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On the final day of the season, the Batavia Muckdogs had a chance to play spoiler against their Thruway rivals, the Auburn Doubledays, but after falling behind 8-2 after three innings, the team couldn't crawl its way back and lost 8-5.

Starter Josh Roberson (1-1) was lifted after the second inning. He gave up four runs. Evan Estes gave up four runs in the third inning. Tyler Kolek came on and stopped the bleeding, giving up only one hit over three innings, striking out three.

The offense was led by Demetrius Sims, who was 2-4 with two doubles and two runs scored (seen in the top photo scoring in the fifth inning).

Sean Reynolds was 0-4 but finished the season as the league leader in home runs (17), RBIs (52), Runs (49) and walks (42). He's the team leader in stolen bases with 13 (also the highest success rate in the league). He is the only player in 2018 to play every inning of all 76 games. He also finishes with a batting average .193 and a new league record of 133 strikeouts.

With the win, Auburn becomes the wildcard team in the NYPL playoffs.

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A caller reports a dog locked in a car at Home Depot on Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia.

The vehicle is a dark-color Suzuki.

Animal Control is responding. 

The current temperature is 87 degrees.

UPDATE 1:31 p.m.: An animal control officer spoke with the caller. The vehicle has left Home Depot.

Police are looking for a red Jeep with front-end damage after it reportedly hit a black vehicle on South Swan Street, Batavia, and then fled the scene.

Sean Reynolds doubled and tripled Sunday afternoon, driving in four runs, to lift the Batavia Muckdogs past the Auburn Doubledays 5-4 in the second-to-last game of the regular season at Dwyer Stadium.

Reynolds (shown swatting his triple in the third inning, second photo) now has 52 RBIs on the season to lead the league. He also struck out twice, extending his record-breaking K total to 131 (the previous NYPL record was 117 set in 1982 (previous story)).

Bryce Howe started and tossed the first four frames, giving up two runs and striking out seven. The win went to Elkin Alcala (4-2). Jameson McGrane got his third save despite giving up two runs in the ninth.

Davis Bradshaw, an 11th-round pick from Missouri, who has been batting leadoff and hitting .333 since joining the team three weeks ago, had two hits and scored a run.

The Muckdogs close out the season tomorrow with a Labor Day game that starts at 1:05 p.m.

Top Photo: Bradshaw singles safe after trying to score from third on a groundball to short. Home plate umpire Roberto Pattison disagreed with Bradshaw's assessment of the play, ruling that Doubledays catcher Wilmer Perez applied the tag in time.

Bryce Howe

Bradshaw in the first inning stroked a ground ball down the third base line for a double.

Ronal Reynoso with a sacrifice bunt.

Bubba Hollins

Reynolds at first.

Reynoso

The Fighting Irish battled the heat, their own mistakes, a good Canisteo-Greenwood, and to some partisan eyes, some questionable penalty calls but in the end the home team came out top.

Notre Dame beat the Redskins 31-25, scoring the winning touchdown on a five-yard reception by Zach Cocking (top photo) with 30 seconds left on the clock.

"We persevered and one thing I've been telling these kids all year is to believe in themselves," said Head Coach Joe Zambito, who notched his first win in his first official game at the helm. "It was something in previous years that they would get down and they would hang their hat and they just would quit. Today, they wouldn't quit and they kept coming back and they kept coming back and you know a lot of things didn't go our way today. But at the end of the day, we had the ball last and we were the last team to score and we made it happen."

Zambito said it was a team effort and many ways it was but Gabe McDonald had a special game, going for 210 yards on 23 carries leading to two touchdowns.

Tim Klotzbach was 12-21 and 147 yards at QB, tossing two TDs. He also had three interceptions.

His favorite target was Cocking, who had seven catches for 82 yards and that game-winning reception in the end zone.

The defense was lead by Lucas Calarco and Dakota Sica, who had nine tackles each. McDonald had seven and one interceptions.

There was little scoring in the first half and the Irish took an 8-0 lead into the locker room at the half. After the Redskins scored to make it 8-6, Zambito sensed his team was playing a little flat. He mentioned to a coach at that point that here they were with the lead but the team looked like they were losing.

"Bad habits are hard to break," Zambito said. "They've had two wins in two years and they're just not used to being the dominating team on the field. They're not used to being ahead. They're used to playing from way behind. I think that played a role in it but as the game went on I think they realized that we had a shot."

