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The following arrests were reported in conjunction with the Rascal Flatts concert yesterday at Darien Lake Theme Park:

Crystal M. Parmenter, 23, of 111 Lincoln Mills Road, East Rochester, was charged with harassment for allegedly slapping another person who was in a car while exiting the concert venue.

Gaston R. Prattis, 18, of 247 Erb St. E, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and a 17-year-old from Canada were charged with trespass for allegedly climbing into the backstage area. Each was held on $500 bail.

David B. Terrance, 23, of Wheeldon Drive, Rochester, was arrested and charged with exposure for urinating in public.

Landon B. Zeeman, 21, of 2004 Ten Concession, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, was charged with petty larceny for allegedly stealing a can of beer from a concession stand. He is held on $500 bail.

Melissa M. Thompson, 33, of 100 N. Main St., Medina, was arrested for allegedly stealing approximately $3,000 over the course of four years while working as a manager of food service at Darien Lake. She was charged with grand larceny and issued an appearance ticket.

The following individuals were also cited for ABC violations:

August C. Nienburg, 19, of 477 80th St., Niagara Falls.

Brian K. Drylewski, 19, of 474 21st St., Niagara Falls.

Jason M. Hahn, 19, of 1049 101st St., Niagara Falls.

Mark D. Bigley, 20, of 250 73rd St., Niagara Falls.

Brianna J. Cowell, 20, of 58 Coronet St., Tonawanda.

Jennifer C. Malley, 20, of 3349 Wallace Drive, Grand Island.

Carrie L. Schoeping, 18, of 3349 Wallace Drive, Grand Island.

Danielle R. Bruno, 19, of 195 Deerwood Lane, Grand Island.

Plus three people under the age of 18.

The Stafford Fire Department sponsored its annual waterball and volleyball tournaments Saturday at its facility in Stafford.

Alden's department won the waterball tournament this year. 

Waterball is a competition between two teams with fire hoses trying to shoot a ball on a rope from one end of the field to the other. When a team can push the ball against the other team's backboard, that team gets a point.

The charity event helps raise money for Stafford's health and education fund. The fund recently distributed $500 each to cancer patients so they have fuel money to get to and from treatments. Also, each year the fund provides $1,000 college scholarships to a pair of Stafford high school seniors.

Two teams from Stafford and one each from Alden and Elba participated.

Assistant Chief Scott Kibler submitted the pictures.

More photos after the jump:

A person reportedly suffered only a minor injury after being struck by lightening outside of Wal-Mart in Batavia at about 11:30 a.m.

At this time, no further information is available.

Because of the weather, the Ramble Music and Arts Fest has been moved indoors to T.F. Brown's on E. Main St.

There is an indoor stage for eletric bands and the acoustic bands are playing on the patio.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the region.

Josephine A. Boltz, 25, of 174 Burch Ave., of Buffalo, is charged with DWI following a minor property damage accident at Darien Lake Theme Park during the Nickelback concert. Boltz reportedly had a BAC of .08 or greater.

Other arrests associated with the Nickelback concert:

Joshua R. Handy, 25, of 6 Williams St., Mt. Morris, charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Nolan R. Boughton, 24, 188 Canal St., Lyons, was charged with harassment for allegedly striking a security officer while being escorted from the concert venue.

A 16-year-old from Hamburg was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Richard W. Randall, 32, of 4349 Cemetery Road, Marietta, was charged with charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting inside the concert venue. He is held on $100 bail.

Benjamin Q. Antonucci, 18, of 4192 Broadway, Alexander, charged possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Christopher J. Burger, 18, of 9393 Stady Road, West Valley, charged with possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Erica A. Taylor, 31, of 1802 Lodi St., Apt. 2, Syracuse, charged with criminal possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking marijuana in front of her 13-year-old daughter.

Michael Boland, 25, of 1802 Lodi St., Apt. 2, Syracuse, charged with criminal possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking marijuana in front of his girlfriend's 13-year-old daughter.

Matthew J. Pentycofe, 22, of 29 Spencer Court, Batavia, charged with harassment for allegedly pushing and fighting with security guards inside the concert venue. He was held on $300 bail.

Peter B. Vanderwall III, 19, of 47 Seneca Street, Waterloo, is charged unlawful possession of marijuana and with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking and possessing marijuana in front a child under 17 years of age.

UPDATE: Jeremy M. Pysher, 19, of 730 Exchange Road, Attica, was seriously injured and is in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center following a one-car accident on Route 238 this morning at 8:42.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash in which Pysher, driving a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina, drifted across the southbound lane and off the west shoulder of the roadway. The car struck a tree "virtually head-on" and twisted around the trunk of the tree before striking a second tree.

The car caught fire, but the fire was contained to the rear of the engine compartment. 

