A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 11:30 a.m.

The storm reportedly is capable of producing damaging winds in excess of 60 mph. At the time of the warning, the storm was 10 miles south of Hamburg and moving northeast at 50 mph.

UPDATE 10:38 a.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for portions of Wyoming County, including Warsaw.

State Police in Batavia are looking to identify this man. Call State Police Batavia 344-6200 with any information.

A defibrillator was donated by the Armbrewster family Saturday for use at the Oakfield Little League fields and in the fall for the Oakfield-Elba Titans football program. The donation was made in the memory of Chad Armbrewster, who passed away last year from a heart attack. Participating in the ceremony were Sonya Armbrewster and sons Gage and Gavin, along with Matthew Durham, president of the Little League, and coaches Jeff Hyde, Mike Cusmano and Tim Westcott.

The Alabama American Legion hosted a Hogs and Heroes ride and pig roast Saturday, which include a ride to Medina, then Stan's Harley-Davidson, then to Attica's American Legion Hall, and back to Alabama for a pig roast.

Photos submitted by Timothy Burch.

Genesee ARC was well represented Saturday at the Color Me Rad 5K at Darien Lake Theme Park.

See also: Photos: Color Me Rad 5K 2015 at Darien Lake

Submitted photos.

The Oakfield-Alabama Hornets 12U Girls Softball Team took First Place at the Alan Bailey Tournament hosted in Avon at the Driving Park on Saturday. 

The Hornets beat Livonia 19-5 in the first game.

They beat Webster 7-6 for the championship. 

Jenna Gilbert pitched a half inning shy of two complete games for the Hornets. She was named MVP for the Hornets team. Kodi Beehler and Jordyn Tobolski were recognized as Tournament All-stars.

Photo and info submitted by Marc Johnson.

A one-car accident with injuries is reported at 7218 South Lake Road. Bergen fire and Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Woodside Drive and Clinton Street Road.

A person walked to Batavia Police headquarters and reported that a person started a fire in a drain on Jefferson Square by the Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union. The person provided no other information. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m. (By Howard): There are witnesses. One version of the story is that a 20-year-old male obtained nail polish remover, had a candle, and started a fire and dropped it down the storm drain grate. Two teenagers then tried to put the fire out with a water bottle. City fire responded. The flame was about an inch high when they arrived and it took less than 60 seconds to extinguish. An investigation is being conducted.

To purchase prints, click here.

A resident on Alleghany Road in Corfu reported a "robbery" to a 9-1-1 dispatcher, and then hung up, but the first police officer responding said it wasn't a robbery, it was a larceny.

"No money was taken," the officer said.

What was taken was an empty can. It's normally a money receptacle for money people buying campfire wood from the residence.

The suspect, wanted for attempted larceny, ran into the woods.

A possible description is a late teens to age 25 white male, 5' 6" to 5' 9". He has on a ball cap and backpack. The backpack is military green. He was also wearing a green shirt and shorts (no color provided on the shorts).

UPDATE (By Billie) 8:15 p.m.: An officer reports the suspect may be at the entrance to Darien Lake Theme Park.

The last text he sent, before hitting an Amish buggy with three children inside, was "I love you" to his wife. He's not even sure if he was looking at the road at the time of the accident. The next thing he knew, the windshield shattered and when he stopped, a person rolled off the roof of his van and onto the hood.

Debbie was struck by a teen who was texting while getting her mail from her roadside mailbox. She now has limited mobility, memory loss and other health issues. The accident left her entirely dependent on relatives. Debbie doesn't remember the accident at all. She went from being active to inactive in a just a second. 

“I made the choice that texting was more important to me than those two men were to their families,” said a young man. “That accident was preventable. I just had to put my phone away and drive.”

These stories and others were shown to Alexander and Warsaw high school students Friday during the Save a Life, Alcohol Awareness tour program at Alexander High School. The presentation, given by tour manager Clay Martin, is to put a spotlight on what drivers do in their cars -- it matters, even if there are no passengers.

“There's no message that would be worth picking up that phone,” Martin said. “Remember, many people may not get a chance to see these videos, but if you make it a point to remember, the avalanche of waiting until it's safe to write that text will propel and maybe it will start a chain of safer driving.”

