The Batavia City Council will conduct public hearings tonight on garbage, water and the budget.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Before getting to the public hearings, the council will go into closed session on an unrelated matter (typically, closed sessions are held as the last item on a council agenda).

A public hearing is a chance for voters to share their thoughts and information on matters pending before the council.

The first hearing will be on the proposed 2013-2014 budget, which includes a 16-percent reduction of property taxes due to a plan to remove garbage collection from tax collection and make garbage collection a user-based fee.

The second public hearing is on an increase in the water rate, meter fees and capital improvement fee.

The third public hearing is on a proposed change to the solid waste chapter of the Batavia Municipal Code. The change would require residential property owners to use a new tote system for garbage collection and recycling that would allow for automated collection of garbage.

Prior to the meeting, supporters of Genesee ARC will hold a rally, starting at 6:15 p.m., in front of City Hall, to protest the proposed change to the solid waste law.

The nonprofit agency has collected garbage in the city for nearly 30 years but submitted the highest bid for the new trash collection contract.

ARC Executive Director Donna Saskowski has said the agency will need to lay off eight to 10 people if the agency loses the contract. The garbage collection program employs 30 people, about 20 of whom have disabilities.

Download: As sort of a letter to the editor, reader Dave Huber has submitted a series of questions about ARC and the garbage contract (PDF).

Guy Clark and his daughter Caylin DePuy joined about 1,000 other people at Lake Ontario yesterday for the annual Polar Bear Plunge.

Unfortunately, Guy didn't have available a picture of him coming out of the frigid water.

The event raises money for Special Olympics and Clark said the event this year raised about $100,000.

This was Clark's fourth plunge and the fifth time for DePuy.

Stephanie A. Hotchkiss, 36, of 335 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with three counts of forgery, 2nd. Hotchkiss is accused of stealing three checks from a person she knew. She allegedly drafted the checks for $3,000 each. She allegedly cashed one and attempted to cash the other two. Hotchkiss was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Jeane M. Hoar, 29, of 419 S. Shore Blvd., Lackawanna, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hoar was stopped by Le Roy PD for allegedly making a left turn onto Main Street without a turn signal.

Ronald K. Smythe, 46, of 38 Church St., Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and driving with a suspended license. Smythe was stopped by Le Roy PD after allegedly being observed turning onto Church Street at a high rate of speed and without a turn signal. Smythe was allegedly found to have a BAC of .16.

Nicholas K. Gray, 19, Robert J. Wheeler, 19, and Blair W. Berg, 20, of 2 Olyn Ave., Batavia, are all charged with criminal nuisance for allegedly maintaining a premise where unlawful conduct occurs. Gray is also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The three men are accused of hosting an underage drinking party Saturday night. Batavia PD reports that officers have been dispatched to the same address previously for similar complaints. Besides Gray, Wheeler and Berg, 15 other people where charged with possession of alcohol under age 21. The names of the other people charged were not released.

Anita J. Stiles, 38, of 2731 Galloway Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Stiles is accused of pushing another person.

Nicholas Guy Williams, 36, of Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unlawful possession of marijuana and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Williams was stopped at 7:21 p.m., Saturday, on Kelsey Road, Batavia, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Brett Adam Scheuerlein, 18, of Richmond Avenue, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Scheuerlein was stopped at 7:20 p.m., Saturday, on West Main Street Road by Deputy Patrick Reeves and allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Jenna L. Josephite, 24, of West Main Street Road, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Josephite is accused of returning stolen items to Target and taking in exchange two gift cards. Josephite then allegedly pawned the gift cards at Pawn King. Deputy Christopher Parker is conducting an investigation and additional charges may be pending in connection with similar activity at other stores.

Ameer K. Walker, 19, of Buffalo, and Hugo D. Smith, 22, of Buffalo, are charged with petit larceny and false personation. Walker and Smith allegedly stole from Kmart on Friday. The case is being handled by the State Police. No further details released.

The folks having the most fun in Batavia today were the kids of all ages at Centennial Park enjoying the afternoon sun and slick snow on the northeast corner of the park.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Slick roads are predicted for later tonight in Genesee County as a new storm front moves in that is likely to first bring freezing rain.

The icy precipitation is expected to turn to rain tomorrow as the high reaches 47 and strong winds hit the region in the afternoon.

