Stories from

Daniel Nathan Bernard, 20, of 6083 Route 5, Stafford, is charged with petty larceny. Bernard is accused of stealing $60 in winning scratch-off lottery tickets from his father's locked car, which was parked at his father's house.

Eileen Barbara Ferrando, 37, of 53 W. Main St., Corfu, was picked up on a bench warrant issued in the City of Batavia for alleged unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Ferrando was turned over to the Batavia Police Department.

Scott Webb, 19, of 12 Grote St., Buffalo, is charged with petty larceny. Grote is accused of stealing game prizes from a game stand at Darien Lake Theme Park.

A 17-year-old from Corfu is accused of reckless driving and endangering the welfare of a child.  The youth allegedly drove at a high rate of speed down Chapel Street in Elba, losing control and coming within feet of striking a child riding a bicycle. The youth was issued an appearance ticket.

Adam Miller Toy & Bicycles, 8 Center St., Batavia, N.Y.: 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.

Belladessa's Pizzeria, 9 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: Um, pizza and wings! We have a Family Meal Deal ($25 value), which is a large pizza, 24 wings and a 2 litre soft drink for $12.50.

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 S. Main St. Road, Batavia, N.Y.: A large selection of gift items and items for the home, with new items arriving every week. We have a $20 gift certificate for $9.

Batavia Downs Grandstand Bar & Grille: Enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the regions most popular entertainment venues. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10 and .50 cents on items below $10.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value.  People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before.  By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

Adam Miller Toy and Bicycles

SOLD

Belladessa's

SOLD

South Main Country Gifts

sold

Batavia Downs Grandstand Bar and Grille

SOLD

Through a special arrangement with Max Pies Furniture, 400 South Jackson St., Batavia, The Batavian is able to extend this special, online-only offer to its readers:

We have for sale a rocker recliner. This big, comfortable chair normally sells for $699. The first reader of The Batavian to act on this offer can buy it online for $399 (plus sales tax). That's a $300 savings!

You can't buy this recliner in the store at that price.

The winner of this exclusive item will be able to choose from an in-stock rocker recliner or custom order in one of the three available colors.

The rocker recliner features soft upholstery and plush contemporary styling so you can enjoy a comfortable relaxing time whether watching TV, reading or enjoying good conversation. With plush saddle arms and unique butler back design, these recliners are comfortable while retaining their design that compliments almost any home décor. The upholstery, construction and design are built to handle everyday living.

]The winning purchaser will need to arrange to stop by The Batavian office to pick up a purchase voucher. Final arrangements to take delivery of the chair are made at the Max Pies location at 400 South Jackson St. This item will be available until it sells.

The voucher has no cash value, but can be used toward an upgrade purchase on another item.

Deliver is free in Genesee County.

To purchase this online exclusive from The Batavian and Max Pies Furniture, click the PayPal button below (this is the only way you can make this purchase -- this price is NOT available in the store).

A pair of tractor trailers have collided on eastbound Interstate 90 at about mile marker 288. One is reportedly partially overturned. No injuries reported at this time.

One driver reports being cut off by another truck driver.  No further details at this time.

New York has lost more than 160,000 manufacturing jobs and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants to do something about it.

That's noble, but her four-point plan doesn't address the major issues causing the swift decline of manufacturing jobs.

The main factors leading to closed plants and reduced workforces are trade imbalances, large chains forcing manufactures to reduce costs unreasonably, and New York's burdensome regulatory environment and high taxes.

Gillibrand's calls for manageable health care for small businesses and the self-employed, upgraded rail infrastructure, transition manufacturing to clean engergy production and expand a government program called manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Of course, health care costs are a major obstacle to small business start-ups, and providing adequate transportation to get goods to market is a reasonable role for government, and while clean energy is a noble idea, if the free market rejects it, what right does the government have to force the issue?

Gillibrand can't do much about Albany, but she is in a position to impact trade issues as well as anti-competitive practices of multinational chains such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Full release after the jump:

Washington, D.C. – New York has lost more than 160,000 manufacturing jobs since 2001, or nearly one-quarter of its manufacturing base. To help New York’s manufactures get back on track immediately and to strengthen them for the long term, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today unveiled her plan to help small and mid-sized businesses afford health care, open and expand new markets, and transition to clean energy production that will power New York and the country for decades to come.

