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Smoke detectors awoke a Bank Street family this morning, allowing the people in the lower apartment unit to escape safely from a fire that started in an improperly lined chimney, according to a Batavia Fire Department release this morning.

Upon arrival at the 2:20 a.m. alarm, Batavia firefighters entered the upper apartment and awoke the two occupants and escorted them safely from the building.

Firefighters initially responded to the call of a "house filled with smoke."

The fire caused an estimated $30,000 damage to the house and $15,000 to its contents.

No smoke detectors were present in the upper unit, which was located at 140 Bank St..

UPDATE: WBTA spoke with Captain Michael Drew (MP3) of the Batavia Fire Department. Chief Ralph Hyde also told WBTA that the chimney was designed for gas heating and the occupants tried burning wood in the fireplace.

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The Enchanted Florist, 202 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Brighten up your home or office with flowers! We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.50.

Kravings, 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.

The Color Salon, 35 Center St., Batavia, NY: Susan Francis, the owner and stylist at The Color Salon reminds women, "your hair is your greatest accessory." Francis has more than 20 years experience at helping women get the best hair color. We have a $50 gift certificate for $25.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Ribs, brisket, steak, prime rib -- Center Street is a meat lover's paradise. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

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.

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

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.

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

We're about to order our first batch of The Batavian T-shirts from T-Shirts Etc. I expect to visit Brian tomorrow and place the order.

We're only ordering as many as were purchased, so if you want to get one in this batch, order now.

The T-shirts are $20 each, which I realize is a bit pricey for a T-shirt, but we're putting half the money into our equipment fund so we can improve the quality of the equipment we use to bring you the news. This money won't be used for anything except buying equipment (the site is doing well enough at this point that we're making a living).

Thank you for your support.

Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Town of Batavia Volunteer Fire Department will hold an open house at its station at 8382 Lewiston Road.  Lowe's is sponsoring the event through its "Heroes Project." The retailer has paid for 150 smoke detectors, 50 CO detectors and 200 kits for kids to build wooden fire trucks as well as hot dogs, chips and soda for the event. Any county resident who shows up can get a free smoke or CO detector.

It's also a chance for area residents to see the department's equipment and learn more about what the all-volunteer department does, said organizer Joshua Finn.

"There are a lot of guys who put in a lot of our hours and have worked hard for a lot of years and we just want people to come out and see what we do," Finn said.

Safety training is also a big part of the day, which kicks off Fire Prevention Week.

"It's important to get people to start thinking about what they would do if they were in an emergency," Finn said.

Lt. Nate Fix said the department will also be doing training sessions for BOCES and the child care facilities in the department's coverage area. 

Pictured above are Jason Pfleger, John Mullen, both firefighters, Lt. Nate Fix, Chuck Hammer, admin manager for Lowe's in Batavia, Fire Department VP Joshua Finn, and Scott Maloy and Bill Leonard, firefighters.

I happened down Watson Street today and found this house and yard all decked out for Halloween. I hope this bodes well for how many trick-or-treaters we'll get in our neighborhood this year. It's been a long time since Billie and I lived in a neighborhood with a lot kids and trick-or-treaters.

City firefighters doubt this ring was a donation to the union's "Fill the Boot" campaign for MDA. It is likely a woman's wedding band with an inscription inside, which invites all kinds of speculation about whether it was lost accidentally, or not.

If you're missing a ring and want it back, you should contact the Batavia Fire Department.

An abandoned house has reportedly caught on fire at 8038 N. Pembroke Road.

Earlier today there was a report of a controlled burn. According to Dispatch, the owner of the house, who was burning brush earlier, called to say the fire had spread to the house.

East Pembroke and Alabama fire departments are being dispatched.

Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Exercise your soul as well as your body in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere. We have a gift certificate for a seven-week Pilates session (one class per week), which is a value of $56, for $28.

Total Image Hair Salon/Sarah and Amanda Lowe, 226 Ellicott St., Batavia, NY: Time to update your style? Try something different or finally get the hair styling you've dreamed of, give Sarah or Amanda at Total Image a try. We have a $22 gift certificate for $11.

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.

The Mane Attraction, 99 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: The Mane Attraction is a spa and salon offering pedicures, manicures, hair styling and massage. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

The Enchanted Florist, 202 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: Brighten up your home or office with flowers! We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.50.

