again and when I drove past the old facility today thought I'd give it another try.

The original post prompted a lengthy comment from June Rowcliffe, who explained the history of the building going back to the 19th Century (the tower was built in the 1920s).

Volunteers with Godfrey's Pond stocked the conservation group's spring-fed pond today with 10- to 14-inch rainbow and golden trout.

Fishing season opens Saturday and members and guests will be able to angle for these beauties throughout the summer.

The pond is stocked twice a year -- in the spring and in the fall -- from fish that are hatched and raised at Godfrey's own facility in a DEC-approved program.

Ron Wickings, above, will help conduct a fly-fishing seminar starting at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 30, that is open to the public. The course is free.

Godfrey's Pond will hold open houses on May 19 and June 16.

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at Oak Street and Park Road in the city. It is blocking traffic. Police and Mercy medics are responding along with city fire.

UPDATE 12:41 p.m.: A second ambulance is called, emergency mode.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m.: A 53-year-old female is being transported to UMMC. She is said to have a cut on her nose, a swollen left eye and knee pain.

UPDATE 1:02 p.m.: Another female involved in the accident declined medical treatment.

UPDATE 2:04 p.m.: The woman who declined treatment at the scene is now calling for an ambulance.

UPDATE 2:06 p.m.: The response is non-emergency. The patient is 35 years old and complaining of chest pain.

A serious injury accident with possible entrapment is reported at 9938 Alexander Road. Multiple medics are responding, along with law enforcement and Alexander Fire Department. Mercy Flight is contacted and is checking the weather. There are at least two people injured. The location is in the area of Route 98 near Peaviner Road. A responder reports at least one person is outside the vehicle.

UPDATE 6:46 p.m.: A driver and medics for Alexander Ambulance are called. "There is heavy entrapment."

UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: All units are told to expedite their response. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Wyoming County are called to provide mutual aid and have fire police shut down traffic at Dodson Road. Responders are told to use caution upon approach because the roads are very icy.

UPDATE 6:51 p.m.: Mercy Flight #5 is en route.

UPDATE 7:01 p.m.: Route 98 at Sprague Road is being shut down. A state Department of Transportation rep is on scene. Mercy Flight is about to land in a field just east of the crash site.

UPDATE 7:03 p.m.: The entrapped patient has not yet been extricated.

UPDATE 7:05 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 7:09 p.m.: The patient has been extricated.

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 7:27 p.m.: One flatbed tow is on scene and a second flatbed is called. Town of Batavia rescue is back in service.

UPDATE 7:36 p.m.: Mercy Medic #2 is inbound to UMMC with a 45-year-old female who was involved in this two-car accident. She is conscious and alert and her only complaint is some chest discomfort due to air bag deployment.

UPDATE 7:55 p.m.: According to information obtained by Howard at the scene, a red sedan northbound on Route 98 hit a patch of ice, spun out, and was T-boned by a southbound minivan. The driver of the minivan was not seriously hurt and was taken to UMMC. The driver of the sedan was taken by ground ambulance to Strong and the passenger in the sedan suffered a serious leg injury and was flown to Strong. All units are back in service and the roads are reopened.

A third suspect has been accused of stealing copper wire from Dolomite's Gulf Road facility.

Joseph Paul Pratt, 18, of Church Street, Le Roy, has been charged with burglary, 3rd, criminal mischief, 2nd, and grand larceny, 3rd, all felonies.

Earlier this week, Michael A. Nicometo 28, 45 North St., Le Roy, and Jonathan D. Smeak, 22, of State Street Road, Batavia, were arrested on similar charges.

The arrests stem from an investigation by Deputy Joseph Graff and Deputy John Duyssen into a report of large amounts of copper wire disappearing from the Dolomite facility.

The thefts caused $32,000 in damage to Dolomite's electrical system.

Pratt, who is already being held on other charges, was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and returned to the Genesee County Jail.

The investigation is ongoing, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Nicometo is also a suspect in a series of thefts of live electrical wire from industrial facilities in Le Roy.

A person has reportedly suffered a minor leg injury in a two-car motor-vehicle accident on Bank Street Road near West Saile Drive.

Town of Batavia fire and Mercy EMS responding.

A deputy responding reports that wind has blowing snow over the roadway and "it's just a sheet of ice."

UPDATE 5:59 p.m.: Northbound Bank Street Road being shut down.

The Batavia City Council is scheduled to vote on a revised solid waste law that will "get the city out of the trash business" starting June 1, and if that happens, there are private haulers ready to try and woo new customers in the city.

Genesee ARC, of course, has said the agency will continue to offer trash collection service in Batavia, and also plans to expand into other parts of the county.

In a survey of other regional trash haulers, two companies said they plan to compete for customers, a third is considering it, a fourth has no comment and two others couldn't be reached for comment.

Ready to jump into the market are Waste Management, one of the largest trash haulers in the nation, and Town of Alabama-based PSI. Both said they plan to offer residential trash service in Batavia.

Erik Grimm, owner of Suburban Disposal, based in Monroe County, hadn't been aware of the proposed change for garbage pick-up in Batavia, but once he learned about it said it was something his company would research and consider.