“It's no secret that manufacturing has been struggling in New York and throughout the country,” Senator Gillibrand said. “New York’s manufacturers powered us through the 20th century, but have been among those hardest hit by these difficult economic times. We cannot rebuild our economy without our manufacturers. We need to get New York’s small and mid-sized businesses back on track today, and harness the power of our manufacturing tradition to rebuild and fuel the new economy. My plan will help power our economy through the 21st century – creating thousands of new, good-paying jobs right here in New York.”
 
Every corner of New York State has been crippled by manufacturing job loss. In fact, 52 of New York’s 62 counties show significant loss of manufacturing jobs since 2001, with the rest only showing short-term, unsustainable gains.

According to Senator Gillibrand’s report, every corner of New York has shed manufacturing jobs since the start of the new century.


·        New York City lost 58,507 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 2,385 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 
·        Western New York lost 23,627 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 1,583 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        The Rochester-Finger Lakes Region lost 26,769 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 1,329 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        Central New York lost 14,140 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 1,333 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        The Southern Tier lost 6,332 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 590 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        The Capital Region lost 7,367 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 771 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        The North Country lost 3,236 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 395 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        The Hudson Valley lost 6,791 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 626 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.
 

·        Long Island lost 16,841 manufacturing jobs from 2001 to 2008. However, in the past ten years, 867 companies have benefited as a result of the MEP program, including retaining and creating new jobs.


To help New York’s small and medium-sized businesses get back on track now and transition New York’s manufactures to be the clean energy producers that will fuel New York’s economy for the long term, Senator Gillibrand unveiled her plan:

 

1.     Make Health Care Affordable for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed. More than half of America’s uninsured work for small businesses or are self employed. Senator Gillibrand is pushing the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Act. This legislation would make health care affordable by allowing small businesses to buy into an insurance pool with other businesses – reducing costs for all by spreading out risk. The SHOP Act would also offer tax credits for small businesses and the self-employed. Businesses with less than 50 employees would receive a tax credit of $1,000 for each insured employee -- $2,000 per family. For the self employed, the tax credit would be $1,800 for individuals and $3,600 for families.

 
2.      Upgrade Rail Infrastructure to Help Businesses Connect to New Markets, Cut Costs, Move Goods Faster, Easier and Cleaner. New York has over 1,200 miles of short-line railroads – connecting manufacturers and communities to America’s rail system and business hubs. To incentivize upgrades to New York’s short-line railroads so more New York businesses can take advantage of them, Senator Gillibrand is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that will increase the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation Tax Credit from $3,500 to $4,500 and extend these tax credits through 2013.

Freight rail helps cut emissions, reduces highway congestion and saves businesses money. In fact, one freight train can take upwards of 300 trucks off New York’s highways. And one gallon of gasoline can move one ton of freight from Buffalo to New York City. They help attract new businesses to New York and help existing manufacturers move their products to larger markets. For every $1 invested by the federal government to maintain short line freight rails, these tax credits would leverage $2 in private investments, which are set to expire at the end of this year. By expanding and extending these tax credits, Senator Gillibrand is incentivizing upgrades to our rail infrastructure so more businesses can use short line railroads to move goods and services to new markets, and compete and succeed in the economy.


3.      Transition New York Manufacturers To Clean Energy Production. Senator Gillibrand is working with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to introduce the Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology (IMPACT) Act this week. The legislation would invest $30 billion for states to establish a Manufacturing Revolving Loan Fund – helping small and medium-sized businesses retool, expand or establish homegrown clean energy manufacturing operation. The loans would help existing manufacturers get the capital they need to transition to clean energy production, and help get new businesses off the ground.

The IMPACT Act  would also invest $1.5 billion over five years for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) – helping manufacturers access clean energy markets and transition to new, innovative, clean energy manufacturing technologies. This would increase the federal share of MEP funding from one-third to one-half.