Great Kutz, in the Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Batavia's newest full-service salon, offering affordable haircuts for men and women on a walk-in basis. Today, we have two gift certificates for men's haircuts, a $12.95 value for $6 each (gift card can be applied toward other services, but not products).

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

Bob Bialkowski's active role in pushing forward the complaint against City Manager Jason Molino became a little clearer tonight. His participation is at the center of the current kerfuffle over breached confidence at Batavia City Hall.

Weeks ago, when Bialkowski produced a manila envelope with copies of the complaint letter, he told City Councilwoman Marianne Clattenburg that he received the complaint via email and printed it out for the complainant because that person's printer was broken, Clattenberg said.

Clattenburg said she didn't open the envelope and had no knowledge about the specific contents of the letter before handing it over to Council President Charlie Mallow.

However, the fact that this particular person filed the complaint wasn't a surprise to Clattenburg, because the person first asked Clattenburg how to handle the complaint. Clattenburg said she told the person the proper procedure was to take the complaint to the City Council President (Charlie Mallow). She indicated she was surprised when Bialkowski showed up with an envelope full of copies of the letter.

Mallow confirmed that he received the envelope from Clattenburg.

Both Mallow and Clattenburg say that the existence of the letter was revealed during the Council's next closed session, which had been called previously in order to conduct the contractually mandated performance review of the city manager. 

The council agreed to take the complaint up at its next closed session, since the council was obligated to continue with the performance review and vote on Molino's raise.

That next meeting was Sept. 14, which Bialkowski did not attend, and is central to the breach-of-confidence charge by members of the council. The council discussed the complaint against Molino and agreed that the person who made the complaint should be interviewed by the council and that Molino -- who was out of town -- should be given a chance to respond.

When the council came out of executive session, it voted 7-1 to give Molino a 2.8 percent raise. Councilman Bill Cox cast the lone no vote and after the meeting cited a "personnel" matter, which he wouldn't discuss further, as the reason for his "no" vote.

After that meeting, Mallow, Clattenburg and council members Rose Mary Christian and Kathy Briggs received phone calls from the person who filed the complaint. That person had just enough details of the closed discussion to make it clear to council members, Mallow and Clattenburg said, that somebody on the council spoke freely, either directly to the person who filed the complaint or to another party who then spoke to the complainant immediately after the meeting.

But not all of the details were right. There were also misrepresentations and exaggerations.

"I don't think the public understands," said Clattenburg, "that one of the reasons the council is so upset is that the person was feeding back a lot of misinformation about what was said and we didn't like how the council was being portrayed. This wasn't just a breach of trust. This person (the leaker) was making stuff up, saying stuff that was never said."

Mallow didn't speak directly to the complainant that night (he only received a voice mail), but after he spoke to the other council members, it was clear to him that whoever called the complainant got enough of the facts right that a council person had to be the leaker.

"It was enough of the truth to see that it was somebody who was in the room," Mallow said. "There were enough tidbits of truth, but it wasn't the whole truth. It was just twisted and it was exaggerated."

Neither Mallow nor Clattenburg could say whether the letter as produced by Bialkowski was actually signed by the person making the complaint. The Batavian's news partner WBTA asked Mallow yesterday if the letter was signed, and Mallow said he thought it was. Tonight, The Batavian pointed out that it didn't seem likely that a letter that Bialkowski provided several copies of -- all coming from his printer -- would be signed. Mallow admitted that maybe it wasn't and said City Attorney George Van Nest had his only copy and he would have to check with Van Nest.

Clattenburg also couldn't remember if it was signed and didn't have her copy available.

If the letter wasn't signed, it would call into doubt, at least partially, the veracity of the letter because it would suggest the letter wasn't reviewed by the complainant before it was presented to council.

Mallow was quick to point out that there is no doubt the complainant is a real person and that this person has a complaint he or she considers legitimate. Mallow said that based on an email exchange with the complainant, he's sure the writing styles are the same, but admitted he can't be sure the letter is entirely written by the complainant.

"We don't know that the end-result that we got was the same end-result that Bob got," Mallow said. "I don't know and I can't say for sure."

He then added, almost under his breath, "That would be really devious."

"I can't say for certain that it's the same letter, but I believe the person wanted the council to have the letter," Mallow said.

