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Two-car accident at Route 77 and Akron Road

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at Route 77 and Akron Road, Indian Falls. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding, along with Mercy medics. A female complains of neck, side and back pain.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: Firefighters are working to extricate a victim(s).

UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: The firefighters are back in service.

Power outage in Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

Nearly 40 National Grid customers are without power along Phelps Road, Indian Falls, after a power line was knocked down.

A fire chief who responded reports it appears that a semi-truck knocked the line down.

The area includes a trailer park that is without power.

National Grid estimates power will be restored by 11:45 a.m.

Two car wrecks with injuries prompt response from Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments

By Billie Owens

Two nearly simultaneous car accidents require the response of both the Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments, along with Corfu and mutual aid from Darien.

At 7:07 p.m. a car-into-house accident, with injuries, was reported at 721 Akron Road. The side porch was "completely taken out and there is substantial damage to the vehicle," according to a responder.

This may connected to a just-prior accident at 878 Gabbey Road where a car reportedly went off the road and there are injuries. The pickup truck involved is said to have fled the scene.

A responder said he was nearly hit head on by the pickup truck believed to be the same one which left the Gabbey Road incident.

Darien Fire Department is requested to aid in shoring up the residence that was struck on Akron Road, wherein one person suffered a hand laceration.

7:35 p.m.: One person is being loaded into a Mercy rig for hospital transport. The natural gas fuel provider is called to the scene since the house that was struck had its gas on at the time of impact.

7:55 p.m.: One person was taken to ECMC. National Grid was also called to the scene.

Photos: Late afternoon in Pembroke and Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

Here's some shots from a late afternoon drive through East Pembroke, Indian Falls and Pembroke.

Above, on Stegman Road, Batavia.

Pratt Road

Little Indian Falls Road

Indian Falls Lake

Slusser Road

Driver trapped, but minor injuries in accident at Akron Road and Tesnow Road

By Howard B. Owens

A motor-vehicle accident with minor injuries has been reported at Akron Road and Tesnow Road, Pembroke.

A victim is trapped in a vehicle, however.

Pembroke fire and Indian Falls fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Akron's fire department put on standby in case personnel are needed to assist with extrication.

UPDATE: The patient is out of the vehicle. There is a gas leak.

Shed fire on Route 5 by South Lake Road, Pembroke

By Billie Owens

A shed fire (which has also been referred to as a barn) is reported 653 Main Road in Pembroke near South Lake Road. Pembroke command on scene says "there are exposure issues," to a nearby structure. Route 5 and South Lake Road are being shut down. Called to provide mutual aid are: Darien, Corfu, East Pembroke, Indian Falls, Alabama, and Akron.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: The fire is knocked down. No exposures involved. They are doing rehab on the shed. Responders still headed to the scene are told to come in non-emergency.

UPDATE 6:13 p.m.: The road is reopened. All responders are back in service.

UPDATE (by Howard): Photos added. No official cause, but it's possibly an electrical fire according to preliminary indications. A van and an ATV were destroyed along with tools.

Accident reported at Route 5 and Route 77, Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

A two-car accident with possible minor injuries is reported at Route 77 and Route 5, Pembroke.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments responding along with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 8:29 a.m.: The accident is not blocking and there may be no injuries.

UPDATE 8:30 a.m.: There is at least one person with injuries being treated.

Archeological study on proposed veterans cemetery site needs to hurry along, Schumer says

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to expeditiously complete the cultural resource study that must be performed on a potential veteran cemetery site, before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can choose to establish and construct a national veterans’ cemetery in Western New York.

The VA was in the process of performing due diligence on a proposed site on Indian Falls Road when they discovered the need to do a more in-depth archeological study, to be overseen and reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), in order to finalize the selection. The cultural resource survey is the third phase of the archeological process, and concludes whether land contains historical artifacts and if so, how they must be addressed.

Once the study has been reviewed and a determination made by SHPO, the VA will have the information needed to proceed to their final site decision. Schumer noted that with a lack of a national veterans’ cemetery within a 75-mile radius, and hundreds of thousands of veterans living in the region, the time is long past to establish a national veterans’ cemetery in Western New York.