Between 2000 and 2003 in New York, a network of 10 independent non-profit organizations overseen by NYSTAR – the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation – led MEP programs that helped New York manufacturers create or save 4,154 jobs, and earn $587 million in new revenue, cost savings and capital investments.

America imports 70 percent of our clean energy systems and components. America cannot afford to keep importing foreign fossil fuels, and cannot afford to let other countries take the lead in the new clean energy economy. The IMPACT Act would help make New York a leader in the industry, and create thousands of new jobs for the state.


4.      Arm MEP With Resources to Make New York Leader in New Energy Economy. The federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program helps many manufacturers to improve their companies. Senator Gillibrand said the MEP Program has helped 9,881 manufacturing companies in New York over the last ten years and argued that the program is needed now more than ever. Senator Gillibrand is calling for $131.8 million to fully fund the federal MEP program as part of the America COMPETES Act to make sure the program has the resources it needs to transition more New York manufacturers to clean energy production, and attract new clean energy manufactures to New York.

The numbers for New York's economy don't look good:

• Economic indicators have dropped 13 of the past 14 months
• Unemployment stands at 8 percent.
• Housing sales were down 21 percent last month.

And those are just the transitory, economic fluctuations that should be reasonably expected in a dynamic system.

New York, especially Western New York, suffers from longer-term economic trends that must be addressed whether we want to improve our standing in short-term fluctuations or build a strong economic foundation.

The New York State Association of Counties, which put out a press release prompting this post, jumps right to the conclusion that what is needed is more government, more stimulus, more taxpayer dollars.

Can the government really spend New York out of its current problems?

The government's power to spend money is mind boggling, but what really creates jobs and growth are private businesses making investments and taking risks.

Some of what is needed in New York is to clean up the mess in Albany, reduce the state regulatory burden and lower taxes.

But even with its faults, New York, especially WNY, has a lot going for it.  Genesee, in particular, has access to inexpensive power, reliable rail and road transportation, a stable workforce, inexpensive housing, plenty of land and water, respected school systems and a great natural environment.

There's no reason jobs can't be created here.

But growth won't come from government programs.  What WNY needs is a resurgence of entrepreneurship -- daring men and women who want to start businesses right here at home.

The biggest struggle WNY faces is how to convince business-minded people to take up the challenge of starting new companies.  And again, I'm not sure a government program is the answer.  People need to come to this conclusion on their own, but how to get the ball rolling ...

WNY was built by daring entrepreneurs, and only entrepreneurs will save it.

Full NYSAC press release after the jump:

“The Economy Watch continues to show that our state is suffering from severe economic decline. State and local leaders need to do everything we can to leverage funding from the federal stimulus plan to stem any further decline in our economy. We need to retain the jobs we have here in New York and attract new business and employment opportunities,” said NYSAC President Sarah Purdy, Yates County Administrator.
 

NYSAC’s Economy Watch is updated monthly and provides a range of data, including business cycle indicators, the consumer price index, job growth and layoff numbers, consumer and business confidence indicators, as well as local housing prices and sales activity.
 
Among the results presented in June’s Economy Watch include:
 

• The Index of Coincident Economic Indicators (ICEI), which has fallen for 13 of the past 14 months;
• Unemployment rates, which rose from 7.5% in April to 8.0% in May (before seasonal adjustment) despite increased seasonal hiring in many traditional tourist destination counties. A total of 29 counties exceed the State’s 8% unemployment rate;
• Housing sales declined by 21% for the month and have declined 40% since a year ago. Statewide sale prices have declined by 7.8% since a year ago and 11.8% since May of 2007;
• Consumer confidence increased in May by 5.5 points although New York consumer confidence indicators continued to be below the rest of the nation; and
• The Empire State Manufacturing Survey, which indicates that general business conditions for the state’s manufacturers continue to slip with indicators declining an additional 5 points in the last month.

 
The complete NYSAC Economy Watch, county level information where available, and a full description of each of the indicators and what they mean, can be obtained by visiting the NYSAC website.

The New York Stat Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.

One of the things I love about Batavia is all the great places to eat -- here's five great dining offers.

