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Car wreck with injuries on Park Road, Batavia

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported in front of 8204 Park Road, just off of Oak Street. Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: A responder on scene says there's one minor chest injury, probably due to seat belt friction. Three vehicles are involved.

Cancer benefit this Saturday for Paul Lamendola

By Billie Owens

A cancer benefit for Paul Lamendola will be held at the Batavia Country Club from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27. Cost is a $10 donation per dinner, which includes pulled pork roast and two sides, plus beverage.

There will also be a 50/50 raffle and Chinese auction.

Paul has been fighting colon cancer since March. He has been laid off from work, lost his medical insurance, and has very expensive medical costs for medicine, surgery and equipment. Please come out and support Paul in his journey.

Paul is believing for full healing and recovery during this trying time in his life. We want to take this day and celebrate how far he has come through this already!

Come out and have some fun with us! The country club is located at 7909 Batavia Byron Road.

For presale tickets contact Andrea Agan at (585) 813-6586 or Paul Lamendola at (585) 331-0669 or send check to Paul Lamendola at 7470 Batavia Byron Road, Byron NY 14422.

Cancer benefit for Paul Lamendola

By Billie Owens

A cancer benefit for Paul Lamendola will be held at the Batavia Country Club from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27. Cost is a $10 donation per dinner, which includes pulled pork roast and two sides, plus beverage.

There will also be a 50/50 raffle and Chinese auction.

Paul has been fighting colon cancer since March. He has been laid off from work, lost his medical insurance, and has very expensive medical costs for medicine, surgery and equipment. Please come out and support Paul in his journey.

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Grand View Cemetery taking orders for Christmas wreaths to fund cemetery care

By Billie Owens

The Grand View Cemetery Board of Directors is selling Christmas wreaths either for your door or a grave. This is a fundraiser with the profits going to fund cemetery care.

Wreaths are 22" with red velvet, weatherproof bow, pine cones and holly berries. Wreaths are $20, including an easel stand if desired. Place orders by Nov. 10.

Pickup will be at the cemetery garage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 10. Orders may be placed by calling 343-0350 or 343-0877.

GO ART! hosts workshop on fundraising and development for local organizations

By Billie Owens

GO ART! continues its new workshop series “Embracing Innovation: The Business of the Arts” with a presentation on Wednesday, Nov. 14, by Mark Peterson, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise.

The approximately two-hour workshop is titled "Fundraising and Development for the Local Organization."

It will begin at 9 a.m. at GO ART!, 201 E. Main St. in Downtown Batavia. Light refreshments will be available.

Peterson will share the knowledge he has gained through his various fundraising and development experiences. He will describe strategies that will be useful for “small-town” organizations and those starting out at the grassroots level.

A certified fund-raising executive (CFRE) since 1992, Peterson has an impressive history of garnering substantial monies at several first-class nonprofit organizations totaling more than $120 million.

This workshop is free for GO ART! members. There is a nominal fee for non-members or organizations wishing to attend: $10/individual or $20/organization (up to three attending).

You may pay over the phone, online, or at the door, but advance reservations are required by calling (585) 343-9313 or email info@goart.org.

For more information on the workshop series and future workshops in the series, please visit www.GOart.org

Soccerween 2012 with all teams in costume is Saturday at Batavia Sports Park

By Billie Owens

New York Premiere Soccer is holding "Soccerween 2012" this Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Batavia Sports Park.

Age groups are U7 through U13 and all participating teams are guaranteed three games and all teams compete in Halloween costumes. The best dressed teams for each age will win a prize.

For more information, contact Brian Patterson at bpatterson@newyorkpremieresoccer.com or 292-0788.

For a wicked good time, head over to City Slickers Halloween Party

By Billie Owens

A wicked good time is in store at City Slickers Bar & Grill in Batavia starting at 8 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 27.

Admission is FREE to this Halloween party. There will be karaoke with DJ Marc Tillery, plus, dancing, contests, prizes and drink specials until the witching hour.

Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes so dress to impress!

City Slickers is located at 59 Main St. in Downtown Batavia.

 

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O-A senior class hosts public forum on political platforms of Obama and Romney

By Billie Owens

The Oakfield-Alabama High School Senior Class invites the public to a community forum where the political platforms of President Obama and Governor Romney will be examined and explained.

Local, state and regional representatives will be on hand to explain the impact of these platforms on Western New York.

