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A suspect who fled from law enforcement following an attempted traffic stop on Little Indian Falls Road, Pembroke, on Wednesday was eventually cornered by K-9 "Pharoah," who found the man hiding behind a fallen tree.

Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble said Pharoah, who was off leash and ran ahead of his handler, Deputy Brian Thompson, did exactly what he is trained to do. He barked. He didn't bite.

"He barked in his face and as long as he (the suspect) didn't do anything stupid, Pharoah isn't going to do anything but just hold him there," Dibble said.

Taken into custody was Robert Leiser, 42, an Oakfield man that both troopers and deputies on scene yesterday said they've had many dealings with and knew he would turn up eventually.

The initial search for Leiser included a State Police helicopter, but that search, which lasted more than an hour, was called off at around 1:45 p.m.

Thompson was one of the last members of law enforcement -- the search initially included three state troopers, two deputies and a DEC officer -- to leave the Little Falls area. Just as he was leaving, a resident of the area reported spotting the suspect in his back yard.

That resident reportedly grabbed a gun and chased the suspect off his property, but the encounter helped Thompson narrow his search area. 

He let Pharoah off leash and searched for at least another hour and was just about to call off the search for a second time when Pharoah found Leiser.

Leiser was taken into custody by Trooper Holly Hanssel, who initiated the traffic stop on Little Falls Road that began the manhunt, and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 2nd, possession of a hypodermic instrument and resisting arrest.

Bail was set at $5,000 and if Leiser makes bail he will be turned over immediately to authorities in Ontario County where he is wanted on two warrants.

At the time of the traffic stop Leiser was observed with a female passenger whom he may be barred from contacting. The state police are investigating a possible criminal contempt charge.

Driving down West Main late this morning, I was struck by this stunning tree with its white flowers against the deep-blue sky.

Once again, I have no idea of the name of this type of tree.

I took several photos.

Brandon Alan Eisenberg, 27, of Village Gate, Williamsville, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal possession of marijuana, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and inhalation of toxic gas (Nitrous Oxide). On June 8, Eisenberg was initially charged with criminal possession of marijuana, 4th, and now these new charges have been added. Eisenberg was arrested in Darien.

Alysasa Marie Lori, 19, of Roe Drive, Cheektowaga, is charged with aggravated harassment, 2nd. Lori is accused of continuing to make harassing phone calls and sending text messages to a person after being warned by that person, a Corfu resident, and police to cease the communications.

A 16-year-old from East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with false personation. The youth is accused of providing a false identity to police during an investigation of an alleged underage drinking party at 1:04 a.m., June 5, at 98 North St., Le Roy.

The Batavia Concert Band performed in Centennial Park, Batavia, on Wednesday evening. Wayne Burlison conducted.

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There was a big turn out this evening at the United Methodist Church in Indian Falls for the 66th Annual Strawberry Social. The event not only featured some mighty tasty looking deserts, but a chicken dinner, pie sale and auction. A couple hundred people, at least, attended.

You know, it occurred to me yesterday -- I haven't posted a barn picture in a while. So here's one for you. It's off Little Indian Falls Road, Pembroke.

A landscape shot from Meiser Road, Indian Falls.

A historical marker for Gen. Ely Samuel Parker off Sliker Road, Indian Falls. Gen. Parker was born in Indian Falls (he's Seneca Indian) and served in the Civil War. Parker inscribed (based on Gen. Grant's writing) the terms of surrender at Appomattox. (Wikipedia)

Police are in the area of Tops Market looking for a pair of shoplifting suspects.

The first is a black male who is believed to have run into Tops. The second is a white female wearing purple shorts who ran out of Tops with a shopping bag filled, allegedly, with merchandise that wasn't paid for. The first suspect allegedly stole a DVD player and/or Playstation from Kmart

We'll update with better descriptions if they are re-transmitted.

There's no rain in the forecast for this evening, so the Batavia Concert Band show will be held at Centennial Park as originally planned, according to Robert Knipe.

Show time is 7 p.m.

A caller reports the smell of smoke coming from the basement at 13 Roosevelt Ave., Batavia.

The building is being evacuated.

City Fire Department dispatched.

UPDATE 3:37 p.m.:  City fire on scene. Nothing showing.

UPDATE 4:06 p.m.: City fire has cleared the scene.

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Buffalo News: Deal OK'd on capping property tax rates

A tractor-trailer has reportedly pulled wires down in the area of 9489 Alexander Road, Alexander.

Alexander Fire Department and law enforcement dispatched to the scene.

UPDATE 9:43 a.m.: An assistant chief on scene reports wires in the road (secondary wires to a residence), pole down, traffic backed up "quite a ways." National Grid being notified.

UPDATE 9:53 a.m.: Traffic closed in both directions, but a chief says, "I don't think we're going to be here long. He (rep from National Grid) is going to cut the wires so we can pull them out of the road."

UPDATE 9:59 a.m.: Route 98 being reopened.

UPDATE 10:13 a.m.: Alexander fire back in service.

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Here's the unofficial tally of today's vote on the $39,366,045 Batavia City Schools budget.

yes   - 561    (58.50%)

no    - 398    (41.50%)

Some evenings, we have spectacular clouds and stunning sunsets and I just can't get out to take pictures. Sunday was one such evening. Yesterday, Monday evening, wasn't as lustrous or colorful, but it was still better than average, so I did take a drive.

Above, the transmission lines from a vantage point on Transit Road, Elba.

A view from Watson Road, Elba.

An abandoned Mack truck and dilapidated house on Ridge Road, Elba.

