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Press release:

Community members, area businesses, ARC families and staff have donated more than 100 baskets for Genesee ARC’s 3rd Annual Chili & Chowder Fest and theme basket raffle.  The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 16 at the Genesee ARC Community Center, 38 Woodrow Road, and runs from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“We have a wide range of themes this year ranging from movies and tools, to candles and restaurants and everything in between,” said Shelley Falitico, ARC Development Director and event chair.

With every $10 ticket, participants will have 25 chances to win, along with a chance to win one of two door prizes. There is a group of specialty baskets, valued at $50 or more with 10 tickets at $15. Featured specialty items include Sabres baskets with tickets and parking passes and a wheeled trash can full of cleaning supplies.

This year’s grand prize is a chest freezer that comes with gift cards to area grocers and meat markets, so the winner can fill the freezer. Grand prize chances are $2 each, 3 chances/$5.00 and 8 chances/$10.

A baked goods sale is also planned along with chili and chowder in bowls, to eat in or quarts to take home.

Winners need not be present. The drawings will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m. Funds raised will benefit disability services in our community.

New this year is a ticket-only sale on Friday, November 15 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

“We know this is a busy time of year with a lot of weekend events,” Falitico said. “The Committee wanted to offer everyone a chance to win, even if they cannot attend the actual event."

Community members with questions may call Shelley Falitico at the Genesee ARC Community Relations office at (585) 343-4203, ext. 222.

In recent years, even on the first day of practice, Buddy Brasky said he was eager for go-time. He thought his teams were ready for their first regular season game.

This year, with six seniors graduating and a roster stocked with sophomores and juniors, it's going to take a little time to get the team into championship form.

"We've got to get better throughout the year," Brasky said following a practice at Batavia High School today. "We get a little bit better, a little better, a little bit better, and hopefully we peak by the end of the year. Where in the past couple of years we've been really good right from the beginning, I think it's going to take a little while this year."

The core of the starting squad appears to be Justice Fagan, a senior guard, and Jeff Redband, a junior forward whose clutch buzzer beater in last year's regional championship helped send the Blue Devils to the state championship semi-finals.

"We've got two really good players, two first-team, all-league type of players," Brasky said. "If we can get the guys around them to step up, yes, we can win the league title and then the next step from there is sectionals."

It's a little bit of a setback, Brasky said, that Redband is sitting out pre-season wth an injured ankle. He's already been sidelined for three weeks and is at least two weeks away from returning for action. He may not be ready for the opening tip-off.

Also missing a big chunk of practice time is starting senior guard Andrew Turner, who will miss the next 10 days of practice after suffering a mild concussion.

Brasky is also expecting a big contribution from sophomore forward Malachi Chenault, who made the varsity last year as a freshman.

Coming up from JV is that squad's second-leading scorer last year, guard Jerrett Laskett, a junior.

"These are good kids," Brasky said. "They listen. They're coachable. Our schemes are pretty complicated. Our defenses are not easy to pick up, so little by little, I see improvement every day. I'm pretty pleased with how they're working right now."

The Blue Devils, in Class A-II this year, opens the season Dec. 7 against Williamsville South at Niagara Falls HS. There are no home games scheduled before the Lions Tournament, Dec. 27 and Dec. 30 at Genesee Community College.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Two callers, one on Wood Street, report hearing the sound of a gunshot.

The sound was a single boom with a sustained echo (we heard it, too).

Batavia PD is responding to the area.

UPDATE 8:56  p.m.: A reader e-mails saying he heard what sounded to him like a 12-gauge shotgun in the area of Cherry/Wood/Jackson.

UPDATE (by Billie) 9:02 p.m.: An off-duty police officer told dispatch it sounded like a pop from a blown transformer. Subesequently, a police officer reported that people interviewed on Wood Street say the noise came from Cherry Street. Officers are now scouring the area of Cherry and Pringle Avenue to try and determine the cause of the sound.

UPDATE 9:11 p.m. (by Howard): An officer I spoke with over on Pringle said the sound I described sounds more like a wire arcing than a shotgun, especially since the sound has reportedly been heard over a wide area of the city, not just the Southside. He said a gunshot sound would not carry to such a wide area. Also, another caller reports seeing a bottle rocket in the area of Cherry and Liberty. One officer expresses skepticism that that was the cause and another recalls there were reports of fireworks from that area over the summer.

