Today, the Le Roy Oatkan Knights took on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to kick off the 21st Annual Batavia Rotary Club High School Baseball Tournament at Dwyer Stadium.

Tim McMullen and Tommy Saunders held the mound for Le Roy, while David Russo and Spencer Misti pitched for Notre Dame.

Giavanni Caccamise, Reece Tresco, Tim McMullen, Kenny Saunders all recorded a hit and RBI, while Ryan Friend had two hits and RBIs to make it 6-1 Le Roy after two. Zachary Cocking had the lone RBI for ND in the first.

Later on in the fifth inning, Tommy Saunders and Austin Saeya came home safely and scored. It was 8-1 Le Roy after five.

Spencer Misti, David Russo, Andrew Moore, all collected hits while Alex Totton had a RBI and hit of his own in the final inning of the game.

Le Roy led ND in hits 9 to 8 and was defensively strong overall only allowing two errors. With Le Roy’s 8-2 win they will move on to the championship game at 7 o'clock tonight to face the winner of Oakfield-Alabama and Batavia.      

Story and photos by Thomas Ognibene.

To view or purchase photos click here.

Photo submitted by Dylan Brew.

A driver told Deputy Kevin Forsyth yesterday that the sudden appearance of a spider on his leg startled him and while trying to brush the spider away he lost control off his car, causing a rollover accident on Route 98 near Rose Road at 1:30 p.m.

The driver, Richard J. Amico Jr., 21, was uninjured in the accident.

He was driving a 1998 Buick sedan, which left the east shoulder of Alexander Road and struck an embankment causing it to become airborne. It rolled end-over-end and came to rest on its roof on the north side of the driveway at 9071 Alexander Road.

Amico was cited for an alleged unsafe lane change.

Town of Batavia fire responded to the accident.

One of Batavia's newest businesses held a ribbon cutting on Thursday with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce -- the  Rest & Revive Float Center at 596 E. Main St.

Partners Gary VanValkenburg and Brandon Buckle converted the former location of The Bed Room, where they sold beds, into a place where people can come and float in water field with epsom salts to help them relax and deal with any number of different health issues.

To find out more, watch the video.

Above, today's meeting at the Arc Community Center where project site coordinators met their volunteer team captains planning for the Day of Caring.

Submitted photo and press release:

On Wednesday, May 22nd, the United Way of Genesee County will host the 12th Annual Day of Caring. This year, 38 local businesses, totally more than 400 volunteers, will be working on service projects throughout Genesee County.

The event will kick off at 8 a.m. at Dwyer Stadium, with donuts and coffee complements of Batavia Dunkin Donuts. Following an energetic opening ceremony, the volunteers will head to their assigned project at one of the 40 agencies participating in the day.

Upon project completion, the day will wrap up with a volunteer celebration at Terry Hills Restaurant at 3 p.m. Stories will be told, volunteers will be fed and everyone can enjoy a slideshow of the day provided by Carlson’s Studios.

In total, nearly 2,400 man hours will be spent making the Genesee County community a better place to live.

Some of the workplaces that would be good to visit:

• Genesee County Park
• ABCD Day Care on Brooklyn Avenue
• Batavia Community Garden -- Youth Bureau
• Crossroads House
• GO ART!
• Grandview Cemetery
• Tops Friendly Markets Food Drive
• Arc/Lions Club Bike Project at Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle

A car has reportedly struck the building at Burger King in Le Roy.

Le Roy fire, Le Roy ambulance and Le Roy PD responding.

No word yet on injuries.

UPDATE 3:20 p.m.: A medic on scene reports the driver is out of the vehicle and minor damage to the building.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: The fire chief orders Le Roy's equipment held in quarters and requests code enforcement to the scene.

Two upcoming events will benefit the Genesee County Animal Shelter and its furry denizens: Scrap for the Pack and a Garage Sale.

Scrap for the Pack is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2, at the shelter. It is a scrap metal collection event in the shelter parking lot, located 3841 W. Main Street Road in Batavia.