Pysher suffered unspecified injuries as well as burns to his lower legs.

He was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

The location of the accident on Route 238 was appoximately 4/10 of a mile south of Griswold Road in Darien.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by Deputy Eric Seppala with assistance from Sgt. James Meier, Sgt. William Scott and Investigator Timothy Weis. Also responding to the scene were the Corfu Police Department, the Darien Fire Department and members of New York State Corrections.

Original post:

A car reportedly hit a tree on Route 238 just south of Griswold Road in Darien.

At least one person is trapped in the car and extraction tools are needed. Mercy Flight has been requested. The car was also reportedly smoldering.

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An apparent hit-and-run driver injured two people tonight after reportedly rear-ending a motorcycle as it slowed to pass over an unpaved area of Walnut Street.

A witness, Joe Elmore, of Walnut Street, said he heard a loud crack followed by a woman's "blood curdling" scream, and he rushed from his back yard out to the roadway.  He assisted the driver and his female passenger, trying to get a passing BMW to call 911 and and follow the hit-and-run driver. He doesn't believe the BMW driver did either.

Elmore said he screamed at a semi-truck driver to stop and put on his flashers, and he did, to slow down traffic.

The location of the accident, about 143 Walnut St., is the start of a road construction area where the pavement has been completely removed and replaced by stones. There is an at least four-inch drop from the paved area to the rocky surface.

Both Elmore and T.J. McAllister, who lives adjacent the accident scene, said cars continue to come flying down Walnut as if there's no construction at all.

Elmore said the motorcycle driver told him that he slowed when he hit the unpaved area, but the car behind him didn't and plowed right into him.

"He said he did everything he could to protect his girlfriend," Elmore said. "He broke his leg just trying to hold up his bike."

Just in the five minutes or so Elmore, McAllister and myself stood there talking, after the accident scene had been cleared, at least a half dozen cars passed in each direction driving at or above the normal speed limit. One car hit the bump so hard something fall off of it.

Elmore said he wanted attention brought to the street so that people will be more aware that they need to slow down.

A few minutes earlier, while McAllister and I talked, he pointed to a police car pulling away and said, "This was bound to happen. See how bumpy it is. Look at that police car and how much it's bouncing even as slow as it's going. People come through here going twice as fast. It's just crazy."

No official report on the accident is available at this time.

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Mercy Flight announced job openings tonight, thanks to its new ground ambulance service, which is scheduled to start serving Genesee County Sept. 1.

We received the following announcement from Wade Schwab with Mercy Flight at 9 p.m.:

Mercy EMS, a ground ambulance service operated by Mercyflight of Western N.Y.  is seeking qualified individuals to fill numerous job opportunities.

The company will be providing ambulance service to all of Genesee County as of September 1st.

The positions will be EMT's, paramedics, paramedic shift supervisors and dispatchers.

There will be open job fairs at the Mercyflight Batavia base at 4781 E. Saile  Dr. Batavia on Wednesday 07/15 and Thursday 07/16 from 6pm until 8pm and on Saturday 07/18 from 9am until 11am.

Anyone interested in these local job opportunities is welcome to attend one  of the sessions.

We'll need to wait until Monday to talk with officials with Mercy Flight to see how the open hiring and job fairs squares with statements previously indicating the organization was looking to hire many, if not all, of Batavia's ambulance personnel.

Kelly Kiebala is the new executive director for Go Art!.

She replaces Linda Blanchet, who retires at the end of the month.

Most recently, Kiebala is executive director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, and previously she spent nine years as program director for Go Art!

(Originally reported by WBTA.)

(Note: This almost seems like a trade -- We give Orleans County Pat Weissend (who is becoming branch manager for Bank of Castile in Medina), and Orleans gives back to Genesee County with Kiebala.)

The fire wasn't serious, but a good fire alarm system and regular fire drills certainly demonstrated this morning in Darien how a good fire plan can save lives and protect property.

The 5:30 a.m. fire started in the bedroom of Jeremy Rademacker when a halogen lamp was accidentally kicked to the floor and left on.

The fire alarm in Jeremy's room sounded, but because the alarm is wired into a house-wide alert system, both his father and sister were awakened by the alarm. All three people exited the house safely, with Mr. Rademacker closing the door to the bedroom on the way out, and they met at a pre-designated spot.

The fire caused $10,000 to $15,000 in damage.

WBTA interviewed Genesee County Emergency Manager Coordinator Tim Yeager who credited the family with smart smoke detector installation and prior planning with averting disaster.

Darrick Coleman, a Le Roy resident who often shares his photos on The Batavian, has some of his work on display at the Shirt Factory Cafe in Medina now through Aug. 31.

There is an opening reception July 18 at 6 p.m.

