Stories from

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Authentic Southern BBQ, from ribs to brisket with all the fixin's. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Kravings Kafe, Valu Plaza, W. Main Street, Batavia, NY: Recently opened, it offers soups, salads and sandwiches, fresh and flavorful; Monday through Saturday. We have $10 gift certificates for $5.

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.

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.

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

Ryan Tenney, who admitted to embezzling more than $100,000 from his former employer, Elcon, Inc., still hasn't been sentenced for his crimes.

While his attorney would like to delay his sentencing at least one more time, Judge Robert Noonan ruled this morning that the sentencing scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 4 will stay on the court calender.

"I'm not yet certain Mr. Tenney should be out (of incarceration) in long-term treatment," Noonan said. "It won't take much from Hope Haven to report a rules violation to go straight to sentencing."

Tenney was released from jail on Dec. 2 to enter substance abuse treatment at Hope Haven. A report on his progress was not available to Noonan this morning, so even though Hope Haven is recommending Tenney now be placed in Trapping Brook, another treatment house, Noonan didn't want to delay the scheduled sentencing.

Tenney's attorney Gary Horton said after court that a bed could open for Tenney at Trapping Brook within days.

Previously:

• Batavia man admits to stealing $106,000 from employer
• Elcon owner says he needs embezzler's help to work computer accounting system
• Tenney jailed, but not yet sentenced in embezzlement case
• Judge tells embezzler: get help or go to prison

Two people accused of dealing cocaine were arrested at the Days Inn at 200 Oak St., Batavia, early this morning.

Both were arraigned in City Court at 11 a.m.

Taheed M. Moffett and Lekisha M. Avant are both charged with criminal possession with intent to sell and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Judge Robert Balbick set bail for Moffett at $50,000 and for Avant at $15,000.

According to First Assistant District Attorney David Gann, if convicted, Moffett will have a second felony conviction. He also has a pending robbery charge.

Moffett, who was not represented in court by an attorney, which is common at this stage of criminal procedures, asked for reduced bail.

"I've been at every court date and haven't been late for one court date," Moffett said. "I hope that can be taken into consideration. I'm not a flight risk. I have family in the area and I've been coming to court."

Later, Moffett said he didn't understand why he was arrested.

"I know you've got nothing to do with this, Judge Balbick, but I didn't possess anything," Moffett said. "The other person had it."

Balbick explained that the state will have to prove its case at a preliminary hearing, but for now he was being arraigned on these charges.

Avant said she's only had a prior disorderly conduct charge, and that she lives with her mother and recently completed Job Corps.

If convicted, Moffett could be sentenced from two to 12 years, according to Gann. Avant's possible sentence is nine years.

Earlier today, Sheriff Gary Maha said there will be a press release forthcoming about the raid at the Days Inn at 12:30 a.m.  At this time, we don't know if any other individuals were involved.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: The Sheriff's Office has issued a press release on this case:

Moffett is 25 and a resident of 33 Turner St., Rochester. 

Avant is 22 and a resident of 314 Woodbine St., Rochester.

Members of the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force executed a search warrant over night on Room 121 of the Days Inn.  Batavia Police received a tip about crack cocaine sales at the hotel. The Sheriff's Office says more than $1,000 in crack cocaine was found in the search.

Gregory M. Brew, 24, of 4799 Linden Road, E. Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, operation on a conditional-use permit. Brew was arrested by Deputy Frank Bordonaro after it was determined he had allegedly been driving a car found at the edge of the road on Bethany Center Road at 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

Sath Paul Dhanda, 29, of 5458 Clapsaddle Road, Bethany, is charged with harassment, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. Dhanda was arrested Christmas Eve at 10:36 a.m. after Deputy James Diehl responded to a call of a reported disturbance at the Travel Lodge. Dhanda allegedly spit on someone. He also allegedly damaged a TV set at the hotel.

Weather Underground tells us there is a 40 to 60 percent chance of snow the rest of the day. Weather.com puts the odds at 10 percent in its forecast.