Bring your metal items that The Volunteers For Animals will recycle for cash at Ed Arnold EAS Scrap Processors of Corfu. These include: railings, doors, garbage cans, file cabinets, bicycle frames, gutters, pipes, poles, fencing, window frames, lawn furniture, tools, shelving, washing machines, dryers, stoves, wheel barrows, wagons, etc.

They CANNOT accept propane tanks, A/C units or refrigerators.

The other event is a Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 13, 14 and 15. It will be held at Genesee Feeds, located near the shelter but across the street at 3860 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

***Donations for next month's Garage Sale are being accepted NOW and can be dropped off at the shelter. NO CLOTHING OR ELECTRONICS.***

Visit The Volunteers For Animals online here.

Press release:

As interior renovations continue to progress at Richmond Memorial Library, the library can once again accept donations for their monthly book sale.

What exactly happens with donated materials? 

Library selectors have first dibs on all of the donated material, although very little of it winds up in the circulating collection.

“It’s just very rare that we receive a current, in-demand title that we don’t already own, or that we need additional copies of,” said Samantha Stryker, Community and Adults Services librarian. “Most of the donations are older titles, so it’s more likely that something of local, historical interest will get added to the collection, if it’s in pristine condition.”

Some donated books get used for literacy and outreach programs instead.

According to Youth Services librarian Jennifer Potter, “That’s where most of the donated children’s books wind up. Our GIFT program puts them back out in the community for free, at sites targeting lower-income families,” including schools, laundromats, Family Court, medical offices, and an annual Christmas program run by the Kiwanis Club of Batavia.

Some donated adult materials – especially Large Print books – are given to people who enroll in The Library Visits program, which delivers library services to some older adults in Genesee County.

The majority of donated books – 80 to 90 percent of them, by Library Director Bob Conrad’s count – go to the Friends of the Library for fundraising or disposal. Volunteers determine whether a book is in re-saleable condition, and if it is, they price it to move quickly, from as little as 25 cents to as much as five dollars.

“We don’t have a warehouse to store our inventory,” said Friends of the Richmond Memorial Library President Kathy Pipkin. “What we have instead is a community of readers, and a very quick turnover. Once a month, we’re the busiest bookstore in the county!”

The monthly book sale, staffed by volunteers, generates about $10,000 per year. The Friends can use it for public library advocacy, or to support library programing.

“When we serve food at a library event,” Conrad said, “it comes from the Friends. Prizes for the summer reading program, they come from the Friends. Poinsettias, coffee, and cookies at Christmas; advertising expenses, when we have them; food and lodging for an out-of-town author.

"Anything, really, that we just don't feel happy spending tax dollars on, we can ask the Friends. They have oversight and final say, and they do a lot for us.”

The library accepts donations of gently used hardcover and paperback books, but cannot do anything with books in very poor condition.

“We know it's hard to throw books away," Conrad said. "It's hard for us, too! But books that come from the attic or basement that have not been stored properly will probably have issues.”

Before bringing your books for donation, the library asks you to consider:

• Is there significant wear and tear, such as a broken binding, or loose, torn, or missing covers or pages?
• Is there mold or mildew? Books with mold or mildew often smell musty and are discolored or spotted.
• Is there water damage or staining?
• Do the books have a strong odor such as cigarette smoke?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, the library will not be able to make use of your donation.

Other types of materials that are not needed are textbooks and encyclopedias, but there is a free swap box in the lobby for magazines.

Donations are accepted anytime the library is open, Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For very large donations (more than four boxes at a time) the library asks you to call ahead.

The next Friends of the Library Book Sale will take place on Thursday, June 6 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., with a preview sale for Friends of the Library members on Wednesday, June 5 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. New Friends memberships are always welcome, and you can sign up at the preview sale.

For more information about the Book Sale, the Friends of the Library, or other library programs, please visit batavialibrary.org

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment. Learn more at www.batavialibrary.org

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St in the City of Batavia.

Carol Burnett's Hollywood Arms opens at 7:30 p.m. at the Harvest 56 Theater.

Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $13 or $11 for students and seniors.

UPDATE: While deleted some unpublished videos from our YouTube account yesterday I must have accidentally deleted the original upload of this video.  Here it is again.

Richard G. Ensman Jr., of Rochester, New York, passed away on May 9, 2019 having served Genesee Community College with great distinction since 1990.

Through his nearly 30 years of dedicated service, Mr. Ensman was both the director of the Department of External Affairs, as well as the executive director of the Genesee Community College Foundation and its 32-member Board of Directors.

In this dual capacity for almost three decades, Mr. Ensman was involved in all facets of GCC's growth and development, which included: five capital projects at the Batavia Campus; the opening of six campus centers and also the purchase of College Meadows and its transformation into College Village; the student residence community adjacent to the main campus.

Throughout all of the fundraising campaigns, including the most recent, "Creating Our Future Together," which resulted in the design and construction of GCC's new Student Success Center and Richard C. Call Arena, Mr. Ensman's unwavering motivation was fortifying student success and strengthening connections with the community.

He also helped found the College's Alumni program, expand its Marketing Communications Office and establish a vast pool of scholarship opportunities that now numbers well over 200 separate funds. These draw together the unique interests and passions of donors in our community with the real needs and achievements of countless students, year after year.

Despite all Mr. Ensman's accomplishments at Genesee Community College, he valued the work and dedication of those around him and he prioritized recognizing their efforts. He introduced Genesee Community College Foundation's Alpha Medal of Service, a prestigious honor bestowed upon individuals at Commencement who demonstrate extraordinary commitment and service to the College.

He helped found the Alumni Hall of Fame, which currently recognizes 39 recipients. He encouraged the Marketing Communications Office to establish the "Recognition Matters" news series that highlights the accomplishments of GCC students, faculty and staff. And, Mr. Ensman long envisioned a unified office for the Department of External Affairs, which came to fruition this past fall.

"Rick was an integral member of our senior management team for many years. His dedication to the College's mission of supporting students and helping them to achieve their goals was illustrated in countless ways. Through literally hundreds if not thousands of scholarships, he touched the lives of many," GCC President James M. Sunser said.

"What's more, he inspired the same in others-from building our strong, dynamic donor and alumni communities, to encouraging staff as well as his colleagues to discover and embrace professional development opportunities -- Rick had a huge heart. While he is already missed, his work and his vision will never leave us."

He was a very active member of the International Rotary Club of Batavia, and also strong supporter and proponent of the United Way. In 2014, Mr. Ensman was recognized by the Batavia Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow, named after the founding member of the Rotary, and is the highest distinction Rotarians receive for service to their club and/or their community.

Beyond his professional work at GCC and his community service to the Rotary and United Way, Rick was passionate about hiking, especially in the Adirondack Mountains with his camera always at hand. He shared many of his amazing photographs, including sunsets, sunrises, mountain top views, foggy trails and tranquil lakefronts with his friends and family. He was also an avid member of CrossFit Rochester.

Mr. Ensman was born on Sept. 2, 1954 in Rochester, New York, and graduated from Bishop Kearney High School in 1971. He received two degrees from the University of Rochester, a Bachelor of Science Degree, awarded with distinction in Social Science in 1976, and Master of Science Degree in Community Services in 1982.

Funeral services for Mr. Ensman will be held on Friday, May 17, at 10 a.m. at St. Monica's Church, 831 Genesee St. in Rochester. Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, at Leo Bean Funeral Home located at 2771 Chili Ave., Rochester.

Below, a sunset photo of the Adirondacks taken by Rick Ensman.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Western and North Central New York. Tonight widespread showers and some embedded thunderstorms are expected. There is a risk for moderate to heavy rain during this time which could lead to localized minor flooding.