The forum begins at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 30, in the school auditorium, located at 7001 Lewiston Road, in Oakfield.

Representatives slated to attend are:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, Republican 61st District

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Republican 139th District

Mary Pat Hancock, chairwoman, Genesee County Legislature

Raymond Cianfrini, Genesee County legislator

Richard D. Pastecki, Village of Oakfield mayor

Michael T. Cianfrini, Town of Oakfield supervisor

Daniel Mangino, Town of Alabama supervisor

For questions regarding the event, call 948-5211, ext. 4537.

O-A senior class hosts public forum on political platforms of Obama and Romney

By Billie Owens

The Oakfield-Alabama High School Senior Class invites the public to a community forum where they will explain the political platforms of President Obama and Governor Romney.

Local, state and regional representatives will be on hand to explain the impact of these platforms on Western New York.

The forum begins at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 30, in the school auditorium, located at 7001 Lewiston Road, in Oakfield.

Representatives slated to attend are:

Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, Republican 61st District

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Rollover motorcycle accident reported on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama

By Billie Owens

A rollover motorcycle accident is reported at the intersection of Bloomingdale and Martin roads.

It's believed there are injuries.

Mercy Flight is on standby.

Alabama Fire Department and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 1:49 p.m.: The victim is alert and conscious, complaining of back pain.

UPDATE 1:55 p.m.: Mercy Flight 5 will be responding to the scene from Buffalo and will land on Martin Road.

UPDATE 2:13 p.m.: Mercy Flight landed a few minutes ago and is loading the patient, who is described as a man in his 50s. He had no loss of consciousness "but the motorcycle did go end over end."

UPDATE 2:19 p.m.: No more traffic is allowed on Martin Road.

UPDATE 2:26 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Erie County Medical Center. Martin Road is reopened.

UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: Alabama is back in service.

Shed raffle to benefit charity noon Friday at the Downs parking lot, tickets are $2

By Billie Owens

Sheds, Shacks and Shelter is raffling off a shed at noon on Friday Oct. 26 at the Genesee Farmers Market in the Batavia Downs parking lot. Tickets are $2 each. The money will be donated to a local non-profit.

Tickets can be bought at the farmers market, Movies in Motion, CPR, Benny's Barber Shop and the farmers market. The winner gets $500 cash or the shed, delivered.

Classic silent flick 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' will be shown at St. James Church

By Billie Owens

St. James Episcopal Church presents a special holiday Spooktacular by showing the silent movie classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Charles Bradley will play the organ in concert with the movie.

It starts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27, at the church, located at 405 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Tickets are $10 and the money will benefit the bell tower restoration fund.

The 1923 American film released by Universal Pictures is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It centers on the tortured life of Quasimodo, a deformed, deaf and half-blind bell-ringer at the Cathedral of Norte Dame in Paris in the 15th Century.

It is known for its spectacular sets and the performance and makeup artistry of Lon Chaney Sr. He was a well-known actor but his portrayal of Quasimodo made him a star and his grotesque characterization set a new benchmark for film makeup. Patsy Ruth Miller plays the lovely Esmeralda.

Phone 343-6802 for tickets or other information. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

Classic silent flick 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' shown at St. James Church

By Billie Owens

St. James Episcopal Church presents a special holiday Spooktacular by showing the silent movie classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Charles Bradley will play the organ in concert with the movie.

It starts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27 at the church, located at 405 E. Main St. in the City of Batavia.

Tickets are $10 and the money will benefit the bell tower restoration fund.

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Novelist John Gardner's works celebrated with readings, food and fun at the Pok-A-Dot

By Billie Owens

Batavia-born novelist John Gardner will be celebrated with a night of readings, food and fun on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The John Gardner Society, in conjunction with Genesee Community College, is sponsoring the Halloween-themed celebration at 8 p.m. at the Pok-a-Dot diner at Ellicott and Liberty streets in Batavia.

Gardner, who died in a motorcycle crash near his Pennsylvania home in 1982, was a novelist, poet, critic and teacher, whose best known works include "The Sunlight Dialogues," a novel set in Batavia about brooding police chief Fred Clumly and his pursuit of a magician known as the Sunlight Man, and "Grendel," a retelling of the Beowulf legend from the monster's point of view.

