Oakfield

"Charlie" decided to go on a little unsupervised adventure yesterday while in Oakfield and has been missing since.

The beagle, who lives in Batavia, ran off from his owner while on Farnsworth Avenue, with green collar and leash still attached.

Somebody spotted Charlie yesterday on Maltby Road between the school and North Pearl, but the spotter doesn't think Charlie was dragging his leash along with him at that point. 

If you know anything about Charlie's whereabouts, call (585) 344-0787.

A possible chimney fire is reported at 7126 Fisher Road, Elba.

No flames showing, but the residence is filling with smoke.

Elba, East Pembroke and Oakfield dispatched.

UPDATE 6:24 p.m.: Corfu to stand by in quarters.

UPDATE 6:33 p.m.: Fire police are closing Fisher and Drake.

Karl R. Samuelson, 62, of Albion Road, Oakfield, is charged with petit larceny. Samuelson was arrested at 5:27 p.m. on Oct. 27 on Lewiston Road in Batavia after he allegedly stole a bottle of liquour from Mr. Wine & Liquor in Tops Plaza. He was released with an appearance ticket for City Court on Nov. 22. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

A 16-year-old who lives on Liberty Street in Batavia is charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly engaging in a physical altercation with another student at Batavia High School at 3 p.m. on Oct. 28. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket for Nov. 8 in Batavia City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards, assisted by Officer Jamie Givens.

Miracle Angel Patterson, 25, no permanent address, of Rochester, was arrested on a warrant out of Batavia City Court on Oct. 30 after being located in Rochester on an unrelated incident. Patterson is charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property stemming from an incident on Jan. 26, 2015 on Park Road Road, Batavia. Patterson was arraigned and held in Genesee County Jail without bail. Patterson was due in City Court on Oct. 31. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Joseph M. Marsceill, 31, of Central Avenue, Batavia, was arrested on Oct. 31 on a bench warrant out of Batavia Town Court. He was advised to appear in Batavia City Court at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 and was subsequently arraigned and put in Genesee County Jail on $350 bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Richard E. Stafford, 76, of Orange Grove Drive, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear in court regarding an unspecified incident on May 9 on East Main Street, Batavia. Stafford was arrested Oct. 31 on a warrant out of Batavia Town Court after being released from UMMC. He was arraigned in City Court then put in Genesee County Jail on $500 bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot.

Ryan R. Hernandez, 19, of Albion Road, Oakfield, is charged with failure to appear on a bench warrant. During an unrelated investigation, Hernandez was located inside a residence on Walnut Street in the City of Batavia. He was subsequently arrested, posted cash bail, and was released from custody. He is scheduled to be in City Court on Nov. 3. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Marc Lawrence, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Tyler Penepent, 22, avoided a possible 25-year term by accepting a plea deal.

Co-defendant Justin Smith also entered a plea deal previously and has already been sentenced to three years in prison.

The duo was captured because a clerk in the 7-Eleven recognized Smith and they were taken into custody within hours of the robbery. 

They were charged with robbery in the first degree after entering the store at 2:30 a.m. March 14 wearing ski masks. They confronted the clerk and demanded the code to the cash register. They took off with an undetermined amount of cash.

Via our news partner WBTA.

It's been 22 years since a woman who grew up in Oakfield disappeared, but yesterday, State Police investigators took a fresh look at the case with a search of a pond on property once owned by her husband.

There's been no update on the search, but several troopers participated in the search, according to our news partner, 13WHAM.

Sandra Sollie, formerly Sandra Cervone, was nearly seven months pregnant when she disappeared after last being seen at a shopping mall in Macedon.

Sollie was a resident of Macedon and Ralph Sollie's former property on Weidrick Road, Macedon, is the subject of the search. The property has been searched several times over the years, according to 13WHAM's report.

Sandra still has family living in Genesee County.

A caller reports a vehicle on its roof in the area of 6042 Fisher Road, Oakfield.

Unknown if any injuries.

Oakfield fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 8:58 a.m.: Mercy Flight #7 is on a ground standby.

UPDATE 9:01 a.m.: Patient out of the vehicle.