“It is time that hundreds of thousands of deserving veterans from Buffalo to Rochester and beyond are afforded a site for proper military burial near their home in Western New York. The delay has gone on too long, but the end is in sight: I am focused on breaking through this hurdle in order to get to a final site decision,” Schumer said. “The State Historical Preservation Office should swiftly complete the review of this archeological study so that a decision can be made posthaste, and so that our dedicated veterans can have a final resting place worthy of their service. Western New York veterans have a proud tradition of military service, and I’m going to keep pushing the VA to move full speed ahead and offer my support to knock down any barriers that may stand in the way of establishing this cemetery.”

For the past three years, the VA has been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement with property owners in order to purchase land for establishment of a National Veterans Cemetery. After the SHPO’s review and determination, the VA will be able to move forward with the selection of one of the final three candidate locations.

The cultural resources study includes taking subsurface samples of the land, and thus can only be performed between harvest and planting of crops; which is the reason the study has been so far delayed. The potential site in question is a 132-acre farm located at Route 77 and Indian Falls Road in Pembroke. The VA is also considering two other sites in the area.

Schumer has long argued that it is critical for the veterans’ cemetery location to be decided on and for acquisition to begin immediately. Half of New York Veterans are 65 years of age or older, and now is the time to start planning for the future of those veterans, and ensuring that they are treated with the honor they deserve. Schumer has heard from local veterans groups that veterans in Western New York desprately want to be buried in a national shrine, but don’t want to force their families to travel long distances to visit, potentially at great hardship to do so.

Today, there are more than 22 million veterans who are eligible for the honor of burial in a National Cemetery. Veterans with discharges other than dishonorable, their spouses and dependent children may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. Those who die on active duty may also be buried in a national cemetery.

Senator Schumer has joined with Western New York vets for years in calling for the VA to locate the first federal veterans’ cemetery in the region. Around 2009-2010, the VA updated its burial policy, which changed the threshold of veterans required to construct a new national cemetery to 80,000 veterans within 75 miles of a proposed site. With this new policy, the region was more than qualified, there are nearly 100,000 veterans in Orleans, Niagara, Erie and Chautauqua counties alone, approximately 200,000 veterans in the Rochester region, and additional veterans who live more than 75 miles from the nearest available National Cemetery in Bath, NY. Schumer has fought to keep the VA moving forward in finding a site for this cemetery ever since, and has pushed the process through a variety of roadblocks.

In particular, throughout the process, Schumer has urged the VA to be more transparent about its selection timeline and site preferences. As a result of the Senator’s efforts, the VA has released information about the process to the local community, and after a personal meeting in Schumer’s D.C. office in 2012, committed to an expedited timeline.  Schumer vowed to continue his efforts to speed up the selection process and is now urging the State Historic Preservation Office to expedite its archeological study so that the VA can finally close on a property.

Thefts of four wheelers reported in western part of Genesee County

By Howard B. Owens

Investigators are looking for leads on who may behind a series of ATV thefts in the western part of Genesee County, said Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster.

Only two stolen four wheelers have been recovered from what Brewster called "a rash" of thefts in the Pembroke, Corfu and Indian Falls areas.

There have been no arrests and Brewster said it's likely the same individuals are responsible for all the thefts and that they are probably from outside the county.

"As always, owners should keep their property locked up when not in use and neighbors should report suspicious activity immediately," Brewster said.

For tips and information, the Sheriff's Office can be contacted at (585) 343-5000.

Photos: Indian Falls United Methodist Church Community Days

By Luke Cullinan

Today the Indian Falls United Methodist Church held its annual Community Days -- Blueberry festival. The festival featured a car/tractor show. There were complimentary hot dogs, baked goods and other items for sale by the churches members. 

At 4, the church held a kids peddle kart race for children of all ages to come out and race each other. 

At 5, the church hosted a lawnmower race that was open to everyone to come out to and race. 

The Indian Falls Fire Company also attended community days, bringing along two trucks with them. 

Person injured in hit-and-run accident in Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

An ambulance is requested non-emergency to 1055 Sliker Road, Indian Falls, for a person with a possible head injury and cuts and abrasions following a hit-and-run accident at that location.

The patient is conscious and alert and needs to be evaluated.

No information available at this time on the suspect vehicle.


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Photos: Indian Falls United Methodist Church Strawberry Social

By Luke Cullinan

The Indian Falls United Methodist Church held its 68th annual Strawberry Social on Wednesday. It's takes place every year on the last Wednesday in June, rain or shine.