The Save A Life Tour is a comprehensive high-impact, safe-driving awareness program that informs, educates and demonstrates the potentially deadly consequences resulting from poor choices and decisions made by a driver. The program specifically places emphasis on distracted and impaired driving, driver experience, improper driver behavior, and seat belt usage. The Department of Defense, as well as the Connecticut and Rhode Island departments of transportation, also use this program.

“All good driving begins with making simple habits,” Martin said. “Most people pick up their cell phone at a stop light, but most accidents occur at an intersection. You have to be prepared and pay attention. You have to be aware of not only your actions but those who are around you as well.”

Just a few seconds of distraction can take you the distance of a football field when driving at 55 mph. According to Martin, a drunk driver has driven 327 times before something happens. In 2012, a total of 3,326 people died in distracted-driving-related accidents and more than 421,000 people sustained injuries.

Alcohol has an amazing way of blurring the consequences, Martin told the teens. “Alcohol gets silly names like 'liquid courage' and 'beer muscles', but what it really does is put a barrier between you and a rational choice.

“There is a list of people in your phone that you can call for a ride,” Martin said. “I bet if you start in the As, by the time you reach the Cs you could have someone willing to pick you up on Christmas Day during a snowstorm.”

Not only did the students view a presentation, two simulators were set up for them to try to experience what it was like when the driver is distracted behind the wheel or has been drinking.

“It was hard to do,” said Alexander Middle/High School Principal Shannon Whitcomb. “It got more difficult as I kept going.”

“I think it has an impact. I don't know that we can determine how much, but you can tell by the attentiveness of our students that they were learning from the presentation and hopefully help them with choices in their future,” said Alexander School Superintendent Kathleen Maerten. “It’s providing education in a realistic manner. The experiential part is certainly important. The stories shared on the video have an impact as well. I think his point is that, even if you're not the driver and you're the passenger, you can advise the driver. The responsibility is not only in the hands of the driver it's the passengers as well.” 

Alexander High School senior Raven Quackenbush said “The scariest thing about it is something happening to my family. I’d rather it happen to me, than the ones I care about.”

“I have texted when I was driving and I swerved, but I don't do that anymore,” said Alexander senior Jessica Meyers. “I'm so aware of what I'm doing that it's not worth it. When you're driving with other people that are in your car, you're responsible for their lives. I appreciate it when parents trust me.”

Quackenbush said: “You have to ask yourself -- 'Is this more important than my life?' It's not too hard to say hey, can you check that for me. You can pull over for five seconds.” 

The Alexander Central School Parent Teacher Association sponsored the program as a way to remind students to make good decisions.

“It’s especially important because our prom is next weekend,” said Alexander Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) student President Hunter Doran. “We know that there will be those who decide to drink.”

“We just want them to be safe,” said SADD Advisor Shawnie Woeller. “You're not always going to hit them all. I've been doing this for so long that it use to bother me, but I have to take the stand that if we can affect one kid’s life, it does make a difference.”

“It resonates with me every time I watch this,” Doran said. “I don't ever want to have to deal with it, but the possibility is that I may have to. I want to educate myself as much as possible. 

I have no problem telling someone to stop. I see these people every day, I don't want them to end up in a hospital because of it (distracted/drunk driving).” 

“I want to be an example,” Woeller said. “I want to remind kids that there is a way to have fun, but you have to know when to stop."

According to Whitcomb, the kids can make the connection between the selfishness of taking their phone out to text while driving. Any way getting the word out works, different presentations affect different kids.

“I don't think we give kids enough credit,” Whitcomb said. “We just need to give them the information and trust the will make good choices.”

“Other families matter, too,” said Warsaw High School Junior Ashley Scott. “I wouldn’t get in a vehicle with anyone drinking, I would take their keys away.”

“I think it’s cool that they gave the stories and then let the kids use the simulators,” said Warsaw ELA teacher Jen Smith. “They way they set this up was perfect. Even though our prom is over with, the summer is starting and you have grad parties. It’s a good way to end the year as a reminder. 

“This should also be shown to adults. It would be a benefit. I don't think you can get enough of stuff like this,” Smith said. “I wonder if people even really think about it until it affects their community or family.”