UPDATE 9:05 a.m.: Cancel Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 9:21 a.m.: The road can reopen.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced $55,000 in state funding to establish a new joint agriculture education program for Oakfield-Alabama Central and Elba Central School districts.

The mission of the new program is to encourage more high school students to explore agriculture and consider a career in the industry.

“This important program will serve as another tool for educators to cultivate student development and success, and I am proud to have been able to jump start this new program," Ranzenhofer said. "Now, our students will have better opportunities to learn more about agriculture and be inspired to start a career in the industry."

The start-up funding will cover equipment, field trip expenses, instructional resources and materials, and instructional salaries. Enrolled students, in grades nine through 12, will experience classroom instruction, hands-on projects and opportunities to visit local businesses with a connection to the agriculture industry. The program will be administered by and located at the Oakfield-Alabama School District.

“We appreciate the support of Senator Ranzenhofer in this new program. Our students are surrounded by agriculture and now have the opportunity to learn about the careers of the industry. We hope the program will motivate some of our graduates to remain in the area as well,” said Oakfield-Alabama Superintendent Mark A. Alexander.

Agriculture and its related industries are the number one economic driver for Genesee County and New York State, and industry demand for a properly trained workforce is greater than ever. According to the Land O' Lakes Foundation, food production in the next 50 years will need to be higher than the prior 500 years.

Senator Ranzenhofer’s office received letters of support from the local agriculture industry, including: Cornell University Cooperative Extension Genesee County; Lamb Farms Inc.; CY Farms LLC; East Pembroke Grange; Wayne E. Phelps Ent. Inc.; Offhaus Farms Inc.; and Z&M Ag and Turf.

The Oakfield-Alabama Board of Education will publicly recognize Senator Ranzenhofer for his efforts to establish the new program during tonight’s board meeting.

Bill Chase, a tour guide today, stands on "the big rock" near the site of what was once one of the largest Native American settlements in the region, on property now owned by Lamb Farms in the Town of Oakfield. The rock may have served as a grinding stone for the Indians, but there is little evidence to support that supposition. At one time, Town of Oakfield considered moving the stone into Triangle Park.

The visit to the big rock was part of four tours today of 30 people each to the site known to later generations of Seneca as Tegat Ainea Aghgue, or town with two forts.  It's the first time the Oakfield Historical Society organized a tour of the site and it proved to be hugely popular. All four tours were sold out and another 30 or 40 people wanted to go on the tour.

The location of the other fort has never been confirmed, but the Oakfield fort was occupied for about 100 years during the 12th and 13th centuries.

The fort was located on the banks of a creek in an area that may have been cleared of trees by fire. Evidence suggests that the Indians waited for new saplings to grow big enough and tall enough to serve as a fence for the fort. They also dug a ditch around the five acres of the fort.

Reverend Samuel Kirkland first visited the site in 1788 and found large trees growing in the area, but the mound and ditch were clearly visible. 

Sixty years later, E.G. Squire mapped the fort, even though part had been cleared by that time for farmland. 

The woods were filled with trees of enormous size and age, he reported. 

Kirkland may have found the second fort, but it has never been located since.

In 1958, a team from University at Buffalo, led by professor Marion White, assisted by amateur archeologist Stanley Vanderlaan, dug a portion of the site and discovered the remains of three longhouses. 

Many residents have known about the area their whole lives and one person on the tour said for a long time it was still possible to find arrowheads in the farm field right after the spring plowing.

The land is privately owned, but that doesn't stop motorcyclists and ATV riders from using the trails in the area. 

The guide reminded everybody they should not visit the site without permission. There may come a day in the future when archeologists want to return, perhaps with better and more sophisticated equipment to help uncover more about the lives of these early settlers. 

The embankment to the right is part of the ditch that surrounded the fort.

This white oak -- the white oak is what gives Oakfield its name -- is possibly the largest and oldest still standing in Oakfield. It's more than 300 years old. Each member of the tour was offered an acorn from a white oak to take home and try and grow. 

An ATV accident with unknown injuries is reported in the area of 7756 Macomber Road, East Pembroke.

Oakfield fire and Mercy EMS responding.

A person is expected to meet responders by the road to take them to the scene of the accident.

UPDATE 5:35 p.m.: Mercy Flight out of Buffalo on a ground standby.

