A downtown storefront is not the usual place you'd expect to find a batting cage, but Bruce Dedman and partner Mike Sputore have moved their baseball business to a location near Liberty Street.

The facility features two 70-foot cages and hitters can either face off against a machine or live batting-practice pitching.

Pitch 'n Hit Baseball Training Center was previously located on Harvester Avenue. With the location change, Dedman said, the cages will now be open year-around. In the past, the business would shut down in the spring, when players return to their teams.

The batting cages were just an off-season workout, Dedman said.

Genesee Community College's ball team is putting the cages to good use, and several high school players also work out at the facility, Dedman said.

He's also working on arrangements to make provisions for softball players.

Most hitters pay for monthly memberships, but half-hour and hourly rates are also available.

The business is located at 214 E. Main St. Hours: 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Appointments are also accepted.

Hitters should use scheduly.com For more information, write to pitchnhit@gmail.com or call (716) 560-0031.

Genesee County's congressional representative Chris Lee (R-26) has been appointed to the House Ways and Means Committee, perhaps the most significant committee in Congress.

Ways and Means is the chief committee for any revenue-related issues and reviews a broad range of legislation. It is among the most sought-after committee appointments in the house.

Members of Ways and Means are prohibited from serving on other congressional committees.

Lee is beginning his second term representing New York's 26th Congressional District.

Full press release after the jump:

Lee Appointed to Influential Ways and Means Committee Seat on Powerful Panel Gives Lawmaker Greater Voice to Help Strengthen the Economy and Create Jobs in Western New York and Across the Country

WASHINGTON – Congressman Chris Lee (NY-26) today was appointed to the influential House Ways and Means Committee for the incoming 112th Congress. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Lee will play a greater role in efforts to jumpstart our economy and create jobs. Lee has served on the Financial Services Committee since coming to Congress last year.

The Ways and Means Committee is widely considered the most powerful committee in Congress and formulates the nation’s policies and laws on taxes, trade, welfare, Medicare, Social Security, unemployment benefits, and other important issues vital to both the short- and long-term economic security of our nation.

“I’m honored to have been selected to join my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee, and am committed to working with members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen the economy and get more of our neighbors back to work,” said Rep. Lee.

“As a businessman I know firsthand what it takes for small businesses to succeed and create jobs, and I look forward to working with Chairman Camp and my Democrat and Republican colleagues to continue the fight to allow hardworking Western New York taxpayers keep more of what they earn and get government off the backs of small businesses that are struggling to succeed.”

“I’d like to congratulate Chris Lee on being selected for the Committee on Ways and Means,” said incoming Chairman Dave Camp (MI-4). “Since coming to Congress last year, Chris has used his experience in the private sector to be a leader on a number of issues critical to job creation. I look forward to him serving on the committee and I know he will continue to serve his constituents well in this new role.”

Lee joins a long line of New York State Republicans to serve on the Ways and Means Committee, dating back to Congressmen Daniel A. Reed (1947-1959) in the modern era. Congressman Reed was followed by Congressmen Steven B. Derounian (1961-1965), Barber B. Conable (1967-1985), Raymond J. McGrath (1985-1993), Amo Houghton (1993-2005), and finally, Thomas M. Reynolds (2005-2009).

One of the issues Lee looks to immediately bring to the committee is a manufacturing agenda he has put forward to return highly skilled, well paying jobs back to the United States.

Lee’s “Manufacturing for Tomorrow” agenda takes a multi-pronged approach to solving America’s jobs crisis and strengthening manufacturing in Western New York. Putting our economy back on the right track will require an innovative, thoughtful and long-term approach to make America competitive again.

Congressman Lee’s 5-point jobs plan includes (1) a more competitive tax code, (2) improved education and training in engineering fields, (3) liability reform to curb job-killing lawsuit abuse, (4) ending customs red-tape and (5) creating U.S. jobs and expanding American-made exports through the opening of new markets.

Lee's appointment, approved today by the House Republican Steering Committee – a panel comprised of elected leadership, committee chairs, regional representatives and incoming first-term members – is expected to be ratified by the entire House Republican caucus in the coming days.

GCC was filled with young entrepreneurs today as students from more than a dozen high schools in the region participated in a trade fair, selling wares from their virtual businesses.

Debbie Dunlevy, college tech prep project director at GCC, explains the program:

In September 2003, six districts in the GLOW Region, with the assistance of the College Tech Prep program at GCC, began a pilot program related to the Business Career Cluster. There have been up to 11 GLOW school districts participating in the program and currently there are nine with a company. This program integrates an Entrepreneurship class with the international Virtual Enterprise program.