As we noted in our previous story, The Batavian has offered Bialkowski several opportunities to comment on this matter and he has yet to respond. Mr. Bialkowski has several options available to him to tell his side of the story: He can call us; he can email us a statement which we will post without editing; he can post his own post; he can make a video and post it to YouTube; or he can leave a comment on this or any other post. The Batavian is an open forum and Mr. Bialkowski has all the freedom in the world to tell his story without editorial interference. The same goes for any other council member who has additional information to share on this or any other matter.

Previously:

• Mallow: Council member who leaked document should resign
• Today's Poll: Should the council member(s) who leaked personnel information from a closed session resign?
• 'Council antics' don't pass 'smell test,' asserts Councilman Cox
• Most council members answer straightforward questions about leak of personnel information
• The power of Grand Juries in New York to investigate government actions
• Fellow council members say Bialkowski brought in complaint letter, threatened to release it

County Democrats must be happy with the job Lorie Longhany is doing as county chair -- Tuesday, the County Committee met at the Elks Club in Batavia and unanimously voted her into a new two-year term.

Joe Cassidy, with more than 30 years on the committee, was selected for a second term as vice chair. Donna Ferry won for treasure and Carrie Henning, who filled a vacancy four months ago as secretary, wins a two-year term outright.

Sixteen new committee members were seated.

In a press release from the County Democrats, Longhany says, "Party building from the grassroots is my biggest priority with choice at the ballot box being the end result. It's exciting, we are adding many energized people to our ranks, including many young people."

As an example of energized people getting involved, the party can point to: Town Board candidate, Michael Plitt from Darien, Sarah Burk-Balbi, Phil Ricci, Julie Wallace running for Batavia city council at large, Jennifer Keys running for LeRoy Town Council, and Christopher Charvella running for the 8th District county legislature seat.

"I am proud of all the Genesee County candidates, elected officials and committee people but it is especially satisfying to see so many young people with fresh ideas willing to step up and serve their communities and their Party," Longhany said.

Download: Full Press Release (pdf)

Le Roy Dispatch signed off tonight at 11:42 with, "Le Roy Base signs off. End of tour. It's all yours."

We did not hear the next call on the scanner, but Genesee County Dispatch replied to it with, "Copy LV-2 and welcome aboard."

And so begins a new era of Genesee County Dispatch handling police and fire calls for the town and village of Le Roy.

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.

Kravings, 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.

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 $50 gift certificate for $25.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Ribs, brisket, steak, prime rib -- Center Street is a meat lover's paradise. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

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.

Clor's Meat Market, 4169 W. Main Street Road, Batavia, NY: Clor's features the finest and freshest selection of meat in town, from strip steaks to a variety of sausages. Clor's also serves lunch and dinners from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. We have a $15 gift card for $7.50.

Belladessa's Pizzeria, 9 Jackson St., Batavia, N.Y.: Here's a deal -- half off on a Family Meal Deal from Belladessa's, which is a large 1 topping pizza, 24 wings and 2-liter bottle of soda. It's a $25 value 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 card for $7.50.

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

SOLD OUT

We don't know yet who leaked a complaint letter to the Daily News, but two council members say that Councilman Bob Bialkowski is the person who brought the original letter to the council.

Bialkowski also reportedly told a council member that he would divulge the contents of the letter if City Manager Jason Molino received a pay raise.

Council President Charlie Mallow and Councilwoman Kathy Briggs both confirmed that letter first came to the council through Bialkowski.

"That's highly unusual," Mallow said. "Complaints usually come through the council president or the city attorney. We treat all complaints we get equally. But that's not normal."

We've left a message for Bialkowski on his home phone. Yesterday, The Batavian left two messages for Bialkowski asking him to respond to our survey of council members. Bialkowski has not responded to our email, answered the questions or returned phone calls.

Councilman Bill Cox said he had no knowledge of Bialkowski bringing the letter to the council. He thought it came through Councilwoman Marianne Clattenburg, whom he thought had the letter two or three weeks before it was discussed in closed session.

Briggs said that prior to the vote on Molino's raise, another council member called her and said that Bialkowski was threatening to make the contents of the letter public if the council approved Molino's raise, and Briggs said, "What letter?"

She said at that point, she hadn't received the letter and referred to it as "the first letter" that went to only "select council members" from Bialkowski.

Briggs said she believes Bialkwoski brought forward two letters from the same person, and it is the second one that the council reviewed in closed session.

Mallow said he wasn't aware of a "first letter." Cox wasn't aware of there being more than one letter.