Zambito would like to keep the momentum going but Notre Dame gets an usual bye next week because Oakfield-Alabam/Elab dropped out of 11-man football just before the season started, leaving a hole in the schedule (O-A/Elba elected to play eight-man football). His team, he believes, that with day-by-day improvement, they do indeed have a shot at post-season play.

"Yeah, I think we've got a shot to get to sectionals," Zambito said. "I mean this Canisteo-Greenwood team is a good football team and obviously Alexander is just phenomenal. But I think we have a shot to get to sectionals and we know what do we have to do. We have to limit our turnovers we have to limit our penalties. Our mistakes. We have to play mistake-free football but then again we didn't do that today at all and we still managed to come out of here with a win. And it's all because they persevered."

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The Batavia Blue Devils have a message for the rest of Section V Class B: We're coming for the block.

They delivered that message loud and clear last night to #2 ranked Hornell (Batavia is ranked #1), the team that took the block (the Section V sectional trophy) from them in 2017, with a convincing 48-14 win at home.

The Blue Devils relished the win against a perennial Class B rival and Southern Tier powerhouse.

"It means a lot," said senior QB Ethan Biscaro. "To lose last year (in the Section V title game) and have them open up here at home, it couldn’t have been any better."

The message the rest of the class might want to heed is the 2018 Blue Devils are more than their two-time All-Greater-Rochester star Ray Leach. This team has weapons in players like Biscaro, Alex Rood, and Cody Burns who can also chew up yards and put points on the board.

Batavia had 379 total yards on the ground. Rood carried the ball 13 times for 168 yards and a TD. Burns had five carries for 95 yards and a TD. And Leach ran 14 times for 88 yards and two TDs.

Biscaro was also 3-5 passing for 32 yards and a TD. Burns had the TD reception.

Head Coach Brennan Briggs can't deny he's excited by the talent on the team but he also pointed out, it's one game, it's early in the season, the team still has a lot to learn and improve on and if they don't improve every week they won't be able to handle the rigors of post-season play.

"I'm never going to get complacent with where we are I can guarantee that," Briggs said. "I'll be watching film tonight. I'll be watching it tomorrow morning. I'll be going down watching Lavonia a couple hours away tomorrow. So we'll we'll have his team ready to go next week and we'll fix our mistakes and hopefully get better every day."

Briggs is never going to come into a game expecting his team to lose, even against a team like Hornell, but he did not predict a blow-out win.

"I still don't know if the score tells the true story," Briggs said. "You know, as the season goes on we'll see. This is a great win. But you know it's going to be more important if we see them in the sectionals, sometime in the sectional tournament, to see if we play our best game against them."

Rood and Leach, along with Briggs, gave all the credit to the offensive line for the team's dominant performance offensively.

"They did a fantastic job and we're tough on them," Briggs said. "We're as tough on them as any of the positions on the team because we told them, 'hey you know you win or lose games up front.' They take pride in it. They're a brotherhood."

For Burns, a junior, this was a break-out game. At 5'6", he's one of the smallest players on the field but he plays big. And he's fast. He scored his TD on a busted play where the offensive line pushed left and he ran right. By the time the Hornell defense realized it was following the line and not the ball, it was too late. Burns was gone. Nobody could catch him. He streaked more than 60 yards untouched for a TD.

On defense, he started at linebacker. Yes, at 150 pounds, linebacker.

"On defense, he plays tough," Briggs said. "He's not big at all but he'll bring it. He's ready to go bust the wedge on kickoff or knock their teeth in."

This season was also a test for the home team. They had to show they could overcome off-season turmoil and focus on football.

A month ago, Leach and teammate Antwan Odom got into a fight on Ross Street. Odom is accused of pulling out a pocket knife and stabbing Leach at least 10 times, leaving him with eight wounds that required stitches.

Briggs said his players did a good job of keeping the off-field antics out of the locker room and off the practice field.

"Everybody really put it behind them," Briggs said. "It's an unfortunate thing, but you know we're here now and we're living in the moment and moving forward."

Leach said he's feeling much better and came into the game ready for the season.

"I just had to stay positive and lean on my teammates," Leach said. "My teammates picked me up and I just had to work hard and practice on whatever little things I can do."