UPDATE 9:28 p.m.: Officers are clearing the call. "It's probably a power arcing issue," reports an officer. "Nothing else has been found."

With 25 years in the auto repair business -- a career that took him from mechanic to district manager and vp of operations for other people's businesses -- Steve Getty says he's found a place he wants to put down roots, in Batavia.

Getty has acquired a former oil change and auto repair location at 4003 W. Main St. and opened up Syd's Automotive.

"It feels really good to own my own business," Getty said, "especially being where I live."

Asked what will set his business apart, he said, "quality."

"Most companies in the industry I'm in focus on the fast," Getty said. "We'll be quality first, fast second. It's still a fast oil change, but you're getting a quality oil change, quality repair work."

Photo: Getty left with Scott Levensailor, who is also working in the shop.

A male claims he was chased by a trio of individuals on Jackson Street. He called police at the Kwik Fill gas station, at Jackson and Ellicott streets in Batavia, where officers met up with him to take him to his residence on Central Avenue. He described those who allegedly chased him as two black males and a black female.

Sean M. Vickers, the man accused of being a predatory child molester in Niagara and Genesee counties, with alleged victims from up to 20 years ago, won't get a chance to post bail.

Vickers appeared in County Court today to be arraigned on a new 11-count indictment that accuses him of sexually assaulting four children in Batavia from the 1990s to the early 2000s.

Citing the possible multiple life sentence faced by Vickers, Judge Robert C. Noonan said Vickers posed too great a flight risk to have an opportunity to post bail.

Bail was set at $500,000 when Vickers was arrested on the first set of sexual assault charges in May.

Public Defender Gary Horton asked Noonan to set a bail amount, saying that bail out of Niagara County Court, he believed, was set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.

As is usually the case for defendants at an arraignment on new charges, Vickers entered a not guilty plea to all 11 of the counts.

He was indicted by a grand jury last week on: one count of a course of sexual conduct against a child, a Class B felony; two counts of predatory sexual assault against a child, a Class A-II felony; six counts of criminal sexual act first, a Class B violent felony; one count of sexual abuse, 1st, a Class B felony; and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

The 44-year-old Vickers was a resident of Geneva at the time of his arrest in May.

The local investigation into Vickers started after detectives in Niagara County contacted Batavia PD about a case they were working on. That helped to bring to light alleged molestation against at least one victim and the ongoing investigation turned up more victims and more evidence to base the new charges on.

Det. Kevin Czora, leading the local investigation, said over the weekend that it's possible there may be alleged victims in the community local law enforcement doesn't even know about. 

Anybody with information that may assist in the investigation can contact Batavia PD at (585) 345-6350 or outside the city, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Previously:

• Former Batavia resident accused of sex offense against a child more than a decade ago
• Grand Jury indicts man for alleged sexual conduct with a child under 13
• Brothers suspected of having multiple sexual abuse victims over three-decade period
• Former Batavia resident accused of sexual conduct with a child appears in court
• New charges filed against former Batavia resident accused of child sexual abuse
• Detective worries there may be more victims locally of alleged child molester
• Grand Jury indicts convicted child molester on 11 new counts

A "cherry picker" truck, or portion of it, landed on a car causing a hand laceration at Walnut and South Main streets in the city. Mercy medics and city fire are responding.

UPDATE 12:07 p.m.: Responders tell medics they can proceed in non-emergency mode. Police are on scene.

UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: An adult male is being transported to UMMC with a minor hand laceration.

A motor-vehicle accident with a possible minor head or neck injury is reported on Park Avenue, City of Batavia.

City fire and Mercy EMS are on scene.

The vehicle hit a utility pole. 

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Investigators have determined that the fatal fire early this morning at 10 Davis Ave., Batavia, was caused by "careless use of smoking materials, i.e., cigarettes and lighters."

The fire, first reported around 2 a.m., took the life of 87-year-old George A. McConnell.

McConnell's wife, Candace McConnell, was not injured in the fire.

George was apparently unable to exit his second-floor bedroom after the fire started. Candace made her way to the first-floor back porch and was assisted from the house by Officer Darryl Streeter.

The fire investigation was conducted by the Batavia Fire Department and the Batavia Police Department.

