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Photos: Batavia on Sept. 11

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia residents found a number of ways to remember Sept. 11 on Sunday.

Above, Ken Mistler hung his giant U.S. flag from the former Carr's building.

Frank Bellucci set up this display outside his Ellicott Street home. The centerpiece, a model of the Twin Towers, was built a few yeas ago for a competition by his son, Frankie, now 13.

Somebody set up these signs on West Main Street near Oak Street.

Still to come from Sunday, coverage of 9/11 services at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and City Church.

Photos: Alexander Steam Show, 2011

By Howard B. Owens

I made two trips to the Alexander Steam Show this year, Friday night and Saturday afternoon. On Saturday, I intended just to stay for an hour to get a few photos to supplement what I snapped on Friday. I ended up staying more than two hours, which has put me behind on all my other projects and coverage. I took a lot of pictures. If you've never been to the steam show, put it on your calendar for next year. It's a great event that brings tens of thousands of people to Genesee County.

If you can't view the slide show, click here.

Football Roundup: Batavia, Notre Dame, Le Roy and Elba post wins

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia Blue Devils pulled out a victory in a wild, high-scoring game against O'Hara HS on Friday night, with Justin Washington and Brett Scheuerlein leading the way. Washington had nine catches for 151 yards and four touchdowns while Scheuerlein passed for 208 yards and four TDs. Scheurline, along with James Soggs, had 12 tackles. Scheuerlein engineered an 80-yard drive with 2:56 left in the game to secure the Batavia (1-1) win.

In a Genesee League matchup, Barker moved to 2-0 beating Pembroke (1-1) by a score of 31-13. Cody Bedard threw for 184 yards with 14 competitions and one TD.

One point down and 44 seconds left on the clock, Tim McCulley, already 0-2 on PATs, kicked a gaming-winning field goal from 32 yards out to life Notre Dame (2-0) past Holley 23-21. McCulley also passed for 116 yards on 12 completions and ran for 117 yards and scored two TDs.

Even with Tommy Manzella completing 18 of 29 passes for 205 yards, Attica proved too much for Oakfield-Alabama, delivering the Hornets their second loss of the season, 32-8. Attica is no 1-1.

 Le Roy beat Warsaw 32-0. No further details of the game are available.

Elba beat Alexander 13-12 (coverage).

Photo from Pembroke's game submitted by Destin Danser (more pictures, including the option to purchase, on his website).

Elba/BB bounces back for 13-12 win over Alexander

By Howard B. Owens

It took six quarters of football, but the Elba Byron-Bergen Lancers finally got fired up Saturday to turn a 12-0 half-time deficit into a 13-12 victory of the Alexander Trojans.

After a blistering 32-7 loss to Barker last week, Coach Mike Cintorino said the Lancers needed a spark to turn things around, and Zack DuBois, helped by some key blocks at the line, did that in the third quarter with a 95-yard run for a score.

"Our guys came out in the second half excited to play and we had some success to get us moving in the right direction," Cintorino said. "We've been waiting, knowing that Zach is due, and he popped a big one for us today. This is exactly what our team needed today just to show us that we are as good as we were last year and now we can build on that."

Alexander, playing under new head Coach Jack Rennolds, and coming off an injury-plagued 2010 season when the team went 1-6, played a pretty dominant first half.

The Trojans converted a turnover into a touchdown when Austin Heberline punched it in from two yards out.

Patrick Crawford helped lead the next drive, including darting in on a 12-yard TD run to put Alexander up 12-0 at the half.

Alexander had 213 yards on the ground, most of it gained in the first-half of the game.

But the momentum seemed to shift in the second half, sparked, of course, by the DeBois run, but defensively the Lancers seems to come to life, making it much harder for Alexander to move the ball.

Zac Gillard helped put his team ahead with a 35-yard TD pass to Matt Ramsey with 10 minutes remaining in the game.

From there, it was just a matter of a fired-up Lancers' defense keeping the Trojans in check.

Rennolds said he saw a lot of positives in his team, especially during the first half of play.