Also in Genesee County football on Friday: 

• Alexander beat York-Pavilion 50 to 12. Chris McClinic had 11 carries for 149 yards and 1 TD run and 1 kick return for TD. Terrez Smith rushed five times for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Ty Woods hauled in three passes for 64 yards and a TD. QB Dylan Busch was 6-7 for 81 yards and a TD. Jake Jasen had 19 tackles. He also rushed three times for 15 yards and TD late in the game.
• Geneseo beat Pembroke 30-9.
• Le Roy beat Avon 47-13. Le Roy's offense rolled up 413 total yards. Cineque Robinson had 11 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown, Jake Hill had eight rushes for 93 yards and two TDs, Kyler LaCarte picked up 62 yards on 13 touches and scored twice. Hill was 5-10 passing for  60 yards and TD. Anthony Leitte led the team with seven tackles.

Top Photo: Biscaro (#8) and Burns (#12) celebrate after Burns scored a TD on a busted play.

Alex Rood

Ethan Biscaro scores.

Ray Leach just about to cross the goal line on the second of his two TDs.

Rood with a tackle in the backfield. He had eight tackles to lead the team Friday.

Rood breaks away for another TD.

Cody Burns

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A two-car accident is reported in the area of 364 W. Main St., Batavia.

A person has a complaint of chest pain from the shoulder harness of the seat belt.

The vehicles are blocking traffic.

City fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:38 a.m.: Vehicles have been removed. The street is clear. City fire back in service.

Learning to get along has always been one of the toughest challenges for schoolchildren and when children fight, it's disruptive to a school's instructional environment.

Educators in the City School District think they've found a better way to help children avoid angry resentments and reduce lost class time because of conflicts.

Administrators and teachers have been trained in the practices of peace circles and restorative conversations. The practices are being used in all four of the district's schools.

"It aligns with our districtwide model on promoting social-emotional learning," said Kia Evans, principal at Jackson Elementary. "At our level, with 5-year-olds, social-emotional learning for us means helping kids learn to process very, very big emotions, helping them deal with different situations; helping them come up with the words to articulate it instead of some of the negative behaviors that are attached to it."

Currently, the district has a pretty young crop of principals. Ashley John Grillo is entering his third year at Batavia Middle School; Paul Kesler was principal at John Kennedy but is entering his first full year at Batavia High School; Evans is entering her second year at Jackson; and Amanda Cook took over at John Kennedy Intermediate in the second half of last year.

But a test of whether an innovative program is really working is whether its proponents would carry it with them if they changed employers and all four principals said, about peace circles and restorative conversations, yes, they would, absolutely.

"What’s nice about those things is you get kids talking about those things and then they start writing about them and it just flows nicely," Grillo said.

Grillo said the practices of the peace circle aren't just used in conflict situations. Students also get a chance to use them and learn from them in academic situations.

"In the science lab, you have hypothesis and conclusion, and as you go around the circle, they're all going to have different results in some cases," Grillo said. "Then they can come up with a consensus in class and decide, what is the main takeaway from doing this activity. We call those academic circles but those fall on the same protocols as doing peace circles or a restorative circle."

A peace circle usually involves an entire class and at least one adult facilitator (though at the higher grades students can become their own facilitators). An object, such as a ball, is used -- the peace object -- and only the person holding it is allowed to speak. The students are encouraged to talk about what's bothering them in respectful ways and what concerns them about a particular situation. There are guidelines to follow but the students respond well, even at the younger grade levels, the principals said.

"It forces you to listen and process and a lot of times if you’re still upset and you're passed the ball, you might say pass," Evans said. "But the next time it comes around, you’ve heard and you’ve had an opportunity to process things, you can go further. Sometimes the person who was upset never contributes but it still feels like a healing process."

Grillo said a peace circle is a safe setting with rules of engagement and the students respect the protocols.

“I’ve seen it work beautifully," Grillo said.

Peace circles are also a way of building a sense of community among students.

"Teachers are using it to set values," Cook said. "This is a classroom community. We are all learners. How are we going to best take care of our classroom?"

Restorative conversations more often take place at the high school level, Kesler said. They usually involve a student who has been the subject of disciplinary action but the conversations are a chance to resolve conflicts once the disciplined student returns to class.

"It really does allow both parties to share how they feel they've been harmed what express what they would like to see as the intended outcome," Kesler said.

Kesler said not all of the BCSD teachers have been trained in peace circles. Many have taken the one-day seminar, several others have been through the full, three-day training session during a summer break.

As evidence students respond to it, Evans recalled the time a student saw a friend being mistreated in a hallway before class and he came to the teacher and requested a peace circle.

