Buffalo Sabres legend Danny Gare has an important Genesee County tie -- his daughter and son-in-law live in Le Roy. And now he has a grandchild. His daughter just gave birth at UMMC, so he was in Batavia tonight and stopped in at South Beach for dinner with his son-in-law.

Above, South Beach owner Ken Mistler takes a mobile phone picture of Mary Kline with Gare. Below, Chef Arvin Ortiz -- a HUGE Sabres fan -- poses with Gare.

A car has smashed into a utility pole at Colby Road and Route 33 in Corfu. The pole is damaged and wires are across the roadway. There are no injuries. Corfu and Darien fire are responding.

UPDATE (7:45 p.m.): A National Grid worker is responding to the scene with about a 15 minute ETA.

A dishwasher fire is reported at 9227 Robbins Road in Le Roy. The building is evacuated. Le Roy Fire Department and an ambulance are responding.

UPDATE (7:35 p.m.): A homeowner reports a cat is in the building. The fire is out. Crews are checking extension wires. A person from county Emergency Management is en route.

UPDATE (7:41 p.m.): Firefighters are in the basement making sure it is safe.

UPDATE (7:50 p.m.): A fire official on scene reports "The family cat has been located and secured and is in good health."

A fully involved car fire is reported at 4658 Route 20 in Bethany, near Francis Road.

It's off the roadway. Bethany Fire Department is responding.

Elba resident Chantal Zambito and her family will be parading through Elba this weekend at the Elba Onion Festival. Their vehicle: a LEGO float promoting the town's FIRST LEGO League team.

FIRST ("For Inspiration and Recognition in Science & Technology") LEGO League is an international organization that partners with experts in the fields of science and technology to get kids ages 9 to 14 involved in working with robotics and engineering.

The float will showcase robots made by the kids in Elba's FIRST team, which Zambito coaches along with Evelyn Hunt. These 'bots are connected with very simple tools and can be made to move by being hooked up to laptop computers.

Zambito says her goal is not only to promote Elba's team, but also to encourage other kids to join the leagues and form their own teams -- which can be associated with towns, local organizations, etc.

Zambito has been working closely with Genesee County communities and school districts for this purpose.

"Right now I think there are only three teams in Genesee County," she said. "I'd like to see at least six to eight teams -- that way we'll have enough teams that we can build a Genesee County Region section for the leagues."

At this time, Genesee County teams need to go to Monroe County -- which has 72 teams -- in order to compete.

"I hope to change that," Zambito said.

Zambito has been in talks with technology personnel at GCC, and they are very interested in doing this in conjunction with their Tech Wars program for high schoolers.

Each year, a different challenge is issued to the teams in terms of building their robots. This year's challenge is called "Body Forward" and will have the kids exploring the world of biomedical engineering.

Zambito and her family will be handing out informational brochures as the float passes along the parade. These brochures will include contact information.

The LEGO float will be featured in Friday night's parade -- which starts around 7 p.m. at Oak Orchard Road and lasts until about 8:30. It will also be in Saturday's "Kiddie Parade," which starts at noon on Maple Avenue and lasts about a half-hour.

Photos submitted by Chantal Zambito

Four speakers, two opinions -- that was what it came down to at a public hearing Wednesday night on the issue of changing the terms of service for the County Legislature.

Former legislator John Sackett dislikes the idea so much he doesn't even think it should appear on the ballot. But another former legislator, Richard Rudolph, thinks it's a good idea that the people deserve to vote on.

Steve Ferry, who has been championing the idea, of course spoke in favor of it, and Bob Zegler spoke against it.

The proposal is to make legislative terms four years and stagger district elections so every seat isn't up for election every two years.

"I believe that you cannot have representative government by having longer terms of office," Sackett said.

Perry believes that four-year terms will reduce the sense of constant campaigning for legislators and encourage more people to run, making elections more competitive.

"If you do not get challenged in life, in business, as a legislator, then you do no fulfill the dreams of the public," Perry said.

Zegler spoke against the current proposal, but said he would like to see the County Legislature abolished and return county government to the hands of a Board of Supervisors.

On Wednesday, the Legislature will be asked to vote on a resolution authorizing a ballot initiative on the proposal.

A possible electrical problem is reportedly creating smoke in the house at 32 Canterbury Lane, Bergen.

Bergen Fire and Le Roy's ladder truck are being dispatched.

Mutual aid requested from Churchville.

Michele Case, 45, of North Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Case is accused of failing to provide supervision for her juvenile son when he got off the bus at his residence.

John H. Holliday, 47, of Batavia, is charged with offering a false instrument for filing. Holliday was charged by State Police for an alleged incident on July 21. No further details were released.

Ray E. Baker, 46, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and aggravated DWI. Baker was stopped by State Police at 8:38 p.m., Sunday, in Stafford.

From inside the County Legislature's chambers.

The 86th season for the Batavia Concert Band is drawing to a close. Tonight, the group of experienced professionals and enthusiastic amatuers presented its second-to-last show of the summer at Centennial Park.

More than 200 people were on hand in the warm, beautiful evening to hear a mix of classic and popular tunes.

The Concert Band performs its finale of the season at 7 p.m. next Wednesday in Centennial Park.

An apparent attempt to steal DVDs from an adult product store on Ellicott Street led to a search of the Buell Street neighborhood this afternoon.

A Batavia Police officer believed the man ran into a wooded area near train tracks off of Edward Street and the search was called off. 

A short time later, the owner of Pandora's Boxxx, 4818 Ellicott St., Batavia, drove down Edward and spotted a man fitting the description of the suspect.