Following the closed session where the letter was discussed, four council members -- Briggs, Mallow, Rose Mary Christian and Clattenberg -- received phone calls from the letter's author discussing the substance of, in some detail, though with inaccuracies, the things individual council members said during the closed discussion.

Both Mallow and Briggs said that it's clear that a council member discussed the meeting afterwards with somebody not at the meeting, which made it possible for the letter writer to learn what was discussed behind closed doors.

Bialkowski was not at that Sept. 14 meeting, which was the same night the council voted on Molino's pay raise.

Cox voted against the pay raise, and after the meeting, first characterized his "no" vote as related to a personnel issue he would not discuss publicly. Later he issued a statement that criticized the timing of the raise.

This afternoon, in a phone conversation with The Batavian, Cox agreed that there would be nothing wrong with a council member who was present at a closed session calling a member of the council who missed the meeting and discussing what was said in executive session.

We then asked Cox if he called Bialkowski after the closed door meeting and Cox said he would rather not comment on that question.

While Bialkowski missed the vote on Molino's raise this year, he was present a year ago, June 23, 2008, and voted "yes" on that year's raise for Molino. Bialkowski has been a member of the council since Jan. 1, 2008.

Molino was on vacation the night of the council voted on his raise, which is the same night the council first discussed the complaint letter. Sources say the council delayed further discussion of the complaint until Molino could be present to reply to the charges. Before the council could meet again, the letter was leaked to the Daily News and now at least five council members are unwilling to enter into an executive session without confidence that statements made in a closed session will remain confidential.

UPDATE: Councilman Frank Ferrando just returned our call. He said it was his understanding the letter was brought forward by Bialkowski, but he never heard of Bialkowski threatening to release the letter if Molino received a raise.

Previously:

• Mallow: Council member who leaked document should resign
• Today's Poll: Should the council member(s) who leaked personnel information from a closed session resign?
• 'Council antics' don't pass 'smell test,' asserts Councilman Cox
• Most council members answer straightforward questions about leak of personnel information
• The power of Grand Juries in New York to investigate government actions

Engine 12 and Ladder Truck 15 are on scene at 15 Bank St., Batavia.

I didn't catch the original dispatch, but there have been fire alarms from this building before.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.: Engine 12 back in station.

An Oakfield man who had sex with a 15-year-old girl and videotaped multiple sexual acts with the girl was sentenced to seven years in state prison and 15 years of supervised release following his time in lock up.

Corey W. Klase, 24, was previously plead guilty to charges of sexual performance with a child and rape in the third degree. He was originally indicted on 12 counts.

Klase was arrested in January after deputies searched his home and found a video that depicts Klase engaging in multiple sexual acts the girl.

Arrested a few days after Klase was his girlfriend, Jessica R. Henry, 23, of Oakfield. She was accused of directing the girl in the videos. She was sentenced in July to six months in jail and 10 years probation.

A fire alarm has been activated at Oakfield-Alabama High School.

City of Batavia Fire Department has been dispatched to Batavia High School because a fire alarm has gone off.

UPDATE 8:52 a.m.: Engine 12 on location. Building evacuated.

UPDATE: 9:09 a.m.: False alarm. Microwave, burnt food.

In California, I was familiar with Grand Juries investigating various government activities, sometimes uncovering wrong doing or mismanagement.

Grand Juries have the power to subpoena and compel testimony, with witnesses facing possible perjury charges if caught in a lie.

In the aftermath of the probable leak of personnel documents by a member of the Batavia City Council to the Daily News, the question came up: Who has the power to investigate something like this?

I sent an e-mail to District Attorney Lawrence Friedman and asked him about the authority of Grand Juries in New York.  Here's his answer:

I have copied and pasted below two sections from the NYS Criminal Procedure Law, with relevant provisions in bold print.  While the alleged conduct might constitute "misconduct in public office by a public servant," the Grand Jury certainly does not investigate every claim of "misconduct... by a public servant."  In fact, in my nearly 28 years in the District Attorney's Office, I can only recall one such Grand Jury investigation.  I think that this is based in large part on the belief that such matters can usually be dealt with more effectively through internal means, rather than involving a Grand Jury.

The code sections come after the jump below.

NOTE: The purpose of this post is not to call for a Grand Jury investigation. That is a major step and could have significant consequences. But I asked the question, got an answer and thought I should make the information available.