A tractor in a field by a church on Bank Street Road, Batavia.

Raymond Gandolfo is indicted on three counts of forgery, 2nd, three counts of identify theft, 1st, three counts of criminal possession of stolen property and one count of grand larceny, 4th. Gandolfo is accused of using and attempting to use the credit cards of another person on Sept. 25 at Walmart, The Home Depot and Lowe's. Gandolfo allegedly ran up charges in excess of $1,000.

Patrick J. Ettleman is indicted on a count of robbery, 2nd. Ettleman is accused of forcibly stealing the wallet of another person while on Main Street in Batavia on May 6.

Eric P. Williams is indicted on four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd, and two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd. Williams is accused of being at 29 Central Ave., Batavia on March 12 and possessing cocaine with the intent to sell it along with packaging material to facilitate the sale of cocaine.

UPDATED 5 p.m.:

A 13-year-old girl was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight this afternoon after she was struck by a car while riding her bike on a sidewalk on West Main Street, Batavia.

The girl, Emily Sherman, is at strong in stable condition. 

Her injuries are not believed to be life threatening, according to Lt. Eugene Jankowski, Batavia PD.

"(Mercy Flight) was more of a precaution, because we don't know," Jankowski said. "In things like this you can always have more serious internal injuries."

Jankowski described the Emily's apparent injuries as cuts and abrasions.

"She was conscious and alert," Jankowski said. "She was complaining, which I think is a good thing."

Emily and a friend -- believed to be students at St. Joe's -- were riding on the sidewalk eastbound when a car attempted to pull from the Denny's parking lot, making a right-hand turn onto Main.

The driver, Erin George, 23, apparently saw the first child go by and thought the coast was clear, but the second child was just coming by and obscured by a door pillar of the sedan.

Jankowski said George stopped as quickly as she could, but did drag the girl under her car into the street.

City of Batavia Fire arrived on scene and used air bags to lift the car and safely extricate Emily.

She was then taken by a Mercy EMS ambulance to a field off River Street on the opposite side of the Tonawanda Creek.

George was obviously distraught following the accident. Jankowski said she would be taken to the police station for a witness statement then helped home.

"I don't think she's in any condition to drive," Jankowski said.

The mother of both girls showed up at the scene as did the principal of St. Joe's and Batavia City Council President Marianne Clattenburg, who teaches at St. Joe's.

Jankowski said parents need to remind their children of bicycle safety during the summer months. Bicycles should not ride on sidewalks, but on the roadway and with the flow of traffic, Jankowski said.

While it's not known whether the girl was wearing a helmet -- none was visible at the scene -- and there's no indication she suffered a head injury, Jankowski emphasized the importance of bicycle helmets.

"It could be an important factor in saving a life," Jankowski said. "I'm a big promoter of helmets. I wear one myself when I ride."

(initial post)

An ATV rider driving on a trail next to a railroad track in Alexander hit a ditch and was thrown from his vehicle on Saturday afternoon.

Injured in the accident was Matthew S. Streiff, 38, of 39 Drake St., Oakfield.

Streiff was riding on the former Erie Lackawana Railroad bed, which runs parallel of Genesee Street, off Stroh Road, Alexander.

When his ATV hit the ditch, he was ejected, according to Deputy Frank Bordonaro, who investigated the accident, which happened at about 4 o'clock.

A friend transported Streiff to UMMC and Streiff was then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Streiff, who suffered a head injury, is listed in satisfactory condition at Strong.

Michele Ann Case, 46, of North Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with petit larceny and criminal mischief, 4th. Case is accused of spray painting a mailbox that did not belong to her. Case allegedly took a mailbox and painted over the house numbers on it and then painted her own house numbers on it.

Jesse Jack Carney, 19, Highland Drive, Marcelius, is charged with petit larceny and possession/consumption of alcohol by a person under 21. Carney is accused of stealing Dippin Dots ice cream while at Darien Lake Theme Park. During the investigation by Deputy Patrick Reeves, Carney was allegedly found in possession of alcohol.

Elizabeth Rose Kaylie Searle, 18, of Apulia Road, La Fayette, is charged with petit larceny and possession/consumption of alcohol by a person under 21. Searle is accused of stealing Dippin Dots ice cream while at Darien Lake Theme Park. During the investigation by Deputy Patrick Reeves, Searle was allegedly found in possession of alcohol.

Andrea Murphy Harrington, 19, of Otisco Valley Road, Preble, is charged with possession/consumption of alcohol by a person under 21. Harrington was reportedly at Darien Lake Theme Park and allegedly consuming alcohol.

Candice Ashley Clemens, 19, of Route 80, La Fayette, is charged with possession/consumption of alcohol by a person under 21. Clemens was reportedly at Darien Lake Theme Park and allegedly consuming alcohol.

Tyler Pasquale Schroeder, 19, of Lewiston Road, Batavia, was turned over to the Sheriff's Office by Attica Police on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court. Schroeder was jailed on $50,000 bail.

Lewis Martin Fuller, 51, of Clinton Street Road, Bergen, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Fuller reportedly voluntarily turned over suspected smoking paraphernalia during an investigation into a domestic incident on June 14. The paraphernalia allegedly contained a quantity of marijuana.

A resident in the area of Randall and Buckley roads, Stafford, is apparently burning a fiberglass boat.

A caller reported seeing a column of black smoke. A first responder found the fire and said that it appeared somebody was burning the boat.

Stafford Fire Department is being dispatched to 6590 Randall Road.

UPDATE 6:41 p.m.: Photo submitted by Donna Hall.

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