The one thing they both agree on: It's going to be cold. Expect temperatures in the low to mid teens. Wind will come from the west at 5 to 8 mph.

Witnesses tell us they saw Batavia Police and Genesee County Sheriff's patrols as well as other vehicles show up in force at the Days Inn in Batavia about 12:30 this morning.

Sheriff Gary Maha confirmed this morning that there was a drug raid at the location in execution of a search warrant, but said no further details are available until later today, when a press release comes out.

The subjects have not been arraigned yet.

Batavia will advance to the next round to play Notre Dame in the annual basketball tournament sponsored by the Batavia Lions Club. The Blue Devils beat Albion 63-55 and improved the team record to 5-1. Andrew Hoy scored 16 points. Justin Washington added 12 points and seven rebounds for Batavia. Co Co Irvin tacked on 13.

More pictures after the jump:

In the first game Monday night of the annual basketball tournament sponsored by the Batavia Lions Club, Notre Dame beat Perry 52-41.  The Irish are now 5-0. Vinny Zambito scored 19 points.

More pictures after the jump:

A heavy band of lake effect snow is hanging around northern Erie and Genesee Counties longer than expected, according to the National Weather Service, which has upgraded its storm watch from an advisory to a warning.

The Buffalo NWS office says the storm is moving slow and will dump more snow on the region -- up to seven inches, especially from Buffalo and Oakfield southward.

The lake effect snow will shift to the south some time after 7 p.m. when an Arctic front moves through the region.  That front will bring gusts up to 40 mph and rapidly falling temperatures.

The warning is effect until 9 p.m.

Reader Janice Stenman sends the following report:

We just returned from Eastern Hills Mall via Thruway. Traffic moved at between 15-20 MPH. It took us over an hour to drive between Depew and the Pembrooke exit.

From the Thruway Cam pic I just grabbed (right), the Pembroke section of Thruway looks uncongested, though visibility looks low.

Be careful out there.

In a blog post, GCASA's executive director David Markham muses that perhaps society would be better off if marijuana were legal and taxed.

But it's no libertarian turn by Markham. He also suggests that the legal drinking age should be raised to 35.

Markham cites a recent study that looks at the benefitial impact of drinkers and drug users substituting cannabis.

I found this study interesting because I have observed the use of cannabis in my private practice clients who often report beneficial effects. It seems to me that cannabis is less toxic and has fewer behavioral and social negative consequences than alcohol. I have also noted that cannabis seems to have fewer adverse side effects and better symptom relief than prescription drugs.

Winds and lake effect snow is drifting into Genesee County, which has prompted the National Weather Service in Buffalo to issue a winter storm advisory through 10 a.m. tomorrow.

While snow accumulation will be measured only in inches, the cold blast, wind and wet white stuff blowing around could make road travel more difficult.

The sharp cold front is expected to hit Batavia this afternoon. Wind gusts could reach 40 mph.

The quick drop in temperatures could cause road ice to develop quickly.

This is an advisory from the NWS, which means the storm is not expected to be big, just big enough to encourage extra caution.

UPDATE 12:14 p.m.: County road crews report heavy snow in the southern part of the county. "It's a different world down here," said one.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: Here's a shot of what downtown is looking like about now.

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: A report out of Pembroke: Conditions deteriorating. Visibility greatly diminished.

A Batavia woman is the first person in Western New York charged with an enhanced felony DWI under a new statute that took effect Dec. 18 known as "Leandra's Law."

The law turns a misdemeanor DWI into a felony DWI if children are in the car.

Michelle T. Crawford, 24, was reportedly picked up by State Police in the Town of Marilla in Erie County.

Troopers were alerted Sunday afternoon to a domestic dispute in the Town of West Seneca in which the woman involved drove away with her three children, and she was reportedly agitated and had been drinking. The initial report had her heading back to Batavia.

Shortly after the initial report reached State Police, a trooper spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one that left West Seneca on Clinton Street near Two Rod Road.