Students enrolled in the class seek to establish a business from the ground up. They design a business plan, decide on a product to “sell," design a marketing a plan, work with payroll and taxes and, in general, learn about all aspects of running a business without assuming any of the actual risks since the entire project is completed virtually using the internet, fax, phone and U.S. Mail.

Students participate in a Trade Fair during the fall term and an end of year competition in the spring semester. All of the schools are members of the Rochester Area Consortium, which includes 10 Monroe County secondary schools, three Erie County schools, plus the nine from the GLOW Region.

At the Trade Fair, students set up displays with the objective of getting visitors to “purchase” their product. Awards are given to the top three schools in the areas of best booth, salesmanship and most sales. Money from the Trade Fair sales is deposited into the company accounts.

All visitors are given $10,000 in virtual money to spend at any of the booths.

This program exemplifies the main goal of College Tech Prep program, which is to provide rigorous academics coupled with hands on or practical application.

For more than 20 years, the Mancuso family and the Batavia Lions Club have teamed up to host a Christmas Day dinner for any local residents who wish to join in a community meal on the holiday.

Seating times at T.F. Brown's this year will be at noon and 1 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Maud at 343-2091.

T.F. Brown's is not officially open on Christmas and there will be no bar service that day.

All are welcome to this free meal, which will offer the traditional Christmas Day fare of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, salad and dessert.

Local vendors supporting the dinner this year include Jeffrey Condidorio and Kathy Pettinella, who helped get food donated for the event. The Lion's Club contributes funds to ensure every child under 18 receives a Christmas present. Lion's Club members also work as servers, dishwashers and busboys.

Photo: From left, Ben Mancuso, Bob Swanson, president of the Lion's Club, Joe Teresi, and Rick Mancuso.

Albany needs to tackle unfunded mandates before it imposes a property tax cap on local governments, says a resolution the Batavia City Council will be asked to consider at its meeting Monday.

In a report to the council from City Manager Jason Molino, he says mandates make local spending "artificially high."

The report doesn't specify what unfunded mandates the city is most concerned about, but does say that the New York Conference of Mayors has appointed a 20-member task force to identify unfunded mandates and recommend what to do about them.

In the early stages of looking at the 2011/2012 city budget, Molino says, there is a potential $1.1 million shortfall, due mainly to rising retirement costs.

Retirement costs are expected to go up by $371,000, but with the proposed property tax cap, the city would only be able to realize an additional $72,000 in additional revenue, leaving a deficit of $289,000. That deficit would mean a cut in city services, Molino said.

The city manager's report does not advocate a tax increase, and the proposed resolution notes that New York has some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. Taxes are high, according to the resolution, because state mandates imposed by Albany on local governments are so inefficient.

A property tax rate cap will only work, according to the resolution, if mandated expenses are repealed. It also says that without mandate relief, and a property tax cap, local governments will be forced to drastically reduce services and eliminate jobs.

Hundreds of local residents gathered at Northgate Free Methodist Church in Batavia on Wednesday evening for "A Service of Prayer and Remembrance."

The annual service sponsored by funeral home company H.E. Turner and Co., is a chance for people to remember loved ones who have passed and light a candle in their honor. The candles can then be taken home and relit on Christmas Day.

Rev. Greg Brotzman and Rev. Donald Shirk (pictured at the microphone below) participated in the service, which included music and a memorial sermon.

A two-car accident with injuries has been reported on Lewiston Road in front of Tops Market.

The vehicles are blocking the roadway.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

Shoppers have until Dec. 24 to enter for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree in downtown Batavia.

The Business Improvement District -- better known as the BID -- Promotions Committee started "Shop in the Zone for the Holidays" on Dec. 1. Participating downtown businesses will be handing out shopper's cards to anyone who asks for them. No purchase is necessary.

Shoppers have to visit at least 12 of the 30 participating businesses, and then deposit their tickets at one of the following drop-box locations:

• Adam Miller's Toys & Bicycle, 8 Center St.

• Marchese Computer Products, 220 Ellicott St.

• O'Lacy's Irish Pub, 5 School St.

• The Daily Grind, 85 Main St.

• Valle Jewelers, 21 Jackson St.

On Dec. 27, a lucky winner will get $500 to spend at the participating businesses.

BID officials see this as a two-way benefit. Executive Director Don Burkel said that it attracts business in the downtown area while familiarizing people with available services.

"I encourage people to participate," Burkel said. "500 dollars is a fair amount of money, and there are a lot of goods and services (at downtown Batavia businesses) that everyone can use."

Krysia Mager, a member of the BID Promotion Committee, calls this " a chance to get people to shop and dine in downtown for the holiday season."

You can find all of the businesses taking part in "Shop in the Zone for the Holiday Season" at www.downtownbataviany.com.

Again, shoppers must visit at least 12 of them and collect a shopper's card from each one.

