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Women's dog's shot in Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

A woman on Bloomingdale Road came home a short time ago to find both of her dogs shot.

No further details available at this time.

Locomotive fire and grass fire calls come in near the same time

By Howard B. Owens

A call came in for a locomotive fire south of Griswold Road in Stafford. There is smoke visible. Shortly after that call another call came in for a grass fire near the railroad crossing at Beaver Meadow Road in Bergen.

The Stafford fire is apparently not accessible via Griswold Road and a chief is suggesting crews try to get to it from School Road.

South Byron is responding to the Beaver Meadow fire.

UPDATE: There is heavy smoke across Griswold Road and because of concerns about potential toxic fumes, Griswold is being close. CSX is in the process of shutting down other train traffic on the line.

UPDATE: There is reportedly 3,000 gallons of oil contained in the locomative. The oil has burned off at this point and an investigation is under way. There are also container cars for ethanol, but those are empty. Firefighters are notified that there's a westbound train going through Bergen.

UPDATE: There's a strong wind advisory in effect from the National Weather Service, with notice of thunderstorms possible. The thunderstorms are just now coming off Lake Erie.

UPDATE: There's still no word from the train service, CSX, about whether tracks are shut down. A rep is expected on scene within 45 minutes.

UPDATE: In Darien, there's a report of a rubbish fire. The Stafford fire is under control, but still being worked. Darien is also asked to fill in for Stafford.

UPDATE: The locomotive fire is determined to fueled by a combination electrical means and diesel fuel. Firefighters say they saw the fire well before they could reach it and by the time they got to it, the fuel had burned itself off. The fire scene can't be cleared until the railroad rep gets there, but dispatch is informed that due to a backlog of work, they won't be able to get someone there as soon as expected.

UPDATE: The railroad rep is on scene or en route to the scene. The railroad company has also requested a haz-mat team to the scene. The train is not expected to move for another three or four hours.

Dozens of kids show up for Pembroke fire company Easter egg hunt

By Howard B. Owens

Dozens of children found treats, prizes and candy today at the Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department Easter Egg Hunt at the department's facility.  The sun was out and everybody seemed to have a good time.

More pictures after the jump:

 

Photos: Three pictures from Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

On my way to and from the Pembroke Easter egg hunt, I took a few pictures. Up top are some sheep in a field off Route 5, a mile or so east of Route 77. This looks like it will be a picture worth going out to take again when the trees fill out and maybe again in autumn.

Below, an old one-way sign outside the Pembroke Fire Hall, and below that, an old commercial building in Pembroke.

Two men accused of beating up friend on Friday morning

By Howard B. Owens

A pair of Batavia men are in jail, held on $10,000 bail each, charged with burglary and assault for allegedly refusing to leave an apartment and beating up the occupant.

The two men were apparently friends with the victim.

The alleged incident happened yesterday at 4:47 a.m. The apartment is located on East Avenue.

Taken into custody were Daniel J. Gilbert, 18, of 10 Tracy Ave., and Dustin N. Garrett, 20, of 24 Tracy Ave..

Arresting officers were Frank Klimjack and Daniel Coffey.

Today's Deals: Blue Pearl, O'Lacy's, Main St. Pizza, Oliver's and more

By Howard B. Owens

Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Exercise your soul as well as your body in a friendly and relaxing atm.osphere. We have a gift certificate for five weeks of yoga, a $50 value, for $25.

O'Lacy's Irish Pub, 5 School St. Batavia, NY: In Irish pubs, it doesn't get more authentic than O'Lacy's. Be sure to try the homemade chips. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Main St. Pizza Company, 206 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Pizza, wings, subs and even hamburgers and hot dogs, Main St. Pizza makes everything deliciously. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Oliver's Candies, 211 W. Main St., Batavia, NY. Oliver's, a Batavia landmark, offers the finest chocolate and confections in the area. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently until you try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $20 gift card for $10.

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, NY: Feel like a kid in a toy store again, or treat your kids to the greatest toy store they will ever see. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Sallome's Italian Deli, 40 Oak St., Batavia, NY: Wraps, subs, paninis and pasta as well as pizzas -- Sallome's offers a tasty variety of Italian deli items for eat-in or take-out. We have $10 gift certificates for $5 each.

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

SOLD OUT

Bicyclist struck by car on Ellicott Street Road, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A bicyclist has been struck by a car at Ellicott Street Road and Swan Street.

The victim is still down and reportedly bleeding from his head.

Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS have been dispatched.

