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Accident involving truck and car reported on Route 20, Bethany

By Howard B. Owens

An accident involving a semi-truck and car is reported in the area of 5901 Route 20, Bethany.

No word on injuries.

There's heavy front-end damage is reported to a vehicle. The tractor-trailer went down a culvert and is in water. It's 80,000 pounds loaded. A heavy wrecker will be needed

Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee Celebrates Anniversary

By Elizabeth Bentley-Huber

Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee Celebrates Anniversary

It’s the committee’s Third Year Anniversary! Join us at our next meeting of the Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee scheduled for Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the new U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Building, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013. Phone (585) 948-5445 (All meetings are open to the public and you are welcomed to attend.)

Guest Speakers:

- Fran Wagner, President of the Scajaquada Creek Canoe Club will discuss the clubs dedication to improving the environmental health of Scajaquada Creek. The 30 to 40 member club are involved in conducting stream cleanup’s, water quality and wildlife monitoring, and creating access for canoes and kayaks, as well as paddling together on the waterways of Western New York. Several members just participated in the Adirondack Classic, a three-day canoe race.

- Sheila Hess, CEO of Conservation Connects and Executive Director of New York Green will discuss the importance and benefits of partnerships in watershed planning and natural resource conservation. Sheila will review techniques for building relationships and creating synergy with traditional and nontraditional conservation partners.

Great strides have been made in forming a multi-county alliance devoted to the Tonawanda Creek Watershed, which lies within parts of Wyoming, Genesee, Erie and Niagara Counties. On December 2, 2009 a meeting was held at the Corfu Community Center to discuss the feasibility of forming a multi-county Tonawanda Creek Watershed group. This initial meeting was well attended, including officials and interested citizens from: Genesee County: Soil & Water Conservation District, Planning Dept., Health Dept. and Legislature; Towns of Pembroke, Alexander, Bethany and Darien; Tonawanda Band of Seneca’s. Wyoming County: Soil and Water Conservation District, Planning & Development Dept., Emergency Management Dept., Towns of Sheldon and Bennington. Erie County: Soil and Water Conservation District, NRCS, Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper, Water Quality Committee, Dept. of Public Works, Environmental Planning/Storm water Coalition, UB Law Environmental Attorney, Towns of Clarence and Amherst. Niagara County: Town of Royalton. Regional: NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee, Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, Lake Ontario Coastal Initiative, and US EPA Region 2.

“A lot of work is already going on separately. We need to connect and make a coordinated effort,” said Mark Gaston, District Manager of Erie County SWCD.

A large list of concerns and goals for the watershed were expressed, including water quality, erosion and sedimentation control, stream bank stabilization, flood control, habitat protection and recreational use.

By nearly unanimous consensus, it was decided to proceed with formation of a Tonawanda Creek Watershed Committee. “We must identify stakeholders and make sure they are involved. Communication is vital,” said Paul Fuhrmann of the Erie County Water Quality Committee, adding “The database of knowledge of this diverse group is invaluable”.

If you are unable to attend but are interested in joining this effort or have any questions, please send email to Tonawandacreek@yahoo.com or contact Elizabeth Bentley-Huber at Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District at 585-343-2362 or at Elizabeth.Bentley-Huber@ny.nacdnet.net. View our website at http://tonawandacreek.shutterfly.com

Event Date and Time
2012-12-19T18:00:00 - 2012-12-19T20:00:00

HOLM hosts book signing for local authors - just in time for Christmas

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Holland Land Office Museum Gift Shop presents a local author book signing just in time for Christmas from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22. HOLM is located at 131 W. Main St. Batavia.

The following authors will be present to sell and sign their

Proposed technology park gets final STAMP of approval from Town of Alabama

By Howard B. Owens

Five years of planning, public meetings, studies, environmental reviews and dozens of written reports came down to one vote Monday night in the Town of Alabama, and by unanimous decision, the town's planning board said yes to a proposed industrial technology park.