Kelly J. Rhim is indicted for the crime of second-degree assault, a violent Class D felony. It is alleged that on April 13 in the City of Batavia that Rhim intentionally caused physical injury to a person by means of a dangerous weapon. In count two, Rhim is accused of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged in count two that Rhim possessed a box cutter with the intention of using it against another person. In Special Information filed by the District Attorney, Rhim is accused of having been convicted on Feb. 19, 2015, in Batavia City Court, of attempted petit larceny, a Class B misdemeanor, and the conviction forms the basis for count two of the current indictment.

From Genesee Community College:

May 9, 2019

Dear Colleagues, 

It is with heartfelt sadness that I inform the GCC community that Rick Ensman, the director of Development and External Affairs for 29 years, passed away this morning.  

Additional information will be forthcoming from our Human Resources Office as soon as it is available.  

Thank you. 

Jim Sunser

President

Press release:

A dinner dance with music of the '40s, '50s, '60s, and a little bit of country, organized with Genesee County residents age 55 years and older in mind is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, June 6.

It will be held at the Ascension Parish's Slomba Hall, 17 Sumner St., Batavia. Singles welcome!

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; dinner is served at 5:30; final dance is at 8:45.

Presale tickets are $16 and available for purchase at the Senior Center, 2 Bank St., Batavia through May 24 or until sold out.

Tickets are nonrefundable and will not be available at the door.

Ruth Spink, director at the Genesee County Office for the Aging, noted that, “this will be a fun evening whether you dance or not, have a date, come alone or come with friends.”

Catering will be provided by Fred Hamilton. Just Wright Entertainment will "spin the tunes," and we will be selling tickets for a small basket raffle, drawing will be at 8 o'clock.

Further information for the “Peppermint Twist” dinner dance is available by calling the Senior Center at 343-1611.

Also, check out the radio show, sponsored by Genesee County Office for the Aging, with music and memories from the '50s,'60s and beyond here. It's hosted Bob Knipe and Connie Boyd and airs on WBTA Sunday mornings from 9 to 10.

(Editor's Note: Check out this dance tune that went to No. 1 on the Billboard Chart in 1955. It's by Perez Prado, commonly known as the "King of Mambo." His version below of "Cherry Pink and Apple Blosson White" was the most popular version.)

It was a perfect day for the Lang family in Pembroke yesterday. 

Ten-year-old Brayden Lang didn't give up a hit or and walked only one batter in four innings of work to record his first perfect game on Cal Ripken League team coached by his father Dan Lang.

Brayden wears number 46, just like his great-grandfather, Harry Pilarski, when he was a minor league pitcher in the Red Sox organization in the 1940s.

"He pitched a perfect game," Dan said. "His number is 46. He threw 46 pitches. His grandfather wore number 46. It all kind of chimed together for me after the game."

Yes, Dan is a proud father but the most meaningful moment came when Brayden told him, "Papa Harry would have been proud."

"That means more to me than anything," Dan said. "That he's thinking about the history."

After that, dad said he took his coach's hat off for a second and gave his son a hug.

"He pulled away from me and I said, 'what, you can't hug your dad in front of your friends?' " Dan said. "He said, 'no, your pencil behind your ear is poking me in my cheek.' "

Pilarski began his professional baseball career after World War II, pitching for Oneonta in 1946, Lynn in 1947, and Roanoke in 1948, posting records of 13-13 with an ERA of 2.97, 14-9 and 3.98, and 7-8 and 3.22.

He didn't play in 1948 and in 1950 he joined an independent team, Kingston in the Border League, and posted a record of 19-6 with a 2.81 ERA. He played for two separate Border League teams in 1951 before retiring from baseball. Overall, his career record was 65-45 with an ERA of 3.29.

He served in the 11th Airborne. Dan Lang said he was in the raid of Los Banos as a paratrooper and he was part of the rescue of P.O.W’s there. He played baseball while in service, then was recruited after his honorable discharge.

Brayden's game last night was called after four innings because his team was up 15-0. In his previous start this year, he gave up only one hit, struck out 12, in another 15-0 four-inning game.

CORRECTION: The first person who contacted us about this game said it was a perfect game. After the story was first published, we learned Brayden did walk a batter.

Submitted photos.