batavia

Today is supposed to be one of the warmest days of the summer (not a difficult claim to make).   I guess if we hang in there, the weekend is supposed to be clear, rain free and in the 80s.

A tree has fallen on a house at 21 Warren St. in Batavia, causing significant damage to the roof.  No injuries are reported.

Meanwhile, a power or telephone poll at 99 Jackson has been struck by ligtning. (UPDATE: Not sure if related, but also a poll on Center Street has been struck, but no lines down.)

Also, a tree is down and blocking Ellicott Street Road.

View Larger Map
View Larger Map

UPDATE: Here's the radar map at 10:25 p.m.

Three people were reportedly injured in a three-car accident at Oak Street and Richmond Avenue.

Traffic is blocked at this time and two cars will need to be towed.

Emergency crews are on scene now.

A fire alarm has sounded at 229 Summit St., Batavia. Batavia Fire trucks are responding.

View Larger Map

Batavia Downs is celebrating a world record set in 1977 by a horse named Excalibur, with Fred Haslip at the controls. Excalibur set the world record for a double-gaited gelding when he trotted home in 2:03.3. That matched his lifetime best pace record. The combined time of 4:07.1 erased the previous record, set by Leon in 1939.

Full press release after the jump:

Batavia, NY --- It was one of the biggest nights in Batavia Downs history. A new world record and new track record in the same night, and it came 32 years ago.

Excalibur, with Fred Haslip at the controls, set the world record for a double-gaited gelding when he trotted home in 2:03.3. That matched his lifetime best pace record, set earlier in his career. The combined time of 4:07.1 erased the previous record, set by Leon in 1939. His time was 4:07.5, performed in an era before time was kept in fifths of a second.

Later that same evening Stanley Dancer would team the great pacing filly Mistletoe Shalee to a new track record, when she went wire-to-wire in 1:59.1, in a New York Sire Stakes event for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

On Saturday night (August 8), Batavia Downs Casino continues its tradition of honoring a horse that has a profound impact in the history of harness racing in Western New York. This year we honor Excalibur, the locally owned horse that set the world record back in 1977.

The sensational double-gaited gelding came on the local scene as a pacer in 1972 when Fred Haslip and Paul Zambito, Jr. purchased him for $3,500, an excellent investment considering he made his owners almost $200,000 lifetime. Driver, trainer, and co-owner Haslip used Excalibur predominately as a pacer until he was a 6-year-old, but noticed he did not take kindly to hobbles.

“I never dreamed he wanted to trot until 1974 when I had trouble getting him going in training. He had been a decent pacer up until that point and was making money, but he wasn’t happy on the pace,” Haslip remarked in 1977.

Additionally, upon further investigation in 1974, Haslip discovered that Excalibur’s mother, Spanish Lady, was a royally bred trotting mare.

His best mile as a pacer was 2:03.3, set in 1974.

Between 1975 and 1977, Haslip used Excalibur to his strength as a double-gaited gelding, competing in pacing and trotting events each year. However after the 1977 season Excalibur would strictly remain on the trot.

During his career he would start 169 times and make 50 winner's circle appearances. He notched 12 victories with hobbles on and 38 as a square gaiter. Excalibur raced until the veteran age of 14, retiring in 1982. His combined lifetime earnings were $196,668.

He was always a force in the featured trotting events at Batavia Downs and Buffalo Raceway and because of his uniqueness, a fan favorite.

Come out to Batavia Downs Casino this Saturday as we honor the gusty gelding by rolling back prices to 1977. Zweigles hot dogs and sodas will be just 50 cents beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Paddock Room all night long. The Batavia Downs program will feature a special four-page insert with newspaper clippings and photos of Excalibur, as we take a walk down memory lane.

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Craig L. Schrutt, 56, of 50-2 Spring Meadow Drive, Williamsville, is charged with two counts of grand larceny and two counts of issuing a bad check. Schrutt, the former operator of of CARP's Auto Sales in Clarence, is accused of writing checks that were later returned for insufficient funds to a local car dealership. The reported amount of the checks were for $11,300 and $2,500. Schrutt was sent to the Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail. The investigation was conducted by Warrant Officer Eric Olson with assistance by Investigator Timothy Weis, and deputies James Diehl and Tim Wescott.

Jean Rebecca Fili, 31, of 8089 E. Main Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny and possession of a controlled substance. Fili allegedly stole merchandise from Wal-Mart and was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance at the time of her arrest.

Molly A. Crowe, 45, of Bergen, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 or greater, and refusing an initial roadside breath screening. Crowe was reportedly stopped on Route 262 in Byron by state troopers after allegedly driving her car across the center line several times. Crowe was sent to Genesee County Jail on $250 bail.

Asheesh Williams local songwriter and Rapper and 11 year old Douglas Shannon came out with Care-A-Van and shared their rapping talents Thursday night.

We are blessed to have more and more folks coming out to share their talents.

When I ran into the Harley-riding Border Patrol agents today, they said they were in town for a golf tournament at Terry Hills co-sponsored by the Border Patrol and that I should show up at 4 p.m. because "one of the real hereos" was going to get an award from the Border Patrol.