O'Lacy's Irish Pub, 5 School Street, Batavia, N.Y.: Check out the Tuesday night all-you-can eat grill. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Main St. Pizza Company, 206 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Pizza, wings, subs and even hamburgers and hot dogs, Main St. Pizza makes everything deliciously. We have four $5 gift certificates ($10 value) that can be used together or separately for $10.

T.F. Brown's, 214 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Recommendation: Try T.F. Brown's hamburgers.  Great food and great fun. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Sport of Kings Family Restaurant, 419 W Main St., Batavia, N.Y.:  A favorite family restaurant that is open 24 hours, seven days. We have a $15 gift card for $7.50.

Jackson St. Grill, 9 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: Try the fresh, skinless haddock fish fry on Fridays. We have a $10 gift certificate for $5.

A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10 and .50 cents on items below $10.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value.  People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before.  By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

Jackson St. Grill

SOLD

Sport of Kings

SOLD

T.F. Brown's

SOLD

Main St. Pizza

SOLD

O'Lacy's

SOLD

Byron Bergen Public Library Board of Trustees issued the following statement yesterday:

The Trustees of the Byron Bergen Public Library are actively pursuing options to keep both the village location and the location at the Gillam-Grant Community Center open, in the interest of serving both communities.   We are currently seeking bridge funding from a variety of sources and have received a grant from Nioga Library System to start the process.

The Gillam-Grant Community Center will no longer providing funding for library staff at that location and the trustees hosted two public meetings last month seeking community input on options.  There was a good deal of support for each of the current locations remaining, and neither location appears suited to becoming the only library in the Byron-Bergen area.

Darlene Ann Kingdollar, 47, of 25 S. Pearl St., Oakfield is charged with petty larceny. Kingdollar allegedly stole $20 from the purse of Kingdollar's grandson's wife while at a picnic.

Justin Adelbert Lilly, 21, of 11403 Apt. 1 Sanderson Road, Medina, was arrested in Orleans County and turned over the the Genesee County Sheriff's Office on a warrant issued in Alabama. Lilly is charged with burglary and criminal mischief.

A teen-age girl from Lockport incarcerated in Genesee County Jail reportedly punched another inmate in the face causing an injury. She is charged with assault in the second degree.

Friday night, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Batavia Muckdogs infielder Alan Ahmady smashed a home run over The Batavian's right field promotional sign.  The opposite field shot from the right-handed slugger made the game an especially memorable one for Jacoby Miller of Albion.  Miller was the lucky fan that night to have his name drawn in The Batavian's Fifth Inning Home Run Contest.  He won $250, which he picked up at The Batavian's office this afternoon.  We also presented him with an autographed baseball from Ahmady.

Ahmady, from Fresno Calif. (my parents and a brother live just a couple of hours south in the same San Joaquin Valley in Bakersfield), is one of the Cardinals top prospects.  Maybe some day that autographed ball will be worth more than $250.

The home run was Ahmady's first as a professional player (just to be clear, the autographed ball is not the one he hit over the sign -- I don't know what happened to that ball -- hopefully it was retrieved and given to Ahmady for his own collection).

Miller's father, Kevin, said Friday night, "This is something he will never forget."  Today, Kevin Miller told me he and both his sons are huge baseball fans and they attend many Muckdogs games.

Emergency crews are being dispatched to a one-car accident on the Thruway with a reported minor injury. 

A first responder reports that the accident is in the median near Bank Street with one person complaining of chest and knee pain.

Ted Hawley, right, pays a $10 fine for not wearing the proper name badge during today's Batavia Rotary Club meeting.  Hawley started his term as president today and his badge didn't have the year of his presidency printed on it. Outgoing president Ray Chaya gave Hawley a new badge and collected the fine.

Dietrich Williams is accused of shaking the baby of a Batavia woman so violently, even hitting the infant's head against a hard service, that the baby is now in grave condition. Today Williams pleaded not guilty to charges of assault in the first degree and reckless assault of a child.

After the hearing, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said the baby is not doing well.

"There's a lot of uncertainty right now," Friedman said. "It doesn't look good."

He said doctors fear brain damage, vision damage, whether the baby will be able to feed herself and whether she will be able to breath on her own.