Previously: Fire on Davis Avenue claims life of 87-year-old resident

I couldn't make it to the marker dedication for the East Boundary of the Holland Land Purchase at Four Corners in Stafford on Friday. Sue Conklin sent along this photo and the press release below.

On Friday, November 8th 2013 a historical marker commemorating the Eastern Boundary of the Holland Land Purchase was dedicated in Stafford at the intersection of routes 5 and 237. More than 20 people attended the dedication ceremony, which included a brief reading of the history of the survey and a gun salute provided by the War of 1812 militia. 

Following the dedication the Stafford Historical Society served cider and donuts and several people toured their award-winning museum.

Prior to the dedication a survey using original links and transit was conducted by:

• Rochelle Stein, Genesee County legislator for District No. 5
• Lynne Belluscio, Le Roy House director and LeRoy Village historian
• Susan Conklin, Genesee County historian
• Phyllis Darling, Stafford Historical representative
• Jeffery Donahue, Holland Land Office Museum director

This survey revealed the location of the marker and the actual boundary line is over by 83 links. Had the marker been installed in the actual location, it would be in the center of the intersection of Route 237, something the Department of Transportation would have forbidden. The Town of Stafford graciously provided the Genesee County History Department with an alternative spot.

Welcoming Remarks / Mary Pat Hancock Genesee County Legislator:

"Genesee County included not only the Holland Land Purchase, but many other smaller land tracts. The County had six land companies with the Holland Land Purchase being the largest. It included two-thirds of the county lands and was located west of the Transit Line.  The other smaller companies were located east of the Transit Line and include one third of the county lands. The other land tract companies were the Connecticut, Triangle, Phelps & Gorham, Craigie and the 40,000 Acre.  

"When the Holland Purchase was made, the land was in Ontario County, with the county seat in Canandaigua. On March 30, 1802, Genesee County was formed with the county seat in Batavia. As populations grew, eight other Western New York counties were carved from the original Genesee County.

"The eastern boundary of the 3.3-million acre Holland Land Purchase bisects the old State Road, now known as Route 5, in the Town of Stafford. This boundary runs from the State of Pennsylvania north to Lake Ontario. The Holland Land Purchase extends west from this line to Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

"Today we honor the Holland Land Purchase and commemorate their Eastern Boundary."

A former Batavia resident accused of five burglaries locally has a chance to carry on his life without serving any time in prison.

Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled in County Court today that Samuel G. Malone, 27, can serve a year's interim probation before he is officially sentenced on his guilty pleas Aug. 12 to two counts of burglary, 3rd, and one count of attempted burglary, 3rd.

District Attorney Lawrence Friedman told Noonan he thought a prison term was the appropriate way to deal with Malone, who committed his local burglaries in 2008 and avoided detection until he was arrested in another county in January.

The arrest in another jurisdiction helped Batavia PD match Malone's DNA to blood found at three burglary scenes in the city.

Malone was later charged in another local residential burglary and admitted to burglarizing the former Clor's location on Pearl Street.

Noonan was apparently persuaded to give Malone another chance based on pre-sentence reports from the probation departments in Allegheny County, where Malone now lives, and Genesee County. Both reports recommended no prison time for Malone.

The maximum sentence available to Noonan was eight to 16 years in prison.

Malone is on probation on his conviction in another county, so he faces consequences there as well as Genesee County if he violates the terms of his release.

For previous coverage of the Samuel Malone case, click here.

Davis Avenue is a quiet street tucked in a corner of Batavia between Franklin Avenue and Williams Park.

The residents tend to be homeowners who have lived on Davis as neighbors for many years. They all know each other, said Officer Darryl Streeter.

As word spread early this morning that 87-year-old George A. McConnell did not make it out of his house at 10 Davis Ave. before the back of the structure became engulfed in flames, the shock and grief was apparent among the neighbors who watched the scene on a cold and snowy night.

"It's a very tough situation," Streeter said moments after comforting a neighbor.

Streeter was the first emergency responder on scene. He found George's wife, Candace, on the back porch trying to get out.

"I made entry into the house and got to the main kitchen, living room area and tried to make it upstairs but the smoke was too intense," Streeter said. "I stepped out, tried it a second time, but I just couldn't get any further than the kitchen itself."

At that point firefighters arrived and the back area of the second floor -- where George's bedroom was located -- was fully engulfed in flames.