A wind advisory is in effect from 1 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m., Tuesday, with winds of 25 to 35 mph predicted and gusts up to 55 mph possible.

A rainstorm is moving in from northeast Ohio this evening, but ongoing cold temperatures here are expected to make for icy conditions overnight. Untreated roads could be very slippery.

There is a chance of snow Monday night through Tuesday.

A snowmobiler is being transported to ECMC following an accident on a trail between Angling Road and Boyce Road, Corfu.

The rider had a broken ankle and back pain.

East Pembroke fire responded to the call and had to access the patient, with medics, on snowmobiles.

A stokes basket was required to transport the patient back to the roadway.

East Pembroke is back in service.

Four-year-old Arianna dances with her mother, Vera Pray, of East Bethany, during a spaghetti dinner at Daphne's Restaurant & Lounge.

Daphane's was packed this afternoon for the charity event, which benefits the 51st Annual Variety Kids Telethon for Women's & Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Robert Warner, MD Center for Children with special needs and other Western NY children's charities.

Pray was one of the organizers.

The event included a chance auction.

Yes, of course, I went for a drive this morning.

Above, barn on Black Road, Le Roy.

Train tracks off Circular Hill Road, Le Roy.

Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Rocks in quarry off Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Quarry, Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Old steam shovel, off quarry, Gulf Road, Le Roy.

Off Circular Hill Road, Le Roy.

Chapel in Machphlah Cemetery, Le Roy.

The Holland Land Office Museum invited children in today from throughout Genesee County to participate in the annual snowman making contest and a chance to learn about the Civil War through a group of reenactors.

Above, contest winner Meyah Woods-Richardson, 5, a student at Jackson. Second, was Hunter Gaylord, 7, of Byron-Bergen.

CORRECTION: While held at HLOM, the event was sponsored and hosted by the Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden.

Smoke is reportedly coming from an electrical box on a building at Woodstock Gardens, 219 N. Spruce St., Batavia.

City fire is responding.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: City fire back in service.

I left the house early this morning looking for snow-related photos.

I started at Centennial Park and grabbed this picture of the gate at the Rowell Mansion flocked in snow.

Tree on Lockport Road, east of Albion Road

Same spot on Lockport Road, other side of the street

Ledge Road and Alleghany Road, Alabama

Indian Falls

A lone armed robber gave every appearance of knowing what he was doing and of having planned his crime when he robbed Sally Beauty Supply this morning.

Wearing a black ski mask and carrying a knife and duct tape, he entered the Batavia business right after the doors opened when only one female employee was inside.

He ordered her to turn over all the cash in the drawer and then made her go into a back room, where he took all the money from her purse and then bound her hands and feet with duct tape.

The robber told her to wait five minutes before calling police and not to watch him leave. 

"He told her he wasn't going to hurt her," said Sgt. Greg Walker, Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

Footprints in the snow showed he entered and left the store from the west, going around the back of the building and along the western edge of the Target parking lot.

A K-9 tracked his scent to somewhere between the Sally building and the Clarion Hotel, where he may have gotten into a waiting car. 

The path may have taken him out of range of the Target security cameras.

There are no cameras, apparently, in Sally's or any of the neighboring businesses that could help identify the suspect or his vehicle.

The woman was pretty emotional following the robbery, Walker said.

"She was obviously very upset," Walker said. "You can tell she was crying quite a bit. Her make up was running. She’s still upset about the whole incident."

The robber got away with an undetermined about of cash, probably just what was necessary to open the store in the morning, plus whatever was in the woman's purse.

He is described as white, about 5'5" tall, about 130 to 140 pounds, and wearing black. He didn't take any store product or any personal items from the woman.

The woman managed to get out of the duct tape using scissors she had available.

Anybody with information that may assist investigators can contact the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.

UPDATE: Below are photos of a possible suspect vehicle.

A victim was tied up by a robber at Sally Beauty Supply, 4662 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, this morning.

The suspect is described as a white male 5'5" and weighing 140 to 150 pounds, dressed in black.

The victim did not see which direction the suspect went upon leaving the store or if he left on foot or by car.

A deputy who responded reported seeing footprints in the snow exiting the store and followed the footprints to a possible waiting vehicle.

Deputies and State Police are responding. The call came in at 9:25 a.m.