UPDATE: Patient transported by ground ambulance to UMMC. Fire and police clear scene.

Possible brush fire reported in Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

A possible brush fire has been reported in the area of Route 5 and Lovers Lane Road, near the Thruway overpass, Pembroke.

East Pembroke and Indian Falls fire have been dispatched.

UPDATE 4:46 p.m.: Address now given as 717 Route 5, across from Pembroke Bait and Tackle.

UPDATE 4:56 p.m.: Alabama is being dispatched for additional manpower. The Akron brush truck has been requested. The fire is reportedly not near a structure, but moving toward a structure.

Batavians out enjoying the summer-like Sun in April

By Howard B. Owens

Kristen Anderson catches a Frisbee tossed by her friend Steve Martino (below) while they were out enjoying the sun at Centennial Park this afternoon with their friends Lauren Rohan and Katie Porter (not pictured) and dogs Tucker and Milo.

Above, Ian Fuchs, 7, helps with the family car wash on State Street.

An unidentified bicyclist tooling down Washington Avenue.

Police Beat: Alleged DWI arrest follows after cop observes suspect in store

By Howard B. Owens

John P. Vanderzell, 62, of 9732 Summit Street Road, Le Roy, is charged with DWI and aggravated DWI (driving with a BAC of .08 or greater). Vanderzell was reportedly observed at a store in Le Roy by Sgt. Michael J. Hare in an intoxicated condition. Sgt. Hare then reportedly observed Vanderzell get into his car and drive away. Sgt. Hare stopped Vanderzell and arrested him for alleged DWI.

Kyle B. Bacon, 19, of 679 E. Main St., Apt. 4C and Ryan T. Nugent, 19, same address, are charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Batavia Police were dispatched to 679 E. Main St., Apt. 4C to check a report of underage drinking. Upon arriving, police allegedly found Bacon and Nugent in possession of alcohol.

Robert L. Drozdowski, 28, of 15 Washington St., Castile, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Drozdowski was reportedly issued a stay away order out of City Court, which he allegedly violated by contacting the subject person by leaving voicemails on the person's mobile phone.

Accidents reported on the State Police blotter:

2:04 p.m., March 31, Boyce Road, Pembroke, one vehicle; Driver 1: Daniel M. Johnston, 58, of Corfu. No injuries reported.

Car accident reported at Main and Liberty

By Howard B. Owens

There are possible injuries in a car accident at Main in Liberty in Batavia.

The driver is reportedly pregnant and there are children in the car.

City Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE: Only minor injuries reported.


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Record traffic in March, and most viewed posts

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavian set new records in the three key Web traffic stats we watch.

  • Unique visitors: 42,215
  • Visits: 176,152
  • Page Views: 301,889

Unique visitors doesn't necessarily translate into X number of people. The tools that measure Web traffic can only count computers. One person may use two different computers to visit the site in a month, or two people may share the same computer.  But it is a close approximation of number of people who visited the site.

Visits accounts for all the times that people visited the site in the month.  One unique visitor can account for several visits.

Page Views are the number of times a page of the site is downloaded into a Web browser window.

The previous records:

  • Unique Visitors: 38,057 in August
  • Visits: 155,782 in January
  • Page Views: 292,176 in August

Thank you all for your support.

Here's the most viewed posts for March:

Today's Deals: Blue Pearl, Carlson's, Matty's, Settler's and more

By Howard B. Owens

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Exercise your soul as well as your body in a friendly and relaxing atm.osphere. We have a gift certificate for three weeks of yoga, a $30 value, for $15

Carlson's Studio, 39 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: Now is the time to start planning your spring portraits. We have a $100 gift card for $50 (+$2 PayPal Service fee).

Matty's Pizzeria, 4152 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Matty's is another Batavia favorite for pizza and wings. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Margarita's Mexican Restaurant, 15 Jackson St., Batavia, NY: When you're looking for an authentic Mexican meal, Margarita's is the place to go. The food and atmosphere are perfect and the service is always outstanding. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Settler's Restaurant, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently until you try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $20 gift card for $10.

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Handcrafted items, gifts with a regional flair, candles, teas and spices -- South Main has a wide selection to please most any interest. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, NY: Feel like a kid in a toy store again, or treat your kids to the greatest toy store they will ever see. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

SOLD OUT

 

Truck hits utility pole on Bloomingdale Road, Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

A truck hit a utility pole in the area of 1254 Bloomingdale Road, Alabama.