"We played really well in the first half and I was really happy with our play, but we seemed to drop our coverage a bit in the second half," Rennolds said. "We came out a little flat and Elba came out definitely ready to play."

The Lancers move to 1-1 and Alexander is now 0-2 on the young season.

Stats:

Offensive Stats - Elba Byron Bergen
RB - Zack DuBois (So.): 24 Carries for 175 yards and 1 TD (94-yard run)
QB - Zac Gillard (Jr.): 6-10 for 79 yards and 1 TD (35 yards)
WR - Matt Ramsey (Sr.): 1 reception for 35 yards and 1 TD (35 yards)

Offensive Stats - Alexander
RB - Pat Crawford (Sr.): 3 Carries for 51 yards and 1 TD (12-yard run)
RB - Austin Heberline (Sr.): 5 Carries for 6 yards and 1 TD (2-yard run)
RB - Mark Farnsworth: 48 yards rushing
RB - Luke Phillips: 42 yards rushing
RB - David Schmeide: 22 yards
QB - Mark Farnsworth (Jr.): 3-11 for 22 yards
QB - Nelson Burke: 3 completions for 31 yards
Lineman Nick Mrucza was used on an offensive play and carried the ball for 38 yards.

Defensive Stats - Elba Byron-Bergen
Cody Naylor (Sr.): 10 tackles, 3 for a loss
Nate Jonathan (Jr.): 10 tackles, 2 for a loss

Defensive Stats - Alexander
Lucas Phillips (Sr.): Forced fumble
Austin Heberlein: 8 tackles and 4 assists
Nick Mrucza: 6 tackles
David Patrick: 5 tackles and 2 assists

Photos from this game can be purchased by clicking here.

If you can't view the slide show below, click here.

Severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 1:30 p.m.

By Howard B. Owens

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Genesee County, including Batavia and Le Roy, from now until 1:30 p.m.

Winds could reach 60 mph with quarter-size hail and cloud-to-ground lightning.

Dumpster fire reported at Darien Lake

By Howard B. Owens

A Dumpster fire has been reported at Darien Lake Theme Park in the area known as "the graveyard."

Darien Fire Department is responding.

Crowds are exiting the performing arts center from the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival.

Darien fire asked to respond to the back entrance. "It's the fastest way."

Photo: The ice cream man rolls through Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Tyrone Gantt, of Rochester, came out to Batavia today to visit his granddaughters and thought he would bring his ice cream truck along.

He said he's never brought the truck with him before, but people kept telling him there was no ice cream truck in Batavia and it might be an opportunity for him.

After the response he received today he said, "I should come out here more often."

When he stopped on Maple Street around 6 p.m., people -- adults and children -- came running (some, really running) from all directions.

His granddaughters are Sharmaine Powell (pictured in the truck), Jykiya Powell and LaQueasha Taylor.

Photo: Bethany Town Hall for sale

By Howard B. Owens

If it's ever been your dream to own an old town hall, here's your chance -- the Bethany Town Hall, which has most recently served as a museum and a theater, is up for sale.

Photo: 9/11 flags on Route 20, Bethany Center

By Howard B. Owens

Somebody has posted a sign on Route 20, Bethany Center, encouraging people to plant flags along the road as a 9/11 memorial. So far, at least 30 flags have been left.

Photo: The Laughing Buddha opens on Ellicott Street, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

The mini-boomlet of new businesses opening on Ellicott Street, Batavia, continues with The Laughing Buddha at 440 Ellicott St.

The Laughing Buddha offers tattoos, piercing and a gift shop.

Pictured are tattoo artists Eric "Crazy Goose" Weis, left, and James "Jimi" Soccio, along with Ashley Keene, who handles the front counter, owner Jay Lang (who also owns Batavia Cab Co.), and Eric Betz, piercer and store manager (Betz is formerly of Time Bomb Tattoo).

Genesee County dispatchers pitching in to help communication center in Broom County

By Howard B. Owens

As counties on the east end of the state continue to struggle with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, emergency workers in Genesee County continue to pitch in and do what they can to help.

Currently, four of the Sheriff's Office emergency dispatchers are being deployed for a couple of days in Broome County.