The show portrays "the beauty that can be found in many backyards in Western New York through all four seasons, but in particular Mr. Coleman's backyard," according to the press release.

The exhibit, titled "Out of Doors," is sponsored by The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The Shirt Factory is located at 115 W. Center Street, Medina.

A Bergen woman is accused of stealing more than $58,000 using Internet transfers from an acquaintance.

Renee E. Rowan, 45, of 7527 Gilbert Road, Bergen, allegedly initiated four different transfers of at least $9,000 each.

Rowan was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and is held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

The investigation was conducted by Deputy Matthew Butler and Investigator Timothy Weis, with assistance from Deputy Joseph Graff.

UPDATE: I'm not sure if this is related or not, but a reader points out that Rowan owns staubitzofbuffalo.com (WHOIS database).  The other domains that seem affiliated with that business are registered via an off-shore source that apparently hides the true identity of the domain owners. Here's the WHOIS for hartmanmodelboats.com and loyalhannadockyard.com and taubmansonline.com. All three sites have contact information for Rowan.

UPDATE: I just spoke to Investigator Weis and he said the alleged theft was unrelated to Rowan's businesses and there is no further investigation going on related to those businesses.  He said Rowan allegedly had direct access to the victim's account, but it wasn't business related.

Karl Matthew Churchill, 29, of 6018 Main Road, Stafford, is charged with harrassment. Churchhill allegedly made a threatening phone call to the Village of Corfu Court after receiving a traffic ticket for allegedly tinted windows.

Robert E. Magoffin Jr., 37, 3717 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater. Magoffin was allegedly doing 84 m.p.h. in a 40 m.p.h. zone on Route 20 in Darien when he was stopped.  He was ordered to appear in Darien Town Court on Aug. 18.

Thanks for all the well wishes on my previous post about my cataract surgery yesterday (I even got some well wishes via e-mail from the Daily, which was nice).  It went well -- I've had more painful dentist visits ... like every dentist visit. This was completely painless (here I was freaked out for weeks for nothing). 

A silver-haired guy who came back to the pre-op/post-op room told the nurse that very thing, which I found somewhat reassuring, and then when I was being wheeled out, he said to me, "Hey, it's nothing, buddy."  And he was right. So if you ever find out you need cataract surgery (you don't have to be old to need it, but if you live long enough, you eventually will), just know it's nothing to worry about.

A little pain yesterday afternoon, but I've been fine since.

Dr. Alan Siegel put in a new lens that corrected the vision in my right a little bit, so now my prescription glasses aren't just quite right in my right eye, but I can't see out of my left without them. I'm seeing OK overall. 

I'll be doing a little light work today. I expect I'll be in the office from 1 to 5 p.m. for anybody who needs to pick up gift certificates. I am planning on attending the Muckdogs game tonight (you should, too -- it's always great fun at Dwyer and there are fireworks tonight).   I bet I make it to at least some of The Ramble tomorrow.

If you see me out and about, forgive me my dorky old-man sunglasses (needed to fit over my regular glasses, and apologies to any old men who wear them whom I just offended!).

Larry's Steakhouse, 60 Main St.  The name says it all -- Larry's is a great place for steak. Larry's is a fine dining atmosphere with a great menu and outstanding service.  We have a $50 gift certificate for $25.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, N.Y.: People come from all over the region for a fine dinning experience at Alex's. Alex's is best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $50 gift certificate for $25.

The Enchanted Florist, 202 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: Brighten up your home or office with flowers!  We have a $20 gift certificate for $9.

T.F. Browns, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, N.Y.: 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. The patio is open. It's also a great place to host group events.  See the ad on the left side of the page for contact information. We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Valle Jewelers, 21 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: Need a gift? Need some sparkle? Valle's has a large selection of jewelry and gifts starting at under $25. We have a $50 gift certificate for $25.

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.

Alex's Place

SOLD

Larry's Steakhouse

SOLD

Valle Jewelers

SOLD

T.F. Brown's

SOLD

The Enchanted Florist

Today at 9:45 a.m. I report to UMMC for cataract surgery (right eye).

Obviously, I won't be posting much this morning, nor even on the computer much all day.  Tomorrow will also be mostly a day off.  I'm hoping by Saturday, I'm ready to get out and about a bit. If so, I'll probably head over to Ramble, either just as a fan or maybe shoot some video, depending on how I feel. I should be back to a normal routine by Monday.

In the meantime, the crack news crew at WBTA will post news as necessary, and my wife, Billie Owens, will be available for breaking news, if needed.

Today's Deals of the Day is already posted and I have tomorrow's ready to go.  Whether there is an e-mail with tomorrow's depends on whether I post it or Billie does, so don't count on an e-mail for that one (if you're on that list).

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).