"There are economies of scale in the collection industry and without proper route density, there isn't a viable service delivery strategy," Grimm said, adding that his company would have to quantify the risk of opening up routes in Batavia and determine if enough business could be generated to begin operations in the city.

The 28 years of experience Genesee ARC has collecting trash in the city and the obvious loyalty many local residents have for ARC would be one of the risk factors in any business calculation, Grimm said.

"Some level of loyalty is something we would have to think about, absolutely," Grimm said.

Lori Caso, WNY spokeswoman for Waste Management issued the following statement when asked about her company's plans:

Yes, it’s our understanding that Batavia is in the process of creating an open market area. Yes, Waste Management is interested in providing service to the area. In fact, we are in the process of creating a special dedicated phone number to give them priority service.

Both Waste Management and Suburban would offer the kind of automated tote pick up the city tried to institute with a proposed trash ordinance that was shot down by the council three weeks ago.

Allied Republic would have won that contract had the new law passed. John McGoran, manager of municipal services for Allied, did not respond to phone messages asking about his company's plans for Batavia.

Depending on Monday's vote, PSI is ready to offer trash service in Batavia, said owner Pete Stanley.

PSI works out of facilities in Alabama and is currently the contracted disposal service for the Village of Le Roy and Town of Alabama and has customers in Erie County and Attica.

Stanley said his company has always been supportive of ARC and delivers to ARC a lot of recycling material that it picks up.

He said he made his plans to offer trash service to residents of Batavia without knowing that ARC planned to continue to offer trash service, but he said it will be up to residents to decide who they want to do business with.

What PSI offers isn't much different from ARC's service -- using trash cans, bags and bins.

"I'm not going to low ball a number to get the work if (ARC is) going to be out there," Stanley said. "I'm going to offer a number that's reasonable because it costs money to run those trucks. I'm going to put my number out there and if people want to come to us that’s fine."

Dave Boon, of Boon and Sons, which partnered with ARC on a bid for the contracted tote system that was rejected by the City Council, did not return phone messages.

Tom Moran, of Youngblood Disposal, based in Rochester, said he had no comment at this time.

The other option for city residents will be for them to deliver their own bags of garbage to transfer stations.

Bruce Scofield, of Scofield Roll-Off Service, has already started advertising his transfer station in Stafford as a possible garbage drop-off point.

He said for a couple bucks a bag, residents who don't generate a lot of trash -- such as older residents without children -- could save a good deal of money by using a transfer station such as his rather than contract with a refuse collection company.

Donna Saskowski, executive director of Genesee ARC, said she can't discuss details of the ARC's new business operation will be until it's approved by the board next week, but she did say ARC was definitely planning to compete for customers in Batavia.

"I have no doubt we'll be competitive," Saskowski said, citing the hometown location and solid reputation as a trustworthy company as probable competitive advantages.

Of course, many people have said they will stick with ARC because they support what ARC does for local residents, even if it costs a little more. Saskowski indicated though that she realizes it will take more than loyalty to build a business.

"We've gotten a lot of very excellent support from many people in the city," Saskowski said. "For most people, if they're not particularly moved by our mission, it's going to come down to price."

UPDATE: Dave Boon called back and said he's been out of town. At this time, Boon and Son has no intention of going into the trash business in Batavia. Boon said he respects what ARC does and it would feel like "backdooring" them to come into Batavia after working on a partnership agreement for the previous bid.  "I'm not looking to come out and step on their toes," he said.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at 7697 Lewiston Road. One person is said to have facial injuries and cuts, but is out of the vehicle. Oakfield Fire Department is responding, along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 12:27 p.m.: Responders have discovered this is actually two separate accidents, each involving only one vehicle. The location of the second accident is 7714 Lewiston Road and there are two people involved, both of whom will be sign-offs. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. Fire police will shut down southbound Route 63 at Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road.

UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: Oakfield will handle both accidents. Town of Batavia can remain in quarters.

UPDATE 12:48 p.m.: Oakfield is back in service and the road is reopened.

A screenplay by local author Bill Kauffman has been turned into a major motion picture and today the official trailer was released by the studio.

"Copperhead," set in Civil War-era Upstate New York, deals with the wars effects on people far removed from the battlefields.

The film opens nationally in theaters June 28.

The subject matter of the film -- a seldom portrayed aspect of Civil War America -- may be well-timed following the box office and critical success of the movie "Lincoln."

Copperhead stars Billy Campbell, Peter Fonda, Augustus Prew and Angus Macfadyen and is directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay is an adaptation of a novel by Harold Frederic. Frederic, of Utica, wrote "The Copperhead" in 1893.

Kauffman, born in Batavia and a resident of Elba, is the author of "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette" and eight other books.

National Grid will be removing a tree on Summit Street, Batavia, on March 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., so the roadway will be closed to all but emergency traffic.

A bit of cold and snow didn't stop City firefighters from doing a little ladder truck training today outside the fire hall on Evans Street.