According to SRO officer at Warsaw Central School Tim McGinnis, it’s a good barometer of what can happen if a driver decides to text or drink and drive. McGinnis agrees that it absolutely makes the kids see a reality of what can happen. While he said that it sometimes may take time for the information to really hit them and sink in, he’s hoping it is a deterrent to poor choices, which can have long-term effects on everyone.

“It helped me realize that it can impact more than just a driver,” said Warsaw junior Nate McGuire. “I felt sorry for them at first. It shows the impact of one very small moment and how it can impact the rest of their lives.”

“My favorite feedback I get is when the kids come back and tell me they had a conversation about this in another class,” Martin said. “That's what we want the kids to do, get talking about it. Those stories represent the people who are affected.”

“It’s not even tempting for me to drink if I’m going to drive,” Quackenbush said.

“I don’t care what people think if I don’t drink,” Meyers said.

Both girls said there is so much more to do with their time.

For more information about the program visit www.savealife.com

St. James Episcopal Church celebrated 200 years in Batavia today with a special service highlighted by musical performances and officiated by Bishop William Franklin of the Western New York Diocese and former interim pastor Allen Farabbe.

A six-piece brass ensemble and percussion section, led by Dave Porter, performed “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “Crown Him With Many Crowns,” “Lift High the Cross” and “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation.”

The Genesee Chorale, conducted by Ric Jones, also performed, with accompaniment by pianist Doug Henson.

NEW TODAY!  Le Roy Country Club, 7789 E. Main Street Road, Le Roy NY 14482: Le Roy Country Club is one of New York's most accessible public golf courses offering an 18-hole course with reasonable prices, a clubhouse featuring a fine restaurant and banquet facilities with a full menu of appetizers, soups/salads, chicken, seafood, beef and a children's menu. Lunch buffet offered for $7.50, Monday thru Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.; there's a variety of leagues, a driving range, and memberships available. Phone is 768-7330. We have a $50 gift certificate for $30.

Alli's Cones & Dogs, 7063 Lewiston Road, Oakfield, NY: Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu; all-you-can-eat salad bar; ice cream served year-round; eat-in or take-out. Now offering fresh and tasty BBQ chicken hot off the grill and catering! We have a $20 gift certificate for $8.

The Rib Shack (formerly The Rack Shack) 4974 Ellicott Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020: Genesee County's newest BBQ restaurant offers a varied menu that ranges from tender, tasty slow-cooked BBQ ribs and smoky beef brisket to Cajun catfish, ribeye steaks, burgers and wraps. Family owned and operated, the atmosphere is warm and comfortable, and the meats are smoked on-site. The homemade BBQ sauce is “sweet with a spicy kick.” Sides include authentic Southern-style collard greens, 5-bean chuck wagon beans with bacon and ground meat, mac ‘n’ cheese, tater tots and more. Catering available. Dine in, take out, phone in (585-201-7077). Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 to 7, closed Monday. We have a $20 gift certificate for $12.

Chap's Elba Diner, 5 S. Main St., Elba, NY 14058: Great food, excellent service in a friendly, family atmosphere await you at this small-town diner featuring breakfast, lunch, weekly specials and all-you-can-eat dinner options. Catering, too! Home of the Muck Plate and Mrs. Bennett's Ham Loaf. Other favorites include Steak Diane, San Francisco Chicken, genuine Hungarian goulash, All-American chicken 'n' biscuits, Friday fish fry. Soups are fresh and tasty. New Summer hours are: Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone is 757-5001. We have a $10 gift certificate for $6.

O'Lacy's Irish Pub, 5 School St. Batavia, NY 14020: 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.

Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew, 9 Main St., Le Roy, NY. The kind of downhome, laid-back and comfortable place that just feels right. Open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks, this eatery and bar features a variety of eats and drinks that are outstanding. Specializing in smoked meats -- each meat is dry rubbed with a proprietary mix of seasonings, then smoked slowly in their on-site smoker for maximum flavor and tenderness. With a variety of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, combo platters and entrées, there's always plenty of choice for even picky eaters. Great food, frosty brews and some of the best folk around call the Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew their favorite -- make it your favorite today! Don't forget to ask about our catering! We have a $20 gift card for $9.50.