In the Lynn E. Browne Library Instruction Room, students at Genesee Community College not only learn skills that will help them successfully complete their education, but they receive lessons that will last them a lifetime.

That was the legacy Lynn Browne wanted, according to Rick Ensman, who said that when Browne was asked which room he wanted his name on in the Conable Technology Center while it was under construction, he insisted his name go on the little room in the library.

The room, named after Browne, who died in 2011, was officially dedicated Friday afternoon.

Browne was born and raised in Batavia, but college and a business career took him away from his native soil. He made his fortune in the button business, but returned to his hometown in retirement. He became a fixture in Batavia, involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors and volunteering with several community groups.

Browne's service included 14 years as a member of the Genesee Community College Foundation Board of Directors (1996-2010), 12 of those as treasurer. He was instrumental in overseeing substantial growth in the foundation's assets, its endowment fund, and had an unwavering commitment to student housing at College Village.

A contingent of Kiwanis members attended the ceremony because Browne was a dedicated Kiwanian who gave generously to the Batavia club both of his time and money. One member remembered how Browne used to randomly pass out silver dollars to fellow members. Browne was also a big supporter of the annual Kiwanis law enforcement awards.

Bill Kauffman (inset, left), local author and screenwriter, was the keynote speaker and recalled Browne as a friend and a tireless advocate for his hometown.

"Lynn told me that he’d never wanted to leave town in the first place," Kauffman said. "He wished to commute to the University of Rochester, but his mother insisted he attend the University of Pennsylvania. She rode the train to Philadelphia with him because she was afraid he’d get off at one of the stops and come back."

Kauffman served with Browne on the Holland Land Office Museum Board of Directors.

"He took up these responsibilities with a sense of duty but also with a real joy: these weren’t grim obligations to him; they were opportunities to express his love of his community," Kauffman said. "He served as our treasurer, as he served as treasurer for other organizations, and it was a fitting title in more ways than one: he really treasured these groups, treasured his neighbors. Lynn brightened his little corner of the world; he left it a richer place, and I don’t mean monetarily. He was a citizen of his place. He was a man to be emulated."

It's still snowing and the National Weather Service predicts another one to three inches tonight for Genesee County.

Photo: Center Street about 7:45 p.m.

North and southbound Route 238 is closed. That's in Darien.

Pete Welker submitted these photos from last night's Notre Dame girls basketball game. ND beat Wheatland-Chili 68-20.

Pictured are: #10 Melanie Taylor, #21 Emily McCracken, #12 Taylor DiMartino, #22 Maddie Mancuso, #5 Bailee Welker, #35 Riley Norton.

Batavia is getting a blanket of heavy, wet snow.

The weather service says to expect lake effect snow at about the rate of an inch an hour for the next couple of hours.

However, the radar maps indicate the heaviest of the snowfall may already have passed.

Roads are slick and a few accidents have been reported in Genesee County.

A winter storm warning remains in effect through Saturday morning.

Batavia City Schools announced that all of this afternoon's and this evening's events -- including sports -- have been canceled because of the weather.

UPDATE 3:48 p.m.: Just received this: "Due to weather conditions,The Genesee Chorale has rescheduled tonight's performance for tomorrow night. The concert will be held at St. James Church on Saturday, February 8 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for those who have not yet purchased them."

A motor-vehicle accident, unknown injuries, is reported in Pembroke at Main and Boyce roads. It's in East Pembroke Fire District and they are responding along with Mercy medics. The accident took down a pole with live lines across Route 5 and it is blocking traffic. Traffic police will be needed and are called to routes 5 and 77.

UPDATE 2:20 p.m.: They will shut down Route 5 at Indian Falls Road. Responders are told to use caution as the pavement is very slippery. National Grid is notified.

UPDATE 2:23 p.m.: There are injuries, no other details yet.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Only local traffic (residents) will be permitted on Cleveland Road. They are going to close Cleveland Road at Indian Falls Road.

UPDATE 2:53 p.m.: A National Grid rep is now on scene.

UPDATE 2:56 p.m.: National Grid estimates it will be about an hour before they can send out a work crew to remove the wires, etc., from the roadway.

UPDATE 3:10 p.m.: Because of the hazardous road conditions, Boyce and Route 33 is being closed to all but local traffic.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m.: National Grid workers are at the scene so roads can be reopened when they are finished clearing the pole and wires.