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Volunteers for Animals is collecting scrap metal to raise money for animals at the county shelter.

The collection drive is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 27-28) at the shelter parking lot, 3841 W. Main St. Road, in the Town of Batavia.

They are accepting metal in the form of:

• 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 take: propane tanks, air-conditioners or refrigerators.

The scrap service is being provided by Ed Arnold EAS Scrap Processors in Corfu.

Some girls on Ross Street near Batavia Middle School are reportedly throwing rocks at passing motorists. A women whose car windshield was struck by a rock is at the police station filing a complaint and an officer is going to the scene.

A reader told us a deer smashed into the window of the gold store across from The Pok-A-Dot and then went further down Ellicott Street into the plaza where the pizza place is and caused some havoc there, too. City police are responding.

A motorcyclist is down, and possibly unconscious on the roadway, at westbound on-ramp 48A of the Thruway. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics. Mercy Flight, en route to base after the accident in Darien, is in air, on standby.

UPDATE 4:41 p.m.: Mercy Flight is cancelled.

UPDATE 5:08 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls are back in service. Didn't hear the status of the cyclist.

A head-on collision is reported at Route 20 and Warner Road. One person is unconscious. Mercy Flight is on in-air standby. Darien Fire Department, Mercy medics and law enforcement are responding.

UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene and it has about a five-minute ETA. Corfu Fire Police are asked to shut down traffic at Route 20 and Route 77. Traffic will also be stopped at Broadway and Harlow roads. Several ambulances are headed to the scene.

UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: Corfu responders are told to use caution when approaching the scene as southbound traffic on Route 77 "is busy and there's no where to pull over." It appears there are only two vehicles involved. Mercy Flight 5 out of Batavia is about to land.

UPDATE 3:28 p.m.: A second Mercy Flight helicopter is called for.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: Mercy Flight 7 out of Buffalo is flying in, with a 12-minute ETA.

UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: A third vehicle was also involved in the accident.

UPDATE 3:48 p.m.: The second bird has landed. Two patients will be transported in Mercy rigs and each helicopter will have a patient on board. Buffalo General Hospital is the only destination mentioned so far.

UPDATE 4 p.m.: All patients are going to Erie County Medical Center.

UPDATE 4:10 p.m.: The roadways will remain closed until the accident investigation is completed.

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: Route 20 is reopened.

City police are responding to a report of an abandoned dog, tied to a pole, in front of Dunkin' Donuts, located at 136 W. Main St.

UPDATE 3:42 p.m.: The dog is being taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter.

A two-car accident with minor injuries is reported in front of Jan's Smoke Shop, 383 Bloomingdale Road. Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: Mercy medics are back in service. Those involved in the accident are sign-offs and require no medical attention.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Alabama is back in service.

There's a frisky fox causing trouble and its been the subject of complaints in the city over the past few days. A few minutes ago, the critter "acted aggressively toward a patron" who was about the enter the theater at 56 Harvester Ave., according to a caller to the emergency dispatch center.

It was subsequently reported to be laying in the road on Haller Place, across the street. Now its spotted on the west side of the Graham Manufacturing Corp. property. Police are responding.

UPDATE 12:21 p.m.: The carcass of the fox will be picked up by a county worker in about 10 minutes. It's located east of Harvester Avenue, west of the railroad tracks.

A car accident with one minor injury is reported in Elba on Drake Street Road. It will be shut down at Pekin and Weatherwax roads. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 6:58 p.m.: The car landed 20 feet off the roadway, into a ditch. A flatbed tow was called in. A patient was transported to UMMC.

A fire is reported at 56 Buell St. in the City of Batavia, apartment 1. It's not yet known if everyone is out of the building. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: A police officer on scene reports there is smoke coming from the upper apartment, but it's not yet known if there are flames. The building's entryway is on Elizabeth Street.

UPDATE 5:42 p.m.: City firefighters are now on scene and report there's "nothing showing."

UPDATE 5:44 p.m.: The fire was contained to the stove top. It's out and firefighters are ventilating the apartment.

UPDATE 5:51 p.m.: "Gas is off to the stove. We're all set with the ventilation," says a firefighter.

UPDATE 6:02 p.m.: City fire is back in service.

A two-car accident is blocking traffic at 8484 Alleghany Road, in front of the Flying J Travel Center. Pembroke and Indian Fall fire departments are responding along with Mercy EMS. Unknown injuries.

UPDATE 5:35 p.m.: The accident is partially blocking the entrance to the travel center. There are two injuries reported, unknown severity.

UPDATE 5:59 p.m.: One person is being transported to UMMC for evaluation. No word on the status of others.

UPDATE 6:09 p.m.: A 76-year-old female is being taken to UMMC complaining of right leg pain after the vehicle she was driving was allegedly T-boned on the passenger's side as she attempted to turn north on Route 77. She was wearing a seat belt. Also, an 11-year-old boy is being taken to UMMC, accompanied by his grandmother, for evaluation.

UPDATE 6:15 p.m.: The responders are back in service.