"He was in first grade," she said.

It might seem like peace circles take away from precious classroom academic time, but all four principals said the time spent on peace circles is a good investment.

"Your return on that time you’ve invested in a peace circle is going to pay back 10, 20 fold because you’ve already laid that groundwork," Cook said.

If small conflicts fester, other kids start picking sides and egging on the main antagonists. That's what administrators and teachers are trying to avoid.

"That 15 minutes is well spent," Evans said, "because later on the teacher has to address the behavior or address situation that could have been mitigated with a peace circle. That will cost more time academically."

The main data point the principals have to know protocols are working is the number of referrals to the principal's office. At his school, Grillo said referrals are down 50 percent.

"I really feel a big part of that, I’m not saying it’s the only answer but a big part of that is the restorative practices that the two assistant principles, the counselors, myself, and the teachers are all using," Grillo said. "We try to really get control of student issues and be proactive instead of reactive. I always feel that secondary education is reactive when it comes to discipline and I feel like we’ve turned that tide at the middle school."

A dispatcher just notified the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department that the Bethany Center Bridge has reopened.

The old bridge was built in the 1930s and in recent years had eroded into a crumbling, rusting eyesore. It was replaced this summer with a new $1.4 million span by the Department of Transportation.

Photo: From Aug. 17, when a construction foreman told The Batavian work would be completed by the first week of September.

Rachel Brittany Solomon, 26, of Meadville Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest, and harassment, 2nd. Solomon is accused of damaging the property of another person at 6:39 p.m. Thursday at a location on Meadville Road. Solomon allegedly resisted arrest and kicked a deputy while holding a child. Solomon was jailed on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.

Nicholas David Frayne, 21, of Two Rod Road, Alden, is charged with grand larceny, 4th, and criminal trespass, 3rd. Frayne allegedly stole scrap metal from an enclosed property on Sumner Road, Darien, on July 21 and Aug. 9. The case was investigated by Deputy Kyle Krzemien and Investigator Joseph Loftus. Also charged, Dalton James Offhaus, 21, of Brookville Road, Alexander.

Robert C. Hayes, 28, of Le Roy, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Hayes was stopped by State Police at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday on Route 20 in Pavilion.

Press release:

New York Farm Bureau, along with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner, Richard Ball, and Farmers for Free Trade, highlighted today the importance of open markets for the state’s farmers and encouraged a quick end to the trade war that is creating an economic hardship on family farms across New York.

The farmers gathered at the Great New York State Fair, an important celebration of New York agriculture, to discuss their concerns. A number of New York commodities, including dairy, soybeans, wine, maple and apples face retaliatory tariffs in several countries including China, Canada, Mexico and in the European Union.

In turn, commodity prices have fallen on agricultural products. Equipment prices are rising due to the steel and aluminum tariffs, and farmers are concerned about losing long-established markets as countries turn to other, cheaper sources for their food. These losses, in turn, will impact rural communities that depend on agriculture to support their local economies.

While U.S. agriculture has had a trade surplus, the farm economy has not been a bright spot for this country. Net farm income was already down by 50 percent before the trade wars began. When times are tough, this is when this country needs to be looking for new opportunities to expand markets to sell the quality products produced on our farms.

The principle agreement announced this week with Mexico is a positive step in the right direction, but ultimately, we will need Canada to complete an effective NAFTA deal. Farmers also encouraged a resolution to disputes elsewhere, including China.

“We understand that trade agreements may need to be updated, but we have to be careful not to damage the relationships that we already have and depend on,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher. “We are encouraging our leaders in Washington, to move quickly at getting the parties back to the negotiating table, much like we have seen this week with Mexico, and to move forward on improving trade relations with our partners.”

“The tariffs being imposed on our agricultural commodities are compounding an already difficult marketplace and putting New York’s farmers in a precarious situation. Once these markets are lost, we could find it extremely difficult to regain that footing. We have an opportunity here to collaborate with our partners and to call for new free trade agreements and thoughtful, long-term solutions,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball.

“Farmers for Free Trade is proud to join the New York Farm Bureau at the state fair today to discuss the importance of trade to New York's agriculture and manufacturing industries,” said Angela Hofmann, deputy director of Farmers for Free Trade. “Today's joint event will highlight the price that New York agriculture and manufacturing workers are paying from the trade war and call attention to the need for consistent and fair trade policies.”