The store owner remained in his car, called 9-1-1 and followed the suspect down Edward and into the Elmwood/St. Joseph Cemetery.

Uniformed and plain clothes officers from the Sheriff's Office and the Batavia Police Department arrived on scene and at about that time the suspect decided to try to run.

He was apprehended quickly.

The man is identified as Micahel J. Piasta, 30, of East Main Street, Batavia.

He is charged with attempted petit larceny.

The store owner praised his employee for providing an exact description of the suspect to Deputy Chris Parker, who handled the investigation.

(initial report)

Batavia resident Frank VanApeldoorn was positioned on Ellicott Street this afternoon with his religious sign. VanApeldoorn said today wasn't the first time he's stood in front of the former Dellapenna building with his sign. He's also travelled around the region, and even around the country, with his sign. VanApeldoorn, a member of Calvary Baptist Church on Galloway Road, said he likes the Dellapenna's location because it's visible, but still out of people's way and, "It's where God put me."

Here's a news release from Democrat Marc A. Coppola, candidate for New York State Senate’s 61st District.

Marc Coppola claims Senator Mike Ranzenhofer is MIA -- Missing in Action -- in the battle for University of Buffalo 20/20, the largest employer in the 61st District.

Coppola said today that he is very disappointed that the New York State Legislature did not pass the bill that would have given UB certain powers to control its own destiny.

Passing the bill would create a world-class university and economic stimulus that Western New York so desperately needs.

“Failure to pass this legislation, as needed, is just another reason that Western New Yorker’s are frustrated with Albany and have lost confidence in our government," Cappola said. "And Senator Ranzenhofer’s partisan politics didn’t help the situation."

Coppola claims that Ranzenhofer provided no leadership or support, choosing instead to play political blame games and stick with his Albany leaders rather than the residents of the 61st District who elected him.

“Senator Ranzenhofer doesn’t know how to reach across the aisle in order to deliver for his constituents. He would rather put his head in the sand and point fingers than get something accomplished.”

Coppola says he has a track record of working with all parties to deliver for his constituents and he will do the same if given the opportunity to serve the residents of the 61st District.

“If something is good for New Yorkers, especially my district, I will support it. It doesn’t matter to me whose idea it is, as long as it gets done.”

He maintains Ranzenhofer has been so partisan in his more than 20 years as an elected official, that he rarely votes for anything that is sponsored by the other party, even if it’s good for his district, and "this is why he has been so ineffective."

A 21-year-old Holland Avenue resident has been arrested by Batavia Police and accused of rape.

Detectives say Michael Lanham had consensual (see clarification below) sex one time with a 15-year-old girl, and on another occasion forced himself on her.

Both incidents occurred in July, according to Det. Kevin Czora and Det. Todd Crossett.

Lanham is also accused of taking and possessing explicit pictures of the girl.

He is charged with rape, 1st, rape, 3rd, promoting sexual performance with a child and possessing sexual performance with a child.

Lanham is being held in Genesee County Jail without bail.

CLARIFICATION: The original press release said one of the sex acts was "without consent," and I changed that into "consensual," which legally means something different. The girl, being underage, can't have consensual sex. Det. Czora clarified it this way: "On one occasion, there was no 'force' used, and the charge was based on the ages of the defendant and the victim. On a second occasion, she was considered legally 'physically helpless' and her age was not a contributing factor."

A motor vehicle accident involving either a pedestrian or bicyclist is reported on Ellicott Street in front of the courthouse.

Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS have responded.

The person who wasn't in a vehicle is walking and complains of knee pain.

Batavia Police are looking for a subject in the area of Buell Street, west of Cedar Street.

The subject may have committed a petit larceny at Pandora's Boxxx on Ellicott Street.

A partial description, a white male with a tanned complexion wearing a plaid shirt and gray undershirt.

UPDATE (3:25 p.m.): The owner of Pandora's Boxxx reportedly spotted the suspect and followed him down Edward Street, where he ran into Elmwood/St. Joseph Cemetery. Police arrived and he tried to escape but appeared to run out of energy, or willpower, and was quickly apprehended.

A car and truck collision is reported at 2269 Broadway (Route 20) in Darien, east of Smithley Road.

Darien fire and an ambulance are being dispatched. Injuries, if any, are unknown at this time. The truck is reportedly leaking fluids.

UPDATE (1:05 p.m.): Emergency personnel on scene reported there are no injuries.

UPDATE (1:09 p.m.): The truck involved is a tractor-trailer.

A Batavia man who stole a wallet from a car on Gateway Drive and used credit cards to make purchases at stores on Veterans Memorial Drive is facing two to four years in prison after pleading guilty in Genesee County Court today.

Kyle C. Monroe admitted in court that he stole the wallet and removed a credit card and a debit card, he also admitted to a violation of probation.

Monroe was convicted of possession of stolen property, 4th, on March 9 and is now considered a second felony offender for purposes of sentencing.

Defense Attorney Jerry Ader asked that his client be released under supervision so that Monroe can take care of some personal matters before going away to prison. Ader said that Monroe has been living with his girlfriend on State Street Road and started classes at GCC before his last arrest.

"I won’t forgo the possibility of release, but that doesn’t sound like a promising plan," Judge Robert Noonan said.

Bail on the larceny case is set at $5,000 and bail on the probation violation is $10,000.

Sentencing was set for Sept. 23.

Previous coverage:

• Reader tips help lead to arrest of larceny suspect
• Alleged credit card larcenist also accused of violating probation
• Police Beat: Man allegedly found driving stolen Caravan
• County Manager Gsell helps apprehend alleged car thief