The fire was knocked down in less than 20 minutes but firefighters found it difficult to make entry into the house because of what Chief Jim Maxwell characterized as "clutter." 

"It was quite a chore getting through everything," Maxwell said.

The cause or origin of the fire has not yet been determined.

Candace McConnell, who is 61, was uninjured and was taken in and being assisted by a neighbor.

George McConnell was born Dec. 25, 1925.

A house fire with a man trapped inside upstairs is reported on Davis Avenue in the City of Batavia. It was called in as a living room on fire. The house is filled with smoke and a responder on scene says flames are showing. A female was able to get out the back door, but her husband remains upstairs. Mercy medics are responding along with city fire and police. Smoke is now reported coming from the upstairs rear of the house.

UPDATE 2:16 a.m.: The second, third and fourth platoons are called in.

UPDATE 2:17 a.m.: The Alexander Fire Department's Fast Team is called.

UPDATE 2:20 a.m.: Darien fire's cascade equipment is called in and Town of Batavia is asked to stand by in its quarters. A second ambulance is requested.

UPDATE 2:22 a.m.: City command reports high temperatures inside the house, which is filled with smoke. Additional manpower is called to handle traffic.

UPDATE 2:24 a.m.: The traffic detail is for Alexander, to direct traffic at routes 20 and 98.

UPDATE 2:29 a.m.: Most of the fire is knocked down, but flames are still showing on one side of the house. The man has not been extricated. Flames are going through the roof in the center of the structure. Davis Avenue is between Williams Park and Franklin Street.

UPDATE 2:39 a.m.: Firefighters were able to gain access to the upstairs about five minutes ago.

UPDATE 2:43 a.m.: The fire is knocked down. They are starting to overhaul the structure.

UPDATE 2:46 a.m.: National Grid has arrived to cut power off, but can't access the scene yet because of the number of fire engines there.

UPDATE 4:15 a.m. (by Howard): George A. McConnell, 87, did not survive the fire. He was in bed on the second floor of the house in the rear where the structure sustained the heaviest damage. He was unable to get out and the area was heavily involved in fire and smoke by the time the first crews were on scene. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. McConnell's wife, Candace, 61, was not injured. A full story is coming.

UPDATE 4:21 a.m. (by Howard): Fire command is requesting six cat carriers to help contain multiple cats. Animal control is not yet on duty. Dispatchers will see what they can do.

UPDATE 4:24 a.m.: Darien fire is clearing the city's scene. The chief is returning to the Route 20 accident. The truck is returning to have its cascade system topped off.

UPDATE 4:53 a.m.: Photos below submitted by Frank Capuano.

UPDATE 5:15 a.m.: Town of Batavia going back in service.

Linda Delecki, a Buffalo resident, came out from her job at Advanced Imaging in City Centre, and exclaimed, "Isn't the snow beautiful?" She then pulled out her camera phone and took a picture of her car before wiping away the snow with a friend's brush.

Just as the weatherman predicted, we're getting snow tonight and the roads are slick.

Below, a picture of St. James.

Kenneth S. Lathrop Jr., 27, of 428 Garden City Drive, Syracuse, was arrested on a bench warrant. Lathrop was delivered to Batavia PD headquarters by a bail bondsman. Lathrop was arraigned in City Court and jailed on $5,000 bail or bond.

Steven E. Palmer, 28,of 361 Center St., Caledonia, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and disobeyng traffic control device. Palmer was stopped by Le Roy PD on Friday. He was jailed on $1,500 bail.

LaShana Tonika Jones, 39, of Audubon Parkway, Syracuse, is charged with petit larceny. Jones is accused of shoplifting $119.84 in merchandise from Walmart.

Jeffrey Keith Wahr, 45, of Crittenden Road, Alden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Wahr was stopped at 1:36 a.m. Sunday on Sumner Road, Darien, by Sgt. Brian Frieday.

Arthur Mack Osborne, 47, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with assault, 3rd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Osborne is accused of pulling another person to the floor by the person's hair and then hitting and kicking that person. A child was allegedly in the room. Osborne was jailed on $500 bail.

Zachary J. Ayres, 19, of 544 Bankside Drive, Hamlin, is accused of failure to appear on charges of petit larceny. Ayres was arrested by Officer Jason Ivison on the warrant, arraigned and jailed on $500 bail or $1,000 bond. Ayres was also charged with obstructing governmental information for allegedly providing a false name and information when previously arrested.