“Our farmers are reliable, they are resilient, and they are responsible. They are ingenuitive and they are innovative in producing an excellent product for consumers both stateside and abroad amid a myriad of unpredictable challenges including the weather and ever-changing consumer demand. As steadfast patriots, we look to our government to recognize that our growers already operate in an environment of uncertainty and hope that this administration will facilitate opening the doorway to global opportunities in a way that is good for our country and its farmers,” said Colleen Klein, New York Corn and Soybean Growers Association’s executive director.

“Since the end of May, following Mexico’s announcement of 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. cheeses, the price we receive for our milk has dropped by 14 percent. To put that into realistic terms for our dairy farm, that is a loss of more than $3,000 a day. Farm families like mine and our dairy farming friends across New York State are asking for a quick end to the trade war affecting our families’ livelihoods and our country’s backbone, the American farmer,” said Johanna Fox-Bossard, Barbland Dairy in Fabius.

“New York maple producers are concerned about trade from two fronts. The tariffs in both Asia and Canada mean a potential loss of markets for American made maple syrup as cheaper Canadian maple syrup moves in to fill the void. In addition, the steel and aluminum tariffs have resulted in price hikes for equipment we need to produce maple syrup. My company alone was forced to increase prices 10 percent, prices that eventually will be passed down to consumers. We need a fix now before there are long-lasting repercussions on New York’s maple industry,” said Dwayne Hill, Shaver-Hill Maple Farm.

A pair of voter referendums to help Le Roy Fire Department purchase a new ladder truck was defeated at the ballot box Tuesday night by tallies of 107 for and 236 against to buy a new truck, and 113 for and 228 against to sell the current truck.

The first referendum would have authorized the Le Roy Fire District to borrow $1 million and spend $400,000 of reserve funds.

Yesterday, Fire District officials released the following statement:

“We would like to thank the voters of the Le Roy Fire District for taking the time to turn out and vote at last night’s election and express their views.

The results of this vote will help us shape how the District’s responsibility to provide the best possible fire protection and service to the residents.

At the same time, we need to recognize the time and efforts of the Departments’ officers and Apparatus Committee for their two years of time and research into developing the basis for this vote. We will redirect their work into continuing the best possible firefighting force for this community.

We must keep in front of us that this was a vote on a fire truck and not on the dedication, commitment and professionalism of the men and women of the Le Roy Fire Department.”

Signed: Le Roy Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, Fire Chiefs and Officers

The primary unemployment rate of 3.7 percent in Genesee County is the lowest July rate locally since 2001.

While July is traditional the among the lowest rates of any given year, at 3.7 percent, it's the lowest rate of any month since October 2006.

The rate dropped six-tenths of a percent since last July.

The primary unemployment rate -- called the U-3 rate by labor economists (there are six such levels of rates) -- counts work-age people who either have jobs or are actively seeking employment. It doesn't include people who are permanently or temporarily out of the workforce either by choice or disability.

The number of residents of Genesee County who are counted in the rate is 30,600, up from 30,500 a year ago. The highest July number over the past 28 years was 34,800 in 2008. There are 1,100 people in the county seeking work, down from 1,300 a year ago and 29,500 people with jobs, up 300 from a year ago.

The number of jobs in Genesee County grew year-over-year from 23,700 to 23,800. The number of non-farm, private-sector jobs grew from 18,600 to 18,800.

The Genesee County Job Development Bureau reports it currently knows of 879 job openings locally, down 15.6 percent from last month when there were 1,042 job openings listed.

The state unemployment rate is 4.2 percent, down from 4.9 percent a year ago. The national rate is 4.1 percent compared to 4.6 percent a year ago.

Tops Markets today announced it plans to close 10 stores but the neither the Batavia store nor the Le Roy store is on the list.

Tops is in the midst of a financial restructuring and a judge overseeing their bankruptcy proceedings will need to approve the closures.

The chain's other 159 stores are all expected to remain open but as many as 600 of the company's 14,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs.

The company said the 10 stores selected for closure are "underperforming."

The stores scheduled for closure:

• 2120 W. Genesee St., Syracuse
• 4141 S. Salina St., Syracuse
• 710 Lake Ave., Rochester
• 175 N. Winton Road, Rochester
• 6720 Pittsford/Palmyra Road, Fairport
• 33 Forgham St., Lyons
• 381 Hamilton St., Geneva
• 909 W. 1st St. S., Fulton
• 299 S. Main St., Elmira
• 622 Lake Flower Ave., Saranac Lake

Press release:

Darien Lake, a Six Flags Theme Park, and the Coaster Capital of New York, today announced plans to debut the tallest attraction in the entire state — the all-new Six Flags SkyScreamer — for the 2019 season. This staggering, 242-foot-tall swing ride will reign as the region’s new, iconic symbol, beckoning guests from near and far. The park will also be rebranded Six Flags Darien Lake when it opens next spring.