Byron Hotel & Trail House, 6874 Byron Holley Road, Byron, NY: Casual, friendly atmosphere centrally located in Byron offering a full menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, seafood, steak, and pasta. Lunch punch pass Monday -- Friday 11 a.m.  to 1 p.m.; Tuesday -- Trivia; Wednesday -- Clam & Wing Specials 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday -- Best Fish Fry around. Dining room available for private parties or corporate events. Patio opening. We have a $10 gift certificate for $6.

Rancho Viejo, 12 Ellicott St., Batavia, NY 14020: Traditional Mexican cuisine, from tacos and burritos to pollo norteno, Rancho Viejo brings a bit of "South of the Border" to Batavia's restaurant scene. We have a $10 gift card for $6.

Fortune's Restaurant inside Batavia Downs, 8315 Park Road, Batavia, NY 14020: Italian-style menu, drinks in one of the region's most popular entertainment venues. We have a $25 gift certificate for $15. (Must be new or current Players Club member to redeem.)

Settler's, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY 14020: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $9.50.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY 14020: Authentic Southern BBQ, from ribs to brisket with all the fixin's. We have a $20 gift card for $9.50.

Ficarella's Pizzeria, 21 Liberty St., Batavia, NY 14020: Dine-in, drive-thru or delivery. Featuring fresh, hearth-baked pizza since 1985, plus wings, pasta and more. We have a $20 gift certificate for $12.

Sweet Pea’s Cupcakery Café, 23 Jackson St., Batavia, NY 14020. We are a full-service Cupcake Bakery and Café. Now serving fresh-baked artisan pizza for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday thru Friday! Treat yourself to a variety of baked goods, mainly varieties of specialty and traditional scratch-made cupcakes, as well as other bakery items like cookies and brownies. We also serve a variety of hot and cold beverages. Check out our location, or place an order for parties, gatherings or any other reasons you can think of to enjoy some cupcakes. We have a $10 gift card for $4.

The Little Ridge, 107 Evans St., Batavia NY, 14020: The Little Ridge continues the long-standing history of fantastic food from Batavia's local favorite, Delavan's. Fine dining and family fare combine to offer the best of both. We offer Friday night Fish Fry, prime rib dinner on Saturdays, steaks, burgers, salads, and classic Italian dishes. Open Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Phone 815-5118. Take-outs available. Kids' menu. Weekly and daily lunch and dinner specials. On Saturday, breakfast is served from 9 to 11 a.m. Good food, good friends, good times! We have a $25 gift certificate for $15.

Dave's Ice Cream, 3872 W. Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020: Dave's offers only locally purchased products, including Perry's hard ice cream in a wide variety of yummy flavors, with a wonderful assortment of toppings and homemade waffle cones. Different soft-serve flavors are offered weekly. Open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. We have a $10 gift certificate for $4.

Bourbon & Burger Co., 9 Jackson St., Batavia, NY 14020: Batavia's newest burger joint offers more than two dozen different types of tasty hamburgers. Our menu also includes a variety of sandwiches, appetizers and an extensive beer list, plus a full bar. We have a $20 gift certificate for $12.

Oliver's Candies, 211 W. Main St., Batavia, NY 14020: Oliver's, a Batavia landmark, offers the finest chocolate and confections in the area. We have a $20 gift card for $12.

Pudgie's Lawn & Garden Center, 3646 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Spring is here and Pudgie’s has everything you need to enjoy the season -- hanging baskets of beautiful flowers, lawn care products, shrubbery, gardening supplies, and more. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

T.F. Brown's, 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY 14020: 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."  Stop in and check out our Jumbo Chicken Wings, Roast Beef on Weck and Friday night fish fry. The original family spaghetti sauce still adorns all of our Italian specialties. The other popular selections from our menu range from Super Salads, butcher cut Strip Loin and South of the Border items. We offer daily lunch and dinner specials as well as a full adult and children’s menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $12.

John & Mary's Restaurant, 3711 W. Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020: This popular restaurant offers a varied menu that people love. From subs, hoagies, hand-tossed pizza, and wings, to fish & chips, salads, Mexican food, gyros and other Greek fare, it's all here. Only the finest and freshest ingredients are used. Bread, using homemade dough, baked fresh daily. Amazing specialty pizzas and appetizers! "We never waver on quality!" Delivery available all day, every day. We offer catering. Hours 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. We have a $10 gift certificate for $6.