For more details, contact Burkel at 344-0900.

Here is a submission from the students in Pembroke High School's War and Holocaust Class. On Dec. 2 and again on Dec. 6, the class was visited by Ed Wiater, a local World War II veteran. Here's his story as related by the students he spoke with.

Mr. (Ed) Wiater grew up in North Tonawanda, and was drafted into military service. He eventually ended up with the 7th Army in the 14th Armored Division, and was part of a reconnaissance element that was given the task of finding the Germans.

As Mr. Wiater told us, “finding them wasn’t a problem!”

While serving in Europe during the spring of 1945, Mr. Wiater was sent to the area around Dachau, Germany. He explained to the students that the American forces had no idea what Dachau (a concentration camp) was, but that, “a putrid smell hung in the air.”

He vividly remembers the emaciated victims who seemed to simply come out of nowhere, and the box cars that were full of over 2,800 victims of Hitler's Third Reich. 

After being wounded just five days before the war was over, Mr. Waiter was sent to a hospital in Nice, France. Upon his recuperation, he was stationed near Dachau, and returned to the camp where over 35,000 victims of genocide perished.

Being fluent in Polish, Mr. Wiater was able to converse with the Polish soldiers who were at Dachau. They gave him a “tour” of this horrific mass murder site. He shared with the class that he stood in the gas chambers and crematoria; he witnessed the infamous “hanging tree” where hundreds of people were hanged for no reason at all.

He discussed how the inmates of Dachau were tortured by the prison guards and whipped for trying to simply help fellow inmates. Mr. Wiater’s message was one of remembrance.

We must never forget the mass genocide that was perpetrated in Europe from 1933-45 because those that condemn the past are doomed to repeat it, and as he pointed out, “the world did not learn from the Holocaust. Genocide has occurred again and again.”

Mr. Wiater came home from the war, and took advantage of the GI Bill. He enrolled in college, and eventually moved back to his hometown of North Tonawanda, where he became a journalist. He became the editor of the Courier Express (which ceased publication in 1982) in Buffalo. He continues to write editorial pieces for newspapers around the Buffalo area.

Mr. Wiater also was elected as a two-term mayor of North Tonawanda.

He has taken nearly 20 trips to Poland to help teach conversational English to polish students because as he said, “they know and can write English, but speaking it is a different ballgame.”

While on these trips, Mr. Wiater has made trips to numerous death camps across Poland and has paid respect to the nearly 6 million victims of the Holocaust.

The Pembroke War and Holocaust class was exceptionally fortunate for these two days to listen to the brief, yet so educational and enriching, story of a WWII vet named Ed Wiater.

 --The Pembroke Central War and Holocaust Class

Here's a news release from GCASA.

Genesee County Drug Free Communities (DFC) was recently selected as one of the top 10 finalists for the 2010 Out of the Box Prize, honoring “innovative approaches to promoting community health and development worldwide."

The first prize winner will be awarded $5,000 and a free customized WorkStation; the second prize winner will receive $2,000 and a WorkStation.

Genesee DFC, which is a coalition of individuals, agencies and organizations from almost all community sectors (schools, media, business, youth-serving organizations, etc.), works toward reducing alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among youth in grades six through 12.

The nine other finalists were chosen from among 309 applicants from 42 countries. Fellow finalists include two others from the United States – one from Arkansas, the other from California – two from India, two from Kenya, one from the Philippines, one from Malawi, and one worldwide initiative.

Out of the Box is sponsored by Community Toolbox, an organization based in Lawrence, Kan., that provides resources for community-building groups around the world.

"We were deeply moved by the stories we received from around the world,” said Christina Holt, associate director for Community Tool Box Services. “It is evident that there is an abundance of good work being done to improve community health and well-being (in Genesee County). Members of this coalition should be extraordinarily proud of their efforts.”

The DFC is a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA). Maryann Bowman, director of prevention at GCASA, expressed deep gratitude to Community Toolbox for their recognition.

The Out of the Box Award is an opportunity for the Drug Free Communities Coalition to share its success story with the world,” Bowman said. “It highlights the fact that we have done excellent work, and comes on the heels of our selection in 2007 by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America as the national Coalition of the Year."

She attributes the success of the coalition to the dedication of its members, who generously volunteer their time and efforts to foster a safe, healthy and drug-free community for youth and families.

"People from law enforcement, business, faith-based groups, seniors and schools, among others, are the reason we can document positive outcomes through 10 years of data collection and incorporating our own environmental strategies,” Bowman said.

People are encouraged to go online and vote for the coalition between now and Jan. 31.  To do so, and to read the submission on behalf of the DFC, go to: <http://ctb.ku.edu/en/out_of_the_box/finalists/finalist4.aspx>.

Click on the “Vote” tab in the lower left corner to place your vote.