A transformer may have been knocked down. There are wires on the roadway and Bloomingdale is now closed.

There is also fluid on the ground.

Alabama Fire is responding.

UPDATE:  Reportedly, a semi-truck with trailer hit the pole. It reportedly also hit a structure, possibly a house.  It then reportedly left the scene.

Wide loads snarl traffic in Downtown Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

Seven or eight trucks carrying wide loads, along with multiple escort vehicles, passed through Batavia on Main Street this morning.

At about 11:30, traffic was tied up between Ellicott and Oak streets, as at least four police cars were used to block traffic, allowing the convoy to pass safely along the route.

The trucks appeared to be hauling windmill parts.

New York's new blue and gold plates now available

By Howard B. Owens

Genesee County Clerk Don Read holds up one of the new New York license plates, which are now available.

Unlike the original plan, switching to the new plate is not mandatory, and just because you register your new vehicle, doesn't mean you will get the blue and gold plate. Unless requested, according to Read, the old Empire State plates will be given out until there are none left (that's them on the shelves behind Read).

People who want the new plate when it's time to renew their vehicle registration, can request a pair.

However, vehicle owners with "County Clerk Plates" (GS, BA and 7H series) will have to wait until the current supply of those Empire Plates are used up. The State isn't sending out county plates until current supplies ares are depleted.

Read, a history buff, said he likes the plates' retro design.

"A lot of people don't like them," Read said. "I think they're nice."

Critical week for many New Yorkers out of work as benefits expire

By Howard B. Owens

For many New Yorkers who lost their jobs near the start of the recession nearly two years ago, this could be a terrifying week.

Unemployment benefits cannot be extended past 99 weeks, and for 46,000 New Yorkers, those 99 weeks are up.

Figures for how many Genesee County residents might be effected are not immediately available, but the Democrat and Chronicle reports that 2,100 Rochester-area residents will be losing their benefits this week.

In each of the following weeks, more and more people will see their benefits expire.

Last year, Congress extended the previous 26 weeks of benefits to 99 weeks, but officials are not expecting another extension.

State Labor officials are encouraging people who are losing benefits to visit the state's "My Benefits" site and complete a five-minute self-assessment of income and family situation to determine what other government aid might be available.

Potential assistance includes food stamps, health benefits, school lunch programs and other government programs.

Officials are also encouraging unemployed workers to reach out to job centers in the state, such as the one on East Main in Batavia, which can help with job-search tasks.

The latest figures from the Department of Labor put Genesee County's unemployment rate at 9.1 percent. The state's rate is 9.3 percent, while the rate nationally is 10.4 percent.

UPDATE: Jeanne Ianita, business services representative for the Department of Labor in Batavia, called with the local numbers.  On the week ending March 28, 98 people in Genesee County lost their benefits. Over the next three weeks, unemployment payments will stop for another 19 people.

Below is a video produced by the State Department of Labor:

Police Beat: Man accused of breaking up items in mother's home

By Howard B. Owens

Sath Paul Dhanda, 29, of 5458 Clapsaddle Road, Bethany, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Dhanda was arrested at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, after his mother phoned in a complaint about him allegedly breaking items in her home. Dhanda was allegedly drunk. He reportedly threw a sewing machine and knocked over two television sets. He was jailed on $5,000 bail. This is the fourth time Dhanda has been arrested since October.

Farah St. Cloud, 18, of 1196 Lake Ave., #2, Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. St. Cloud is accused of engaging in violent and threatening behavior by attempting to fight with other residents at College Village. During the 3 a.m. incident, St. Cloud reportedly had to be held back by roommates and College Village staff.

Joshua Cordero McIver, 22, of 130 3rd Ave., Apt. 18H, Brooklyn, is charged with criminal trespass, 3rd. McIver was reportedly at College Village after being banned from the property.

Ricky A. Marsceill, 45, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation. Marsceill was stopped by State Police at 11:10 p.m., Tuesday, on Route 33 in Stafford.

Justin M. Quaintance, 18, of Bergen, is charged with grand larceny, 3rd. Quaintance was arrested Tuesday by State Police on charges that stem from a Sept. 26 incident. No further details were released.

Tanya M. Tomlin, 41, of Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal impersonation, 2nd. Tomlin is accused of shoplifting from Kmart at 12:55 p.m., Tuesday. She was arrested by State Police.

Jeffery D. Appleberry, 33, of Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Appleberry was stopped by State Police on the Thruway in Stafford at 10:30 p.m., Monday.

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