Santino's Pizza, 2 Main St., Oakfield, NY: We're pizza and a whole lot more! Voted #1 pizza in Genesee County in blind taste test! Santino's features pizza, wings, subs, wraps, ice cream, and more! We have a $20 gift certificate for $12.

Bohn's Restaurant, 5256 Clinton St., Batavia, NY. Fine dining in an atmosphere of casual elegance. Lunch and dinner, steak, prime rib and seafood. Ask about Bohn's catering services and banquet facility. We have $25 gift certificates for $12.

Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle, 8 Center St., Batavia, NY 14020: 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 $10.50.

The Original Woody's Deli, 47 North St., Le Roy, NY 14482: It's all here at Woody's "The Corner Deli" -- Made-to-order, hand-battered chicken tenders, homemade cannolis and soups, specialty pizza, wraps, hot and cold subs, Mexican favorites, fresh salads, Garbage Plates, Kids' Menu, wings, catering, delivery. Hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. Stop by today! Or phone in your order 768-8585. We have a $10 gift certificate for $6.

RULES

[Last updated June 6, 2014. Subject to change without notice.]

NOTE: A $1 PayPal service fee applies on items more than $10. The fee is 50 cents on items $10 and below.

The gift certificate must be used by within 30 days of purchase, unless it states otherwise. It is not valid with other offers, has no cash value, and does not include gratuities. Only one gift certificate per-merchant, per-household every SIX months. Gift certificates cannot be combined with other offers without prior approval of the merchant. Gift certificates bought separately cannot be combined for a single purchase. Individuals buying gift certificates must use their own personal PayPal account for the purchase. For hair salons, good for services only, not products.

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. Unless other arrangements are made immediately after purchase, the gift certificate will mailed to the winner at his or her PayPal-provided postal address within two or three days of purchase.

ENDED

Pudgie's Garden Center hosted a butterfly clinic today taught by Ardell Olin. Visitors could learn about what plants attract butterflies and the type of habitats they prefer. (For example, they like rocks to land on to dry their wings.)

Above, Tracy Dean, of Alexander, with her son Keith prepare to leave with a couple of plant purchases after talking with Olin.

The names of five more veterans were added to a walkway of honor at the VA's PTSD Clinic in Batavia this afternoon. There are 45 names on the walkway. Each year, the names of those who have been through the PTSD program but passed in the previous year are added to the walkway.

The first runner rounds the corner on Bank Street this morning to start a 5K race benefiting All Babies Cherished.

Five-year-old Ryan is all business as he waits for the start of this morning's youth fishing derby at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. It's the 24th year for the event. This year, as of 8:10 a.m., 30 children had signed up.

Ryan is with is dad, Dave, and brother, David, 7. The family lives in Alabama.

Have you heard of Dirty Girl? How about Tough Mudder? Well, the second annual John Kennedy School “Sons and Mudders” event kicked off last night. More than 300 sons and moms participated in the half-mile obstacle course. Some of the course events consists of sprinklers, tug-of-war, slip-'n'-slide to name a few, but most of the entertainment happens when they go through the mud crawl, said Allision Chua who is co-chair of tonight’s event.

David Chua came up with the “Sons and Mudders” name last year when they had 225 participants.

“It’s to promote and improve fitness for all age levels and to have some fun with our sons," said Allision Chua. "We have our annual father-daughter dance in February and our JK parent group got together to come up with some ideas with Jennifer Houseknecht who co-chaired the event last year and thought this would be a big hit and tonight showed it."

Three different time slots were broken up by grades from second to fourth to accommodate everyone.

Allison said, "We could not do it without our sponsors."

Muller Quaker, donated the yogurt and Artic Refrigeration, the ice and water for after each group finished. 

T-Shirts Etc. printed the shirts and nearly 30 local businesses donated toward the costs of the event. 

Dave Fisher runs the “Mud Crawl” and if you don’t get mud on you, he makes sure you do. AD Call & Sons helped with the covering costs for the dirt used for the event.

For more photos and to purchase go to: Steve Ognibene Photography