The will provide a "much needed break," as one dispatcher put it, to the overextended crew in Broome.

Sheriff Gary Maha said interagency cooperation like this is common in New York.

He also praised the dispatchers making the trip.

"It shows they care," Maha said. "We try to help other counties whenever we can."

All expenses incurred by the Sheriff's Office for the deployment will be reimbursed by Broome County, Maha said.

Last week, volunteer firefighters from five departments traveled to Schoharie County. Besides helping with clean-up work, the volunteers also ended up working a structure fire about 30 miles from their base.

Another deployment of volunteer firefighters from Genesee County to the storm-ravaged region is being planned.

Photo: Flags on Main Street left up for week to honor victims of 9/11 attacks

By Howard B. Owens

You may have noticed, the flags along Main Street have been up all week. The flags are owned and displayed by the Batavia Area Jaycees.

This year, the Jaycees decided to leave the flags up from Labor Day through Patriot's Day in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We are proud to help lead our community in remembering this historic event," said Amy Robinson, the group's 2011 president.

Police Beat: Couple seen walking together in Stafford, allegedly violating protection orders

By Howard B. Owens

Eric Michael Duda, 49, of Main Road, Stafford, and Summer Ogden, 35, of State Street, Batavia, are both charged with criminal contempt. Duda and Odgen were seen walking together on Main Road, Stafford, at 4:15 p.m., Wednesday. There are court orders in place barring Duda and Odgen from being in contact with each other.

Dennis Kaijage Stambuli, 19, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass and unlawful possession of marijuana. Stambuli was allegedly found on College Village property after being banned.

Scott E. Hodgins, 47, of 9394 Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with felony DWI, passing a stop sign, speed in zone and obstructing governmental administration, 2nd. Hodgins was stopped at 8:40 p.m., Thursday, on Blakely Place, by Officers Jerry Casper and Chris Camp. Hodgins was allegedly observed speeding on South Jackson Street. Hodgins allegedly tried to flee on foot following the traffic stop and was located after an extensive search of the area. New York State Police assisted in the search. Additional charges may be pending. Hodgins was jailed without bail.

Community urged not to forget 9/11

By Howard B. Owens

Ken Adams had a job in Brooklyn in 2001 and on Sept. 11, with his wife home sick, it was his turn to pick up their daughter from school. 

He was late getting there, one of the last parents to arrive, and he remembers walking into the class and there was only his daughter and a little girl standing next to the teacher.

"I looked at her and she looked at me and we had the same thought at the same time," Adams recalled. "There will be some children whose parents won't be picking them up today."

Adams, the commissioner of Empire State Development, was in Batavia today for the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony, representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

During a brief speech, Adams described what it was like in New York City on 9/11 -- from walking his daughter home on a bright, clear blue-sky day, but with the acrid smell of the fallen twin towers in the air, to the office paper ashes falling in their small Brooklyn back yard.

"I remember getting home, looking at my little girl and thinking, 'No one knows how to tell a 6-year-old girl about evil," Adams said.

The ceremony included remarks by Council President Marianne Clattenburg, Legislator Ed DeJaneiro, State Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Sheriff Gary Maha.

On 9/11, Maha, along Deputy Ron Meides and another member of the department traveled to NYC to help with the relief efforts.

Maha described helping with relief efforts and visiting ground zero and seeing the devastation of the terrorist attacks.

"It's heartwarming to see everybody here today paying respect to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11," Maha said.

Adams said it's important that the country, and New York, not forget what happened on 9/11, and that we teach our children about the "brutal facts" of that day.

Remembering, he said, will provide lessons and teach us about unity.

"We are bound together in our grief over the tragedy of Sept. 11," Adams said. "We are bound by our resolve never to let Sept. 11 fade from our memories."

UPDATE: Video from WBTA.

Accident reported on Brookville Road, Alexander

By Howard B. Owens

An Alexander fire chief was the first to call in a personal injury accident in the area of 10543 Brookville Road, Alexander.

Alexander Fire Department and ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: Alexander ambulance is transporting a patient to Corfu to meet up with a Mercy EMS ambulance for transport to Buffalo.


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