Mark O'Brien, from Marilla (just outside of East Aurora), served in Iraq as Marine corporal, where in service to his country, he lost an arm and a leg. O'Brien is married with a child (in the stroller, far right of the picture).

The group presented O'Brien with a $1,000 check as a token of appreciation for his service.  He received at least five standing ovations during the presentation.

This morning, driving down Main Street, Batavia, I spotted a group Border Patrol agents riding Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, and I immediately thought, "I've never seen the Border Patrol on motor bikes before."

I would soon learn, this is an unusual sight -- there is only one motor bike unit with the Border Patrol in the United States, and they're based in Grand Island.

I stopped at an intersection next to the agents and asked one what they were up to and he told me they were headed to Stan's Harley-Davidson -- a pilgrimage of sorts, I gather.

The agents were in town to display their bikes at a Border Patrol co-sponsored golf tournament at Batavia Country Club.

Assistant Chief Mike Hester told me the Border Patrol invested in the Harley unit a year ago, during the previous administration, when the President was looking to double the size of the Border Patrol. Area agents found out that the Buffalo region has the second highest rate of Harley ownership in the nation, so a Harley unit was seen as a way to get into the community and recruit potential agents. Mostly, the Harley unit has been used at bike events and other community events, but they also patrol the tourist areas of Niagara, where heavy pedestrian traffic can make a typical cruiser harder and more dangerous to use.

Pictured are Supervisor Adam Matuszeiuski, Chief Hester, Acting Assistant Chief Andrew Scharnweber and Field Operations Supervisor Jason Heckler.

Stan's Harley was the group's last stop for the day in Genesee County before heading home.

Richard Stefaniak e-mail in this report and the championship picture:

The Batavia 9 & 10 year olds all-stars won two games this past weekend to become section 1 champs. In game one Batavia beat Orchard Park 9 - 6. Matt Roach pitched the first three innings for Batavia and did a great job giving up only three hits. Orchard Park had a 5 - 2 lead going into the 6th. Batavia finally got the offense going in the top of the 6th when Bryce Polito got things going with a lead off single Alex Canty singled, Ryan Antinore drew a walk  then the scoring started when Tyler Hale singled ,Steven Stefaniak doubled and Jacob Hale singled. T.Hale, Stefaniak and J. Hale would score after Jeremy Boyle and Reid Rademaker would draw walks  Boyle would also score  giving Batavia  a 7 run top of the 6th for a 9-5 lead.Polito would close out the game for Batavia  by pitching a strong 6th giving up  one run on one hit and getting the #5 batter to pop-up to the catcher (Rademaker).
 
In the Sectional Championship game Batavia faced Webster and won 12-10 Batavia scored first to start the game when T.Hale lead off with a single followed by singles from S.Stefaniak and J.Hale to give Batavia a two run lead.Webster also scored two in the bottom of the first to tie the game. In the  third Batavia would jump out to a 7-2 lead with hits from T.Hale (dbl) and singles from  Stefaniak, Rademaker, Jeremy Boyle and Alex Canty. Again Webster faught back scoring five runs to tie the game in ther half of the third.In the top of of the forth Polito,Canty and Micheal Marrocco would score for Batavia giving them a three-run lead Webster would score one in there half inning. In the top of the fifth Batavia's Andrew Mruczek would finally put Batavia on top for good with a shot to right field that scored two. Alex Canty then shut down the webster bats in the sixth and getting the final out by strike out. Batavia will now advance to the state finals in Penfield Saturday August 8 at 11:00 a.m. and Sunday August 9 at 12:00 p.m.

The picture is as follows Front row Ryan Antinore, Alex Canty, Jeremy Boyle, Steven Stefaniak, Micheal Marrocco. Middle row Jacob Hale, Reid Rademaker, Matt ROACH, Bryce Polito, Andrew Mruczek,Tyler Hale, Josh Boyle.Coach Tom Canty and Manager Larry Hale

Jenna L. Josephite, 20, of 1605 Nesbitt Road, Attica, is charged with driving while on drugs, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and criminal possession of a weapon. Josephite was allegedly stopped by Sheriff's deputies following a complaint in the City of Batavia of criminal mischief by a passenger in her vehicle (no details provided). Brass knuckles were allegedly found in the center compartment. Joseph E. Marr, 31, of the same Attica address, was reportedly the passenger in the vehicle and was also charged with possession of a weapon as well.

Coneie A. Munio, 22, 41 Clinton St., Brockport, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater.  Munio was arrested following a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked illegally on Peachey Road. When Deputy H.J. Carlson arrived, he reportedly found Munio in the car. Munio also received a ticket for allegedly "standing on pavement/parked wrong direction."

Elliott M. Hickman, 18, of 26 Granson Ave., back-upper, Batavia, and at 17-year-old companion and another youth is charged with petty larceny. Hickman and his companions allegedly each tried to leave Kmart with one pair each of ear phones without paying for them.