Stories from

A grease fire which began on an electric stove in the kitchen is reported at 17 1/2 Highland Park in the City of Batavia. City firefighters are on scene and everyone has been evacuated from the building.

An interior firefighter says he's in the attic and it doesn't look like there's any extension of the fire. When asked if he can check for two cats, he says "they were on their way down as I was coming up."

UPDATE 6:21 p.m.: The fire is out and firefighters are checking for extensions and doing overhaul of the scene. The location is between is between Jackson Street and Pringle Avenue.

UPDATE 9:37 p.m.: The City of Batavia Fire Department released the following information about the fire. The fire caused an estimated $13,000 damage to the building and contents. The building is owned by Philip Pastore. The tenant is Kristin Brockway. The fire was contained to the kitchen. (Fire Chief Jim Maxwell said earlier tonight that firefighters did a good job of containing the fire to the kitchen). Crews were on scene for one hour.

A caller to the emergency dispatch center reported seeing a Payloader being driven by a person who looked 12 years old with a passenger who looked 8 years old. They were last seen heading eastbound on Route 20. An officer is going looking for them. Not sure what community they were passing through when the call came in.

A head-on motor-vehicle accident is reported on Route 33 at Caswell Road. There are two minor injuries. The driver, who was allegedly operating his vehicle erratically before he crashed into another car, is complaining of numbness to his left side.

The accident is blocking the roadway. Traffic is being shut down at routes 237 and 33.

Stafford and South Byron fire departments and Mercy EMS are responding.

A law enforcement officer witnessed the accident and told dispatch about it as it was unfolding. He said the car was careening all over the place before smashing into a car in the opposite direction.

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: The Town of Batavia Fire Department is requested to shut down traffic at Prole Road and Route 33.

UPDATE 1:59 p.m.: The driver who allegedly caused the crash "has been removed from the scene (vehicle)." He is being attended to at the scene.

UPDATE 2:02 p.m.: Town of Batavia is told to go back in service.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.: A second ambulance is called to the scene.

UPDATE 2:13 p.m.: Both ambulances are going to be transporting to Strong Memorial Hospital. Howard, who went to the scene, said responders told him a woman driving a sedan had pulled over onto the shoulder of the road to allow and emergency vehicle to pass. A man driving a large SUV crossed over into the other lane and onto the shoulder, striking her stationary vehicle, pushing it about 120 yards down the street. Truck driver John Smith, of Akron, saw the whole thing and said "The car was all over the road. (At the time of impact) It looked like two dragons colliding in midair."

UPDATE 2:50 p.m.: The roads are reopened. Stafford is returning to service.

UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: An official from the Sheriff's Department tells dispatch to let the state Department of Transportation know that "signage was knocked over by this gentleman." There are two signs down across the road from 7137 Route 33, those being a "reference marker" and a light-reflector marker.

People are reportedly smoking pot in plain sight in front of the Harvester Center on Harvester Avenue. City police are heading there now.

A man's 24-year-old woman's arm is reportedly caught in a grain auger behind the residence at 3869 Drake Street Road in Elba. The location is between Pekin and Weatherwax roads. She is conscious and breathing.

Elba Fire Department, Mercy medics and Sheriff's deputies are also responding.

UPDATE 3:36 p.m.: Mercy Flight is called to the scene.

UPDATE 3:39 p.m.: Mercy Flight is en route. Elba units, along with one from Oakfield Fire Department, are going to set up the landing zone.

UPDATE 3:53 p.m.: An engine from Barre is called to Elba's Fire Department.

UPDATE 4:14 p.m.: Town of Batavia's fire rescue unit is called as mutual aid to the scene. Barre is now standing by in Elba's hall.

UPDATE 4:50 p.m.: Mercy Flight has been waiting at the scene for some time now. "The victim has been freed from the equipment." Fire police are handling traffic, with one lane of traffic eastbound, alternating with one lane of traffic westbound.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: The victim is being loaded into Mercy Flight which "fired up" and is preparing to take off. Traffic has been stopped for this.

UPDATE 5:02 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne and heading to Strong Memorial Hospital. The traffic shuffle resumes.

Reminder...

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce's Annual Awards Committee has announced the 2011 Annual Awards Dinner will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Clarion Hotel, Park Road, Batavia. This is the county’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.

The chamber has streamlined its nomination forms to make submissions less cumbersome and time consuming. Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration.

Nominations are now being accepted for Business of the Year, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year, Agricultural Business of the Year, Innovative Enterprise of the Year, Special Service Recognition and Geneseean of the Year. Business Nominees must be a chamber member (If unsure of your nominee, call the chamber to verify).

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 210 E. Main St., Batavia and can also be downloaded from the chamber website at www.geneseeny.com.

If you would like more information, feel free to call Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Membership & Special Events at the chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 26.

Deadline for nominations is Jan. 6

• Business of the Year Award

The nominee must have demonstrated significant business stability, commitment to the business community, community service and leadership.

• Entreprenuerial Business of the Year

Leading the way in the development of business through opportunities that created uniqueness of business ideas and initiation of the owner.

• Agricultural Business of the Year

Nominee must be considered an agri-business and have demonstrated steady or increased growth in this industry.

