If you're a landowner with at least 200 acres in the Batavia area, here's your chance to sell it.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is trying to secure a plot of land that is central to Buffalo and Rochester for a new veteran's cemetery, according to a report in the Buffalo News.

When it was pointed out that most of the land east, west, north and south of Batavia is wide open, he said, “Apparently no one wants to sell.”

At present, the closest VA cemetery for those who have served in the armed forces is more than 100 miles away in Bath.

The parcel being sought by the VA needs to be within seven miles north or south of the Thruway and no farther than 20 miles east of the Thruway and Route 77 or 18 miles west of that rural crossing.

Prospective sellers -- even a mile outside the boundaries -- should call Gary Rothfeld, a VA real estate official at (202) 495-5534.

The deadline for proposals is Feb. 16.

A one-car rollover accident is reported on the Thruway, eastbound at mile marker 398.8. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding. There are injuries, but their severity is unknown.

Callers say responders should use caution upon approach since there are reportedly people running across the roadway to the accident scene.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: A responder says the accident is not a rollover.

UPDATE 3:01 p.m.: Apparently there are two separate incidents. One car is off the roadway at mile marker 398. A half mile eastward, a black SUV was overturned, but is now right-side up. The occupants are out and seem to have suffered lacerations only.

Two East Pembroke fire trucks have been dispatched to 8441 Indian Falls Road, Corfu, to deal with a flooded basement at a house.

National Grid has been called to shut off electricity.

It's unclear what caused the flooding.

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From 3 to 5 inches of snow are expected to hit Genesee County some time after 1 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued an advisory for the expected storm, which is effect until 1 a.m., Sunday.

The forecast doesn't call for much in the way of winds, though visibility is expected to be reduced a half mile.

The NWS warns of hazardous driving conditions during the storm.

A third suspect in an alleged fight at the Eagle Hotel in Le Roy on Jan. 23 has been arrested and charged with harassment, 2nd.

Steven Hare, 37, of 9 Washington Ave., Le Roy, was arraigned and released following his arrest.

Hare is accused of shoving another person during the alleged altercation.

Previously charged with assault, 2nd were Thomas B. Streamer, 40, of 28 Grover St., Warsaw, and Thomas W. Sherman, 41, of 108 North St., Le Roy.

One alleged victim was taken to UMMC with with facial, head and shoulder injuries.

If you plan to down a brew or two over Super Bowl weekend, local law enforcement officials hope you'll remember: Don't drink and drive.

To help emphasize the point, the State Police announced they will have extra patrols on roads throughout Western New York and troopers will also man check points at undisclosed locations.

The Sheriff's Office, according to Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble, will also have extra cruisers on the road, though no checkpoints are planned.

From the State Police announcement:

The State Police plan to provide increased patrols in hopes that increased visibility and enforcement efforts will ensure that this upcoming weekend will be a safe one for people in Western New York.

Troopers and investigators will also check on liquor stores and taverns to enforce age restrictions on alcohol consumption.

A pair of Batavia hotels are getting some tax relief through the Genesee County Economic Development Center because they are installing new energy-efficient doors and windows.

A GCEDC news release says the project will mean 21 retained jobs.

The Days Inn and Super 8 at 200 Oak St., Batavia, are expected to spend more than $220,000 on the project.

The owners will save about $9,000 in sales tax on materials under terms of the GCEDC arrangement.

Business Owners: Interested in this type of ad? Contact Howard, howard@thebatavian.com

There are three primary reasons Cedar Street needs an extreme makeover according to consultant Marc D. Kenward.

First is the poor drainage that causes cracks and potholes; second, the low clearance of the bridge at the south end of Cedar (you know, the one the trucks hit a few times a year); third, a need for improved pedestrian mobility (sidewalks).

The reconstruction of Cedar has been a goal of the city for years, but the project is now in the pipeline because 80 percent of the $3.7 million price tag will be covered by the federal government and state grants will pay the rest.

An informational meeting at City Hall this evening, which about a dozen people attended, was an introduction of the plan and an opportunity for community members to provide feedback.

There will likely be one more such meeting as the planning progresses, Kenward said.

A murder of crows -- that's what you call a group of them, not a flock -- were hanging out on Summit Street early this evening.

With their constant caw-caw-caw they were making quite a ruckus -- like something out of Hitchcock's "The Birds." 

At one point, they seemed to have every branch in this tree covered.

A three-car accident has been reported at East Main and Cedar streets.

It is believed to be property-damage only at this point.