The 5-0 vote to change the zoning for

Charles L. Rieks

By Lisa Ace

Charles L. Rieks, 74, of Greeneville, TN and Orange Park, FL passed away Thursday, April 20, 2017.  He was born July 6, 1942 in Warsaw, NY to the late Harvey and Edith Brower Rieks.
Mr. Rieks graduated from Pavilion Central School.  He worked at Caledonia Bean Plant, Rochester Telephone Company and retired from Amtote International of Hunt Valley, MD.  He worked in Buffalo, Batavia and Canandaigua before transferring to Jacksonville/Orange Park, FL.
Charles was a life member of Pavilion Fire Department and was instrumental in helping to establish the Pavilion Rescue Squad.  He was also an American Legion member.  He was a veteran of the US Army having served from 1961-1967.
Mr. Rieks is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nancy (Smith) Rieks of Greeneville, TN; son Daniel (Lisa) Rieks of Batavia, NY; daughters, Roseann (Doug) Harris of Greeneville, TN, and Kelly (Daniel) Cordell of Stafford, NY; 6 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Shirley Cotton of Greenville, TX; sisters-in-law, Lorraine (J.E.) Rieks of Silver Spring, MD, Judy (Nick) Cecci of Corning, NY and Patricia (Robert) Murphy of Wyoming, NY; brother-in-law, Gary Phillips of Attica, NY, step-brothers, Robert and Donald Hammond of Rochester, NY; many nieces and nephews; and a very special family friend, Brad Skwirsk.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John Edgar (Ed) Rieks.
Services will be held at a later date at East Bethany Rural Cemetery in East Bethany, NY. Memorial contributions can be made to Pavilion Fire Department, P.O. Box 156; Pavilion, New York 14525.
Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.doughty-stevens.com

A walk through the Genesee County Park

By JIM NIGRO

Being it was the second week of December and no snow on the ground, I suggested to Claudia we should load up the dogs and head to the county park. And because we had Tate and Ernie along, we decided to stay off the side trails and stick to the

John D. "Jack" McCarthy

By T.J. Woodward

  John D. “Jack” McCarthy, 86, of Alexander passed away peacefully on Friday April 21, 2017 at the United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia. He was born in Dansville on January 29, 1931 to the late John M. and Ethel (Blausius) McCarthy. In addition to his parents, Jack is predeceased by his brother William Schaff and grandson David McCarthy.

Jack was a United States Army Veteran. He was employed with the New York State Department of corrections working at The Attica Correctional Facility for many years and then at Albion from where he retired. After retirement he moved with his wife to Orlando and worked with the Orange County Sheriff's Department for 10 more years. Jack loved to fish and hunt and spent many happy hours in those pursuits. More than these though he loved his family. He married the love of his life in September 1955 and they spent 62 years together. He was so proud of his children and grandchildren. Jack was a great storyteller and enjoyed when the family would gather together and he kept them laughing with his stories. In his later years he loved to hold his great-grandchildren and there were many people, both family and friends who called him “Grandpa Jack”.  Jack was a lifetime member of the Alexander Fire Department, a member of the VFW Joseph Collins post 6239 and the American Legion in Attica.

He is survived by his loving wife; Mary Ellen McCarthy; children Michael (Mary) McCarthy of Batavia, Marlene (Stefan) Worthington of Alexander, Lorrie (Jim) Gammack of Darien Center, Noreen (Mike) Gaiser of E. Bethany and Amy (Mike) Shaw of Alexander; 27 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.  

Family and friends are invited to call on Tuesday April 25, 2017 from 4:00-8:00PM at Marley Funeral Home, LLC. 135 Main Street Attica, New York 14011. A 10:00AM Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday the 26th at the Alexander United Methodist Church 10540 Main St. Alexander, NY 14005. Jack will be laid to rest in Ossian Center Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the NYS Veterans Home @ Batavia Activities Fund 220 Richmond Ave. Batavia, NY 14020 or the Alexander Fire Dept. ambulance fund P.O. Box 336 Alexander NY 14005 or the Alexander United Methodist Church at the address listed above. For more information please call (585) 591-1212 or to sign a message of condolence please visit www.marleyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements completed by Marley Funeral Home, LLC. 135 Main Street Attica, New York 14011.

Ray Cianfrini, local law enforcement honored at annual Kiwanis Law Day dinner

By Howard B. Owens

Ray Cianfrini, recipient of Distinguished Service Award from the Genesee County Bar Association.

Press release:

Kiwanis Club President Jocelyn Sikorski and Genesee County Bar Association President Peter Casey announced the awards during an annual dinner held at Batavia Country Club on Thursday, April 27. The speaker at the dinner was Lewis R

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