• Innovative Enterprise of the Year

A business that is successfully generating and implementing new or novel ideas and methods.

• Special Service Recognition

Does not have to be a business. Can be an organization, club, government agency, educational institute or health care facility that is recognizing a major event or activity/activities. Must have had lasting benefit to the community at large for that organization.

• Geneseean of the Year

A person who has made an outstanding contribution to the community, contributed or volunteered beyond the call of duty, a true unsung hero of today. Person must be a resident of Genesee County.

(Members of the chamber of commerce board of directors are not eligible for awards.)

A controlled burn in Darien that took place yesterday was thought to be rekindled after fire and smoke were reported there a few moments ago.

The property owner at 9668 9688 Allegany Road told authorities he is aware of the situation and is burning off the residual debris from Sunday.

Darien and Alabama fire departments were called but the response was cancelled.

A two-car accident with injuries and blocking traffic is reported at Oak Orchard Road and West Saille Drive in the Town of Batavia.

Town of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 5:25 p.m.: One person has chest pain. A basic life ambulance is also requested.

UPDATE 5:28 p.m.: Traffic is getting very backed up. A State Trooper is rerouting traffic on West Saille. A fire unit is going to head to the Thruway for further traffic control.

UPDATE 5:38 p.m.: A third ambulance is requested.

UPDATE 5:49 p.m.: So far, one patient is being taken to UMMC.

UPDATE 5:54 p.m.: A second patient is being transported to UMMC.

This information comes from Geoff Redick at WBTA.

A registered sex offender from Batavia will serve two to four years in state prison after sentencing today in Genesee County Court.

Marlek Holmes, 37, pleaded guilty about a month ago to Dissemination of Indecent Material to a Minor and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Police said he sent an indecent text message to a 16-year-old girl and attempted to engage the girl in intercourse.

Holmes also pleaded guilty for Failure to Register and Failure to Verify his address, as is required by New York State law for all registered sex offenders.

Holmes will serve concurrent sentences on all four charges.

In court today, some details of a pre-sentence interview with a probation officer were released. In the interview, Holmes allegedly told an officer that he considers his sexual conduct "vanilla," and he said his actions are his "normal sexual conduct."

In a rare turn, Judge Robert Noonan did not address Holmes prior to sentencing.

Holmes had nothing to say to the judge.

A law enforcement officer just witnessed a two-car accident with injuries at the junction of Judge and Allegany roads in Alabama. Their are two people injured, one is a pregnant woman nine months along.

Alabama Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 4:50 p.m.: A second ambulance is requested. Two occupants in each vehicle are not injured and will be "sign-offs."

UPDATE 4:53 p.m.: Traffic is getting tied up because of the accident. Two flatbed tow trucks are called to the scene.

UPDATE: One patient was transferred to the hospital in Medina, the pregnant woman to Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo.

A one-car accident with injuries is reported on Route 33 in the vicinity of Wortendyke Road in East Pembroke's fire district.

Mercy medics and East Pembroke volunteer firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 1:09 p.m.: There are two people involved. One is complaining of back pain and the other is "more shook up than anything." The location is 3487 Wortendyke Road.

UPDATE 1:34 p.m.: East Pembroke is back in service.

A three-car accident, minor injuries, is reported in Darien in front of the Chestnut Hill Country Club, at 1330 1263 Broadway Road (Route 20). One of the vehicles rolled over.

Mercy medics, Darien Ambulance Service and Darien Fire Department are responding.

UPDATE 1:07 p.m.: At the entrance to the golf course, at the top of the hill, traffic is being stopped and rerouted.

UPDATE 1:18 p.m.: The vehicle that rolled over did so three times and both occupants are being back boarded and collared.

UPDATE 1:29 p.m.: One ambulance is taking a patient to United Memorial Medical Center. Another one is transporting a patient to ECMC.

UPDATE 1:35 p.m.: The westbound lane is completely blocked.

UPDATE 1:53 p.m.: The roadway is reopened and Darien is back in service.

This week the Genesee County Grand Jury issued the following indictments.

Mitchell J. Irish is accused of assault, 2nd, a class D felony, for allegedly recklessly causing serious physical injury to another person on June 9 by means of a deadly weapon and dangerous instrument, a motor vehicle.

In count two, he is accused of vehicular assault, 2nd, a class E felony, for allegedly operating a 1998 Chevrolet in an intoxicated condition on June 9 in the Town of Darien, thereby causing serious physical injury to another person.

In count three, he is accused of driving while intoxicated, a class E felony.

Christian J. Johnson is accused of driving a 2002 Cadillac while intoxicated, a class E felony, on July 23 on Pearl Street in the City of Batavia.

In count two, Johnson is accused of aggravated driving while intoxicated, a class E felony, for allegedly having a .18 BAC.

In count three, he is accused of allegedly operating the same vehicle without an interlock, a misdemeanor, although he was court-ordered to have an ignition interlock device on it.

A two-car injury accident is reported on Veterans Memorial Drive near the Home Depot. One driver is complaining of back pain and has a history of back problems. Batavia Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 7 p.m.: A responder on scene reports the cars are blocking traffic.