A driver who was pulling out of the Arby's drive-thru exit on West Main Street apparently had her van roll in front of a westbound tractor-trailer.

The truck spun the van around, onto the sidewalk and into the front of an office building.

It's unknown at this point if the driver was unable to stop on ice or if she failed to yield the right-of-way.

The trucker drove on to the Tops Market parking lot where he reportedly felt it was safer to stop than on West Main Street.

Batavia Police and Fire responded along with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE: The driver of the van was Patricia A. Tomaszewski, 74, of Dodgeson Road, Alexander. Sgt. John Peck said Tomaszewski allegedly failed to yield the right-of-way and was issued a citation. He said her van struck the right rear axle of the trailer. The truck driver was John L. Kinnaird, 58, of Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. Kinnaird was cited for allegedly driving on a suspended license.

While at the accident scene this afternoon, I noticed some people looking at something in the sky behind me. I turned around and it was a C-130 circling the area. One of the Mercy Flight pilots told me the C-130 pilots -- wherever they're from -- routinely make practice runs in the area.

UPDATED Feb. 4, 12:37 a.m.

Crews from Bethany and Stafford volunteer fire departments worked for more than an hour and 15 minutes to extricate an accident victim from his car on East Bethany-Le Roy Townline Road this afternoon.

The victim, Jordan Paul Fleming, 22, of East Bethany-Le Roy Townline Road, East Bethany, appears to have suffered leg injuries, according to Bethany's 2nd Assistant Chief John Szymkowiak. 

Fleming was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital.

The 1996 Mercedes sedan passed through a slushy part of the roadway, slid off the pavement and struck a tree on the front driver's side, according to the accident investigation report. The force of the impact collapsed the front of the car, including steering wheel and column onto the driver's legs.

The car essentially had to be dismantled into order to extricate Fleming.

One veteran firefighter described the extrication as the toughest he's ever been involved in.

Szymkowiak requested mutual aid from Stafford to help with the extrication.

(Initial Report)

More pictures after the jump:

A car has struck a pole, trapping the driver inside, at East Bethany-Le Roy Road and Transit Road in Bethany.

Mercy Flight is in air, on standby. Bethany Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 12:34 p.m.: Responder requests Mercy Flight to the scene. Serious injuries reported.

UPDATE 12:37 p.m.: Stafford Fire Department is called in for mutual aid.

UPDATE 12:38 p.m.: Law enforcement is there and controlling traffic. A landing zone is being set up on Transit Road.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: The "jaws of life" are called for to extricate the driver, who is the sole victim.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed.

UPDATE 1:04 p.m.: Alexander Fire Department is called to standby in its quarters.

UPDATE 1:36 p.m.: The male victim has yet to be extricated and they are working diligently to do so. The car's roof has been removed in the process. The car's front end is heavily damaged.

UPDATE 1:45 p.m.: The man has been extricated from his vehicle.

UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne, heading to Strong Memorial Hospital. Alexander is released from standby.

UPDATE 2:17 p.m.: Bethany fire units are back in service. The site is being cleaned up and the roadway reopened.

It's an annual complaint from downtown merchants -- piles of snow that mound up between roadside parking and the sidewalk on Main Street. The snow, merchants say, discourages foot traffic into their stores.

This morning, one merchant made an effort to open a little walk way through the snow after a loader closed it with a pile of ice. The merchant said he couldn't even budge the ice block that fell onto the sidewalk.

City Manager Jason Molino said it's cost prohibitive to remove the mounds after every snowstorm, but the city does schedule a time for removal as resources permit.

Molino said there was a full city crew on last night plowing and salting, so the city is down to about half staff for today.

"Everything will be removed," Molino said, "but it depends on when we have the manpower."

Because of the heavy traffic on Main Street and the equipment needed for the removal, it can only be done at night, Molino said.

Vic Marchese, owner of Main St. Pizza Company, was excited to get an e-mail today of a Sri Lanka resident wearing one of his T-shirts in the country once known as Ceylon. He said a friend sent the Sri Lankan the T-shirt and arranged for the picture.

Jorge Alberto Rojas Cazares, 16, of Gully Road, Le Roy, is charged with illegal entry. Cazares came to the attention of the Sheriff's Office while Deputy Joseph Graff investigated the complaint of a person receiving unwanted text messages. The youth was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Mark H. Poole, 44, of 104 Oak St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Poole is accused of being in a physical altercation with a person under 17 years old. Poole was jailed on $750 bail.