Katherine M. Luderman, 34, of 336 Ellicott St., lower, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant for disorderly conduct. Luderman was released after paying the remaining $50 of a fine.

A 17-year-old Hutchins Street resident is charged with falsely reporting to law enforcement an incident. The youth allegedly filed a false report of a residential burglary.

Kyle W. Nash, 26, of 219 N. Spruce Street, #76, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. No details released.

Andrew J. Duckworth, 34, of 128 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal mischief. Duckworth was arrested following an alleged domestic incident. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Daniel T. Henning, 33, of 120 S. Swan St., upper, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Henning is accused of shoplifting from Tops. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Tammy L. Schenck, 37, 20 N. Spruce St., A12, Batavia, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old and harassment, 2nd. No details released.

Eric R. Kelm, 32, of 25 Union Square, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to use headlights with windshield wipers. Kelm was stopped at 2:32 a.m. Saturday on Summit Street, Batavia, by Officer Arick Perkins.

Local veterans made the rounds this morning of Veterans Day services at locations throughout Genesee County. Starting at the Genesee County Park, they proceeded to the VA Medical Center, the NYS Vets Home, the Upton Monument, St. Jerome's and GCC.

Here are photos from the VA and from Upton.

Bottom photo is from GCC, where the college opened a lounge for student-veterans.

It's not hard to imagine there are possibly more victims locally of Sean Vickers, who is facing multiple felony counts of alleged child sexual abuse in Genesee and Niagara counties, said Det. Kevin Czora.

Vickers was indicted Friday on 10 more felony counts stemming for the alleged abuse of four victims from the 1990s to the 2000s in Batavia. The 44-year-old Geneva resident was originally arrested in May following an investigation by Batavia PD that started when Niagara County investigators brought information to local detectives about potential victims in the city.

Since Vickers lived in more than one residence in the county over the years, Czora said, it's possible -- if Vickers is the kind of monster the charges against him suggest -- that there are victims out there whom local investigators know nothing about.

"Currently, just by the numbers we're aware of, he's a serial abuser," Czora said.

That's why local investigators are asking anybody who knows anything about Vickers and possible victims to contact law enforcement.

To contact Batavia PD, call (585) 345-6350 or outside the city, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Vickers is accused of sexually molesting three boys in the Barker and Middleport areas last year. Last month he was indicated in Niagara County on six counts of predatory sexual assault against a child. He faces from 25 years to life in prison on the Genesee and Niagara counties charges.

At the time of his arrest, Vickers was already a registered Level 3 sex offender. He had a misdemeanor conviction for a sexual act in Monroe County and in 2009 he was convicted of a felony in New Hampshire for victimizing an underage boy there.

Last May, David A. Vickers, the 49-year-old brother of Sean, was arrested on a federal charge of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of life in federal prison.

David Vickers is accused of molesting a boy from Buffalo over a 10-year period and a Batavia boy over a five-year period, according to the Buffalo News. The first case allegedly began in 1989 and the second in 1999.

Sean Vickers allegedly introduced his brother to the Batavia boy.

When news broke of Vicker's arrest in May, the media reports prompted some people who are now adults to come forward and report they were allegedly abused by Vickers.

In the cases of those adults, however, the alleged crimes happened at a time when the state's statute of limitations on child sexual abuse was five years.

That doesn't mean, however, knowing about those alleged acts and gathering that evidence is a waste in the Vicker's case, Czora said. The more evidence gathered, the more it will help in the prosecution of the alleged crimes that aren't covered by the statute of limitations.

"We've reached out as best we can and now it's a matter of them reaching out to us to let us know what they're aware of and if they've been abused," Czora said. "Some of them, depending on the time frame, we may not be able to do anything criminally, however, there's always counseling, which every victim is entitled to even if the case is prosecuted or not."

For the adults who did come forward after the news came out, there was a sense of closure, Czora said.

"Each case makes the other cases that much stronger and it shows the seriousness and how far Sean Vickers has gone and how he damaged so many different lives," Czora said. "All that can be used later through the courts."

VIckers is currently being held in the Genesee County Jail on $500,000 bail or $500,000 bond. The judge in Niagara County ordered Vickers held without bail.