“We are thrilled to introduce the kind of innovative, world-class attraction that Six Flags is known for,” said Darien Lake Park President Chris Thorpe. “This high-flying tower ride will offer guests a chance to soar through the clouds with majestic views of the park and surrounding countryside far below. Six Flags SkyScreamer is an exciting, new addition befitting the name Six Flags Darien Lake.”

Once the 32 thrill-seekers board the ride, it quickly rises, taking guests 24 stories into the air while spinning round and round at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. By night, Six Flags SkyScreamer’s bold, synchronized light package will light up the skies.

Six Flags SkyScreamer Facts:

• A soaring 24-stories tall;
• 32 riders, sitting two across in open-air swings; and
• Spinning round and round a 98-foot circle at 35 miles per hour.

Six Flags SkyScreamer is scheduled to open in spring 2019. For more information on Six Flags SkyScreamer and next season at Darien Lake, visit https://www.sixflags.com/darienlake/newfor2019.

Darien Lake is also announcing the start of 2019 Season Pass sales with its special Flash Sale through Labor Day weekend featuring the best deal of the year — savings up to 70 percent off on a 2019 Pass, which also includes admission to 2018 Fright Fest® a new Halloween event this October.

Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, guests will receive a free upgrade to a Gold Combo Season Pass with every Pass purchased. Gold Combo Season Passes include admission to Six Flags Darien Lake and any other Six Flags theme park, as well as free parking, special admission offers for friends and a free drink bottle with paid refills.

During the Flash Sale guests can also join the Six Flags Membership program for 50 percent off the Season Price and receive three free bonus months. Six Flags Membership includes all of the benefits of Season Pass plus more than 50 additional benefits such as unlimited soft drinks, preferred parking, walk-on passes for rides, and exclusive waterpark seating. Members can also participate in Six Flags Membership Rewards, a new loyalty program that allows guests to earn valuable prizes for just for riding rides, seeing shows, and having a great time at the park.

Photo from yesterday evening by Jim Schmitt.

There has yet to be another meeting scheduled of GOP chairs in the New York 27th Congressional District and Genesee County's GOP chairman, Dick Siebert, isn't feeling overly optimistic that the chairs will find a way to get the name of Chris Collins off the November ballot.

Collins, the two-term congressman for the NY-27, suspended his campaign a month ago after being arrested by federal authorities for allegedly providing an illegal stock tip to his son, Cameron Collins.

"I’ve got of got a feeling that he’s not coming off the ballot but what do I know," Siebert said. "How it looks at this stage is, he’s on the ballot."

Siebert hasn't heard anything from the other chairs since the eight of them from the district met with potential candidates to replace Collins a week ago. 

There have apparently been attempts to find a ballot line for Collins in a more diminutive seat in a town in Erie County, but as the Clarence Bee reports, those efforts aren't being embraced by local town officials.

Siebert said he isn't surprised.

"He’s pretty toxic," Siebert said. "I’m sure some town boards wouldn’t want anything to do with this."

All of that wrangling, though, Siebert said, is for others to worry about. Collins said he will cooperate with any effort to get his name removed from the NY-27 ballot, which Siebert said he is counting on, and then it's up to the attorneys to figure out how to do it in a way that will withstand a legal challenge by Democrats. As far as Siebert's concerned, the only job of the GOP chairs is to pick a replacement for Collins if his name is removed.

"If we do anything, let's find the best candidate, at least," Siebert said. "Let's try to find the best one if the opportunity presents itself and if it doesn't, well, then, we did our best to try and be ready."

There are reportedly still eight GOP hopefuls. Siebert noted that only one remains from Genesee County, Steve Hawley.

"I've lost two candidates, (David) Bellavia and (Mike) Ranzenhofer but I've still got one candidate and I think highly of him," Siebert said. "I thought Steve and Ranzenhofer both did very well and were both very highly rated by our group."

While Ranzenhofer has withdrawn his name from consideration, Hawley told The Batavian yesterday that he's waiting for the process to play out, at least for now.