He also penned three influential works on the art of writing: "On Becoming a Novelist," "The Art of Fiction," and "On Moral Fiction." For more information about the celebration, contact Bill Kauffman at (585) 757-2455 or GCC English Professor Charley Boyd at caboyd@genesee.edu.

You can also learn more about the writer by visiting the John Gardner Appreciation page on GCC's website: http://www.genesee.edu/gcc/gardner/.

Novelist John Gardner's works celebrated with readings, food and fun at the Pok-A-Dot

By Billie Owens

Batavia-born novelist John Gardner will be celebrated with a night of readings, food and fun on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The John Gardner Society, in conjunction with Genesee Community College, is sponsoring the Halloween-themed celebration at 8 p.m. at the Pok-a-Dot diner at Ellicott and Liberty streets in Batavia.

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Teens are said to have taken gun from parked vehicle

By Billie Owens

Some teenagers reportedly took a gun, a "38 Special," out of a vehicle in the parking lot by the Verizon Store in the Tops plaza, according to a caller to dispatch, and another caller reports that man in a blue truck in the parking lot of Batavia Downs is striking someone and yelling about them taking a weapon out of a vehicle. Law enforcement is trying to sort it out now.

Free fitness class offered at new studio in Harvester Center, Batavia

By Billie Owens

At 9 a.m. on Saturday,Oct. 27 a new business -- move. fitness studio -- will host a FREE fitness class event in celebration of their grand opening. move. is located at 56 Harvester Ave., in the Batavia Industrial Center, with a street-side entrance.

There will be a 90-minute mash-up of their Zumba, Pilates and weight-less toning classes, as well as refreshments and gift certificate giveaways after class!

Wear your PINK in honor of breast cancer awareness month -- the studio will be collecting donations to be given directly to Roswell Park Cancer Institute

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Thomas A. Sabo

By Billie Owens

Thomas A. Sabo, 55, of Beaver, Pennsylvania, died October 23, 2012 after a brief illness. The last weeks of Tom’s life were spent in Katy, Texas, in the home of his sister Lynn (Robert) Guzik.  He was under hospice care while in Texas with his mother and sisters embracing him with love and care. He had the joy of being surrounded by his beloved nieces.

Mr. Sabo was born February 17, 1957 in Beaver, Pennsylvania, the son of Jean Henderson and the late Thomas C. Sabo. Tom spent most of his life employed as a mechanical engineer. He was a kind, intelligent, good man with a beautiful smile and a great sense of humor. He made us laugh many times during his last days. He spent his life studying the Bible and worshipping the Lord. If you had the pleasure of meeting him, you loved him.

He was preceded in death by his father, the late Thomas C. Sabo.

In addition to his mother Jean Henderson, Tom is survived by sisters Joanne (James) Pero of Batavia, NY.,  Mary (Joseph) Patton of Allentown, Pa., Lynn ( Robert) Guzik of Katy, Texas, and nephews and nieces Alecia (Kaus), Jennifer (Sullivan), Zachary and James Pero, Jenny, Thomas and Anna Patton and Claire and Leah Guzik. He is also survived by many wonderful cousins and friends.

A service in celebration of his life will be held on November 23, 2012 in Beaver, Pennsylvania.  Details will follow.

The family requests memorials are made to NAMI Pennsylvania (National Alliance on Mental Illness) at 2149 North 2nd St. Harrisburg, PA 17110-1005.

Car crash at Tower Hill and Byron roads, Byron

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident is reported at the intersection of Tower Hill and Byron roads. There's one minor injury and it is blocking traffic. Byron and South Byron fire departments and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: A responder on scene says "We've got extensive damage and a helluva debris field." One person will need to be extricated.

UPDATE 5:13 p.m.: The location is actually Byron Road, south of Tower Hill Road.

UPDATE 6:01 p.m.: The roadway is reopened.

UPDATE 6:05 p.m.: South Byron is back in service.

POSTPONED DUE TO STORM: Muller Quaker Dairy meet-and-greet at GCC

By Billie Owens

POSTPONED DUE TO STORM -- Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at Genesee Community College to find out more about the new company in town -- Muller Quaker Dairy.

From noon to 8 p.m., Muller Quaker Dairy representatives will be on site with information about the products, business and background of the joint venture between PepsiCo and the Theo Müller Group.

* Try free Müller yogurt samples

* Pick up some employment info (resumes will be accepted)

* Learn about the new Batavia facility, sales, marketing and the company

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