§  190.55  Grand  jury;  matters  to  be  heard and examined; duties and authority of district attorney.
   1.  A grand jury may hear and examine evidence concerning the  alleged commission  of any offense prosecutable in the courts of the county, and concerning any misconduct, nonfeasance or neglect in public office by  a public servant, whether criminal or otherwise.
   2.    District attorneys are required or authorized to submit evidence to grand juries under the following circumstances:
   (a)   A district  attorney  must  submit  to  a  grand  jury  evidence concerning a felony allegedly committed by a defendant who, on the basi of  a  felony complaint filed with a local criminal court of the county,  has been held for the action of a grand  jury  of  such  county,  except where  indictment  has  been waived by the defendant pursuant to article one hundred ninety-five.
   (b)   A district  attorney  must  submit  to  a  grand  jury  evidence concerning a misdemeanor allegedly committed by a defendant who has been charged  therewith  by  a local criminal court accusatory instrument, in any case  where  a  superior  court  of  the  county  has,  pursuant  to subdivision  one of section 170.25, ordered that such misdemeanor charge be prosecuted by indictment in a superior court.
   (c)  A district attorney may submit to  a  grand  jury  any  available evidence concerning an offense prosecutable in the courts of the county, or  concerning  misconduct, nonfeasance or neglect in public office by a public servant, whether criminal or otherwise

§ 190.85 Grand jury; grand jury reports.
   1. The grand jury may submit to the court by which it was impaneled, a report:
   (a)    Concerning misconduct, non-feasance or neglect in public office by a public servant as the basis for  a  recommendation  of  removal  or disciplinary action; or
   (b)   Stating that after investigation of a public servant it finds no misconduct, non-feasance or neglect in office by him provided that  such public servant has requested the submission of such report; or
   (c)      Proposing   recommendations  for  legislative,  executive  or administrative action in the public interest based upon stated findings.
   2.  The court to which such report is submitted shall examine  it  and the  minutes  of  the  grand  jury  and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision four, shall make an order accepting and filing  such  report as  a public record only if the court is satisfied that it complies with the provisions of subdivision one and that:
   (a)  The report is based upon facts  revealed  in  the  course  of  an investigation  authorized  by  section  190.55  and  is supported by the preponderance of the credible and legally admissible evidence; and
   (b)   When the report  is  submitted  pursuant  to  paragraph  (a)  of subdivision  one,  that  each  person  named  therein  was  afforded  an opportunity to testify before the grand jury prior to the filing of such report, and when the report is submitted pursuant to  paragraph  (b)  or
 (c)  of  subdivision  one,  it  is  not  critical  of  an  identified or identifiable person.
   3.   The order  accepting  a  report  pursuant  to  paragraph  (a)  of subdivision  one, and the report itself, must be sealed by the court and may not be filed as a public  record,  or  be  subject  to  subpoena  or otherwise  be made public until at least thirty-one days after a copy of the order and the report are  served  upon  each  public  servant  named therein,  or if an appeal is taken pursuant to section 190.90, until the affirmance of the order accepting the report, or until reversal  of  the order  sealing the report, or until dismissal of the appeal of the named public servant by the appellate division, whichever occurs later.   Such public  servant  may  file with the clerk of the court an answer to such report, not later than twenty days after service of the order and report
upon him.  Such an answer shall plainly and concisely  state  the  facts and law constituting the defense of the public servant to the charges in said  report,  and, except for those parts of the answer which the court may determine to be  scandalously  or  prejudicially  and  unnecessarily inserted  therein,  shall  become  an appendix to the report.   Upon the expiration of the time set  forth  in  this  subdivision,  the  district attorney  shall  deliver a true copy of such report, and the appendix if any, for appropriate action, to  each  public  servant  or  body  having removal  or  disciplinary  authority  over  each  public  servant  named therein.
   4.  Upon the submission of a report pursuant to  subdivision  one,  if the  court  finds that the filing of such report as a public record, may prejudice fair consideration of a pending criminal matter, it must order such report sealed and such report may not be  subject  to  subpoena  or public  inspection  during  the pendency of such criminal matter, except upon order of the court.
   5.  Whenever the court to which a  report  is  submitted  pursuant  to paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  one  is  not  satisfied that the report complies with the provisions of subdivision  two,  it  may  direct  that additional  testimony  be  taken  before the same grand jury, or it must make an order sealing such report, and the report may not be filed as  a public record, or be subject to subpoena or otherwise be made public.