Following a traffic stop, Crawford was charged with felony DWI, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and other traffic offenses. Crawford allegedly refused a breath test.

She was jailed in the Erie County Holding Center on $25,000 bail.

The children, ages 4, 3 and 17 months, were picked up by a relative.

Police now have a suspect in the case of shots fired on Tracy Avenue last Wednesday. It's the same person they've been looking for all along; he's now formally a suspect.

And he's also suspected of stealing a truck from Western NY Concrete on East Main Street prior to the shooting.

The truck was found on Ellicott Avenue about three hours after the shooting, according to Det. Richard Schauf, and police believe it's the same truck used by the alleged shooter on Wednesday. The truck is being checked for evidence.

There's no new information available on the suspect.

Police are also not saying how many shots were fired, just that several hit the car.

Detectives now want to talk to a third person they believe was in the car with the two 18-year-olds mentioned in previous reports. The third person is male and a teenager. He has not made himself available for an interview. It's not believed he was wounded during the attack.

Law enforcement agencies throughout Western New York have been advised to be on the lookout for the shooting suspect.

Police also continue to try and retrace the steps of the occupants of the car in an attempt to further the case.

The condition of a boy hit by a car on Washington Avenue last Wednesday has improved, according to Det. Richard Schauf of the Batavia Police Department.

Thirteen-year-old James Difalco is now listed in stable condition at Buffalo Women's and Children's Hospital, Schauf said this morning.

Difalco sustained a head injury when he reportedly ran into the street and was hit by a car. The driver has not been charged.

A Caledonia woman driving on Route 5 in Le Roy on Friday morning said she served to avoid a possible head-on collision, causing her car to travel off the opposite shoulder and hit a dumpster.

Cinthia Mae Seppe, 50, of 13 Birch Lane, suffered an internal injury and was transported around 11 a.m. to UMMC by ambulance.

The driver of the other vehicle is not known.

Seppe was westbound on Route 5 near Kenney Road at the time of the accident. She was driving a 1996 Chevrolet sedan.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Jason Diehl.

A Stafford man suffered a broken arm in an accident 2:43 a.m. Thursday after reportedly running his car off the road in Le Roy.

John Richenberg, 20, of 8891 Fargo Road, was charged with DWI.

Richenberg was reportedly eastbound on Route 5 when his car went off the south shoulder. The 2002 Ford SUV he was driving reportedly struck a small tree, then a larger tree and then a telephone pole.

Joel Moreles-Cruz, 35, of 13 Jackson St., Apt. 2B, Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and unlicensed operation. Moreles-Cruz was stopped by officer Darryle Streeter at 1:54 a.m. on Christmas on Ellicott Street after police received a report that Moreles-Cruz was allegedly driving without a license.

Sharnice S. Gibson, 18, of 21 Wood St., Batavia, is charged with criminal attempt in the 1st degree. Gibson allegedly approached a woman she was barred from contacting and threatened her.

Steven Michael Chauncy, 19, of 10637 Pavilion Center Road, Pavilion, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child in the 1st degree. Chauncy is accused of hosting an under-age drinking party. He was arrested at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Travis G. Hawley, 18, of Bergen, is charged with an alcohol control violation and petit larceny. Hawley was arrested by State Police for an alleged violation on Dec. 4. No further details were released.

Batavia Police are looking into a report that somebody broke into a construction trailer at 16 Bank St. and made himself a pot of coffee.

There is photographic evidence.

The suspect may be a homeless man asked to move along from the Post Office building yesterday.

Nothing, other than some coffee, appears to be missing from the construction trailer.

Three days after Christmas, and now we're getting snow.

After a couple of inches of snow overnight, more snow is expected this morning, and this afternoon and tonight up to three inches of lake effect snow is expected to fall.

And it will get colder tonight and tomorrow, with temperatures falling to 10 degrees with a high tomorrow of 14 degrees.

Tonight, also expect wind. The west winds will blow 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

There is snow forecast throughout the week, with chances of snow ranging from 40 percent to 80 percent.