A tractor-trailer and car collision is reported at routes 19 and 5 in Le Roy. Le Roy fire and ambulance are responding.

The driver of the car is a woman who is six-months pregnant and she is complaining of abdominal pain. She has a 1-year-old infant with her.

UPDATE 12/10  11:12 a.m.: See correction below.

After just over a year in business, Kingdon Family Market in Pavilion will soon close. The economy proved too tough, the customers too few and the big-box competition too fierce.

Sometime this month, Vicki and Jeff Kingdon will no longer be the green grocer entrepreneurs they have been.

"I'll be looking for a job," Vicki said this afternoon. "We tried, but it just didn't work out. We can't afford to keep it open. We're throwing out more money than we're taking in."

The couple had no prior grocery experience, but the building came at a good price and so they made a "spur of the moment" decision to operate a full-service store, with fresh produce, meat, bread -- the works.

They had no employees so they did everything themselves.

"It's tough," Vicki said. "We spent a lot of money, but people are going to Walmart and Tops. We are not in a co-op."

Meaning, they aren't able to pool collective resources and buy in bulk like chain stores.

The last time Pavilion had an independent grocery store was about four years ago.

The Kingdons aren't sure what they'll do with the building at this point, which is located at 6946 Ellicott St. Road.

The best part of the whole thing?

"Meeting new people."

Didn't catch the location, but a law enforcement officer went on a mission a little while ago to catch a stray goat.

"I'll be out in the area attempting to wrangle a goat," he said.

A short time later, he says "Mr. Billygoat doesn't want to be wrangled today. Any other ideas?"

"Maybe someone could help you with a noose?"

"No, maybe a tranquilizer gun, but we don't have one."

"Maybe your partner could catch 'em?"

The outcome is unknown, so presumably the goat is still at large.

Michael Aaron Witkop, 18, of Ross Street, Batavia, is charged with sexual misconduct. Witkop is accused of having sexual intercourse with a girl under 17 years of age, who is considered too young to give consent.

Timothy J. McGall, 22, of Mill Pond Road, Byron, is charged with aggravated DWI and DWI. McGall was arrested Monday following an investigation into an accident on Swamp Road in Bergen at 10:10 p.m., Oct. 31. Based on an investigation by the Monroe County Toxicology Laboratory, McGall was allegedly found to be driving with a BAC of .18 or greater.

Brittany Lynn Frey, 20, and Scott Alexander Lawrence, 19, both of Griswold Road, Darien, are charged with petit larceny. Frey and Lawrence are accused of shoplifting from Kmart on Tuesday.

An estimated $25,000 in damages was done to a garage in Darien on Tuesday when an unattended torpedo heater apparently ignited a blaze.

The heater was being used to warm up some machinery, according to a report by Deputy Dana Richardson.

The fire occurred at 1210 Herkimer Road, Darien, and was called in by homeowner Lawrence Stabell at 9:51 a.m.

No injuries were reported in the blaze. The garage, which was destroyed, was not attached to the house.

Darien Fire responded with mutual aid from Alexander and Bennington fire departments.

(initial report)

There will be less snow today, and at midday even a little sun.

In the Pembroke area between now and 9 a.m., a narrow band of lake effect snow may drop an inch or two of snow.

There's about a 30-percent chance of snow after 3 p.m.

Winds will be about 15 mph, decreasing to under 10 mph overnight.

There's a chance of snow showers and flurries tonight and tomorrow.

A driver from Wyoming County was injured Monday morning after her car slid off the roadway on Bethany Center Road near Paradise Road and struck a tree.

Karen J. Vanburen, 38, of Alwardt Road, Wyoming, was transported to UMMC with non-life threatening injuries.

The 6:40 a.m. accident was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson.

No citations were issued.

Unsafe speed for roadway conditions is being blamed for an accident at 11:49 a.m., Sunday, that sent three people to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

The accident occurred on School and Byron roads in Stafford. At the time of the accident, responders on scene reported icy conditions and requested the town highway department respond to salt the road (Initial Report).

Cited was Collin M. Camp, 19, of 20 N. Spruce St., Batavia. Camp was among those injured in the accident.

Also insured was his passenger, Michael F. Sullivan.

A passenger in the second vehicle, Patricia Scheurlein, 71, was also taken to a hospital.

The driver, Thomas J. Scheurlein, 72, of 5881 Griswold Road, Stafford, was reportedly injured but not transported.

According to the report by Deputy Brian Thompson, Camp was southbound on Byron Road around a "reduced speed curve" near School Road. He failed to negotiate the curve, according to Thompson, traveled onto the shoulder of Byron Road before being hit head-on by Scheurlein's car.

Story: Lieberman Says Justice Department Should Investigate the New York Times