The event included included a chicken barbecue dinner with strawberry shortcake and hot fudge sundaes for dessert. The food was prepared and served by the church members.

Bake sale goods, which were made by Janet Burgel, and auction items were donated by local people and businesses. All proceeds benefit the church.

Car crash at Alleghany and Gabbey roads

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident is reported at Alleghany and Gabbey roads. It is not blocking traffic. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments and Mercy medics are responding. An officer on scene reports there is one patient who is shaken up but seems otherwise OK and will probably be a sign-off.

UPDATE 12:11 p.m.: The responders are back in service.

Man falls from roof, suffers complete dislocation of ankle

By Billie Owens

A 61-year-old man fell more than 20 feet off a roof and suffered "a total dislocation of (his) ankle" at 349 Wright Road. It's between Tesnow Road and the dead end. Alabama Fire Department is there and called Mercy Flight to the scene. Helicopter 5 out of Batavia is en route. Mutual aid by Indian Falls and Pembroke fire departments to establish a landing zone is requested. Sounds like they are going to remove a soccer net from a nearby neighbor's yard and land Mercy Flight there. Mercy Flight is hovering over the scene and a lone firefighter is scrambling trying to establish a landing zone. "We've got a visual. We'll prepare to land," says the pilot.

UPDATE 11:45 a.m.: Mercy medics just arrived along with Indian Falls and the helicopter has landed.

UPDATE 11:47 a.m.: A Mercy medic asks that Mercy Flight be told to shut down its engine because the patient is not yet ready to be transported.

UPDATE 11:49 a.m.: Pembroke has arrived.

UPDATE Noon: Mercy Flight is airborne and headed to Erie County Medical Center. Alabama, Indian Falls and Pembroke are back in service.

Car crash at Akron and Alleghany roads, Pembroke

By Billie Owens

A two-car accident is reported at Akron and Alleghany roads. It is blocking traffic. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments and medics are responding. Fire Police are at the scene handling traffic. One person has a minor chest injury.

Wires, tree down on Main Road, Pembroke, truck traffic stopped at routes 5 and 77

By Billie Owens

Three primary power lines / poles are down in the roadway in the area of 1428 Main Road in Pembroke, just past Boyce Road. The wires were arcing and smoking. Cables lines are also hanging low across the roadway, and a fallen tree is laying on them. Tractor-trailers will be stopped by fire police at routes 5 and 77.

Pembroke, East Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding. National Grid and the cable company have been notified.

UPDATE 1:22 p.m.: National Grid and Time Warner reps are on scene. Once the low-hanging cables wires are disconnected, tractor-trailers will be allowed through.

UPDATE 1:29 p.m.: All traffic can proceed; roadways reopened.

UPDATE 1:33 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls are back in service.

Car/deer accident on westbound thruway, unknown injuries

By Billie Owens

A car / deer accident is reported on the westbound thruway at mile marker 403. Unknown injuries. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 1:12 p.m.: A chief on scene says fire and medics can stand down. Only law enforcement is needed at the scene (to dispatch the deer).

Dispatchers informed of three youths at Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

A diner at the Log Cabin Restaurant has reported three youths in the Indian Falls gorge.

Also, calls in the past 20 minutes we haven't quite kept up with: Youths were throwing rocks from a train bridge in Le Roy. A woman reports her windshield was damaged. In another location, two white males placed something on a train track, which was struck by a train, and the youths fled in a white pickup truck.

'No charges warranted' against teen who was rescued at Indian Falls last night

By Howard B. Owens

Statement from Chief Dibble Gordon Dibble:

With regard to the 05/02/13 rescue at Indian Falls: The only potential charges would have been "trespass." However, the area is not posted, the individual was not directed to leave the property by the property owner prior to the incident and, in recent history, people have been allowed to enter and swim in the area. No charges are warranted.

FWIW: We hadn't asked the question, but Dibble sent this to all the regional media, so it must have been in response to an inquiry or other reports.

NOTE: The Tonawanda Creek through most of Genesee County is public property. It's possible to enter the creek upstream from the falls without trespassing on any private property.

Previously: Deep and swift water makes for risky rescue at Indian Falls

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