We can expect another inch or two of snow today, the third day of spring, but don't expect this period of cold and snow to end anytime soon. Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect snow and cold to last until April, with a short break for a little sunshine over the weekend.

The good news might be: Warmer than average temperatures in April, if that forecast holds.

Tiffany M. Sprague, 31, and Kevin J. Fickel, 31, of 102 Jackson St., Batavia, are charged with falsely reporting an incident 3rd. Sprague and Fickel are accused of reporting a robbery where the assailant displayed a knife March 16. A police investigation concluded the incident did not occur. 

Jerome S. Dennis II, 26, of 541 LaSalle Ave., Buffalo, is charged with criminal contempt, endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated harassment 2nd. Dennis is accused of violating a stay away order of protection by repeatedly texting the protected party and then showing up at the residence of the person. Dennis is also accused of grabbing a child by the arm and then setting the barefoot one-year-old on the sidewalk in 27 degree weather.

Reuters: Congress to force Postal Service to keep Saturday delivery

A Le Roy resident recently accused of stealing live high voltage wire from industrial facilities in Genesee and Monroe counties is facing a new accusation stemming from the alleged theft of stealing copper wire from Dolomite, 8250 Gulf Road, Le Roy.

This time, Michael A. Nicometo 28, 45 North St., Le Roy, allegedly had a partner.

Also arrested following the Sheriff's Office investigation was Jonathan D. Smeak, 22, of State Street Road, Batavia.

Both men are charged with three felonies: burglary, 3rd, criminal mischief, 2nd, and grand larceny, 3rd.

The two men are accused of doing $32,000 in damage to Dolomite's electrical system.

The Sheriff's Office began investigating the case after receiving reports of a large amount of copper wire being cut from the facility in January and February.

Nicometo was arrested earlier this month and charged with burglary in the third degree, a Class D felony, grand larceny in the second degree, a Class C felony, and criminal mischief in the second degree, a Class D felony.

He was accused of stealing high voltage wire that was still live from buildings in Le Roy.

A 42-year veteran of the Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department, who was accused earlier this month of stealing water from the Village of Oakfield, has been cleared of the charge.

Robert Augustus Hilchey, 60, of North Pearl Street, Oakfield, said that Town Justice Thomas Graham called him at 11 a.m. and informed him all charges have been dropped and that the court records on the case have been sealed.

Hilchey shared a copy of an e-mail sent by Assistant District Attorney Will Zickl to Graham asking that the charge be dismissed.

"Based upon information our office has received from the Village of Oakfield, the people request that the charge in the above captioned case be dismissed," Zickl wrote in the e-mail.

Hilchey was accused of theft of services on the belief that he had attached a new valve to the fire department's water system that allowed water to be diverted before it reached the water meter.

In a message sent to The Batavian today, Hilchey said he made repairs that were approved by the fire department board.

"I repaired two valves," he said. "At no time did I add an additional line before the meter. We had one garden hose bib and we still have one garden hose bib."

Last week, the fire department board shared an open letter to the village asking that the charges against Hilchey being dropped, saying that Hilchey had acted at the behest of the board.

The most recent jobs report numbers for Genesee County aren't as healthy as in some months past.

Between December 2012 and January 2013, Genesee County lost 3,600 non-farm jobs, and there were 100 fewer jobs than January 2012.

At the same time, the county's unemployment rate climbed, reaching 9.5 percent, up from 9.4 percent the previous month and 8.2 percent a year earlier.

There are currently 28,500 people in the county with jobs, and the number of jobs in the county is an estimated 21,400.

A year ago, the jobs number was 21,500.

Neighboring counties' unemployment rates:

• Livingston, 10.4
• Orleans, 12.4
• Wyoming, 11.2 percent

Unemployment in NYS has climbed year over year from 9.1 percent to 9.4, while the nation's rate has dropped from 8.8 percent to 8.5 percent.

It was a banner day at the weekly meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Batavia, with a donation in support of the club's long-term project and six new members joining the club on a single day.

Charlene Schoenenberger, representing the Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford club presented the Batavia club with a $1,365 check. The donation assists the Batavia club toward raising $150,000 for the Child Advocacy Center to build a new facility. The Batavia club is raising $100,000 and the other area Kiwanis clubs are being asked to chip in $50,000.

So far, $80,000 has been raised.

President Ed Minardo (above with Schoenenberger) said six members joining on the same day was probably a record for the club.

New members with their sponsors: From left, Gary Maha and new member (and returning member) Susan Maha; Past President David Chua and Rick Dunn; Jay Nickerson and new member Mike Rimer; Myra Schroeder with sponsor Jeanne Walton; Shannon Ford and Joycelyn Sikorski with sponsor President Ed Minardo.

Heather Klein is still looking for help in locating her missing chihuahua, Belle, who ran from her kennel March 17.

Belle split without her collar on and was last seen at Main and River streets, with sightings at Birchwood, Dewey and Woodrow. She is the color of a deer with white on her neck. She weighs five pounds and is 5 years old and is skittish.

Klein is offering a reward for her safe return.

Heather can be reached at (585) 993-1050.