Williams was reportedly living with a co-worker from a nursing home in Le Roy and was charged with watching the woman's four children while she worked a double shift.

On the night of June 20 or early morning of June 21, Williams allegedly assaulted the 15-month-old child.

The child and the mother have not been identified.

Defense Attorney Jerry Ader argued for reduced bail, stating that Williams is an employed resident of Genesee County and had only one prior misdemeanor conviction -- for unauthorized use of rental car that was returned late.

Friedman asked that Williams be held without bail, because there is a warrant for his arrest in Florida (reportedly for a bounced $100 check related to the car rental), and he has changed residence and jobs a few times over the past several months.  Friedman said he didn't believe Williams had lived in Genesee County for more than 4 1/2 months.

Since Williams hasn't appeared on a charged related to $100 check, Friedman told Judge Robert Noonan that he doubted he would appear on a felony charge where he potentially faces a 25-year prison term.

Noonan kept Williams bail at $50,000.

Daryl Jenkins of Rochester today admitted to sending threatening text messages and photos to an Oakfield woman and plead guilty to stalking in the second degree.

Judge Robert Noonan did not allow Jenkins out of jail pending sentencing. He is being held on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.  Noonan said he took into consideration the report of Jenkins two convictions for contempt of court as well as the nature of the messages, which Noonan characterized as showing a disregard for the authority of the court.

"I've just read a series to text messages that flaunt the law more than anything I've ever seen," Noonan said.

Among the messages, Noonan said, were those that read "I'm above the law," which Noonan said Jenkins wrote several times.

Jenkins sent messages to the Oakfield woman threatening to kill her. In one e-mail message he included a picture of a gun and threatened to use it on her.

Today's Deals:

South Main Country Gifts, 3356 S. Main St. Road, Batavia, N.Y.: I happened to be in South Main yesterday. Julie has a bunch of great new items in stock, and said she's adding new items to her large inventory regularly.  We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, N.Y.: Just in time for this weekend's Ramble in Jackson Street Square.  We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Sport of Kings Family Restaurant, 419 W Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: A favorite locally owned family restaurant that is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week We have a $15 gift certificate for $7.50.

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans Street, Batavia, N.Y.: From sandwiches to ribs, Delavan's has a thoroughly worthwhile menu. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10 and .50 cents on items below $10.

Rules: The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase. It is not valid with other offers and has no cash value.  People who have won a certificate in the past 30 days are not eligible to win a certificate from the same business as before.  By state law, gift certificates cannot be used for alcohol purchase.

How to Win: Purchase using the PayPal "Buy Now" button below. After the first person to hit the "buy now" button completes the purchase, PayPal will let you know that the item has been sold. Ideally, the winner will arrange to stop by my office on Main Street to pick up gift certificate. Mail is an option, but it would be better to hand you the gift certificate. 

If you want to be notified via e-mail of future Deals of the Day, sign up for the Deals of the Day e-mail list by clicking here.

Merchants: If you would like your business featured in Deal of the Day, call Howard Owens at 260-6970.

We also still have available these gift certificates:

Sport of Kings Family Restaurant

SOLD

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern

SOLD

South Main Country Gifts

SOLD

Center Street Smoke House

We also have these gift certificates still available:

The Enchanted Florist

Eclectic Creations

Gene Douglas Swede, 61, of 11295 Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with harassment. Swede is accused of jumping a fence into a neighbor's yard, yelling and cussing at the neighbor and threatening to beat up the neighbor. An order of protection was issued for Swede protecting his neighbors.

Porscha Mohogani Woods, 26, of 305 Oak St., Syracuse is charged with disorderly conduct. Woods is accused of pushing Darien Lake security guards and using vulgar language while attempting to break free of the guards following an altercation at the park on July 4 at 8:11 p.m.

A 16-year-old from Rochester was issued a ticket by Sheriff's deputies in the Town of Batavia for unlawful possession of marijuana.  The youth was walking on a road in Batavia when he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana.

SafeRoads.org has a searchable map of all the U.S. pinpointing fatal traffic accidents, and showing the density of such accidents.  Looking over the Genesee County area, it doesn't look like there is any one roadway or intersection that is more prone toward fatal accidents.