UPDATE 5:37 p.m.: Mercy Flight requested to the scene.

Press release:

Members of the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club will be at Denny’s Restaurant on Main Street in Batavia on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to raise funds as part of Denny’s Benefit Night. From 4 to 9 p.m., Denny’s will donate 20 percent of all pre-tax sales directly to the club. Funds will be used to support the Oakfield-Alabama Lions program for vision screening.

According to Bill Barbur, president of Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, “Money raised on October 19 will allow Lions to meet pressing needs in our community including screening school children for visions problems and aid for furnishing eyeglasses and hearing aids to the needy.

"Lions members thank everyone who contributes to this important work. This year were able to purchase our own SPOT eye screener and to date have screened 265 students with 23 having been referred for further testing. You are truly helping Lions make a difference in our community.”

The Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club has 29 members and meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakfield Hotel on South Pearl Street in Oakfield.

Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Oakfield-Alabama Lions Club, please contact Bill Barbur at 585-948-9882 or Bonnie Woodward at 585-739-2928.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the website at www.lionsclubs.org.

Village of Oakfield Mayor Jason Armbrewster wanted to open the discussion about the future of village government at last night's village board meeting, but with two board members who didn't attend the meeting and one vacant seat on the board, he didn't have the necessary quorum to open the meeting.

Only one community member even showed up for the meeting.

Absent trustees were Dave Boyle and John Igor.

Armbrewster said that Igor contacted him in advance of the meeting and said he had a family matter that would prevent him from making the meeting, but Armbrewster said he didn't hear from Boyle at all.  

The mayor even went to Boyle's house shortly after the meeting's scheduled start time of 5 p.m. to see if he was home.

After he got back, he received a text from a third party who said Boyle was on vacation.

The lack of a quorum, which also delays the ability of the village to pay all of its bills, will spur Armbrewster to appoint somebody to fill the vacant board seat, which he had planned to leave open until the next election.

Armbrewster would liked to have rescheduled the meeting to Thursday night, but it wouldn't be possible to meet print newspaper deadlines for a public notice (a problem that wouldn't be an issue if the State Legislature would bring state law into the 21st century regarding public notices and allow online publication).

The trustees will try to meet again at 5 p.m., Monday.

Armbrewster was clearly frustrated because he thinks the trustees should start the discussion on possible dissolution of village government, not because he's dead set on pursuing that course, but because he thinks facts should be gathered and discussions held to see if dissolution is really in the best interest of village residents.

"There is talk in other communities about doing this and if I get asked that question, then I don't have an answer, because we don't have the data," Armbrewster said.

UPDATE: The meeting time for Monday's meeting has been changed to 7:30 p.m. Armbrewster said the time change is intended to encourage greater attendance and participation. "I encourage every resident to show up to give their input because I work for them," he said.

The trustees of the Village of Oakfield will discuss the future of village government at this evening's meeting at the Village Hall.

Among the options, dissolving the village.

Mayor Jason Armbrewster said any talk of dissolution is in the very earliest stages, but it thought it important to get the discussion going.

"Dissolution could have benefits for the residents of the village," Brewster said. "Or it might not, but we have to get the whole process going to find out."

It will be up to the village board this evening -- the meeting is at 5 p.m. -- to decide whether to table the idea or decide to look into hiring a consultant and find out how much that would cost.

Armbrewster approached the town board about the idea, which meant the first hint that anybody was thinking about dissolution appeared in the town board minutes.

That cause a bit of a stir in the village and Armbrewster thinks there's been a bit of an overreaction to the idea since there is no actual proposal for dissolution at this point, just talk, just the start of the idea of starting the process.

"It's not like, boom, we're going to dissolve," Armbrewster said.

Jill Louise Hanlin, 39, of Alexander Road, Alexander, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. On Oct. 4 at 2:30 p.m., while investigating an overdose, it was determined that the subject allegedly overdosed on heroin, had passed out, and had to be transported to UMMC. The subject was found by her son after he came home from school. The subject was the only adult home and was responsible for the care of her child. The subject was arrested, issued an appearance ticket for Alexander Town Court at 5 p.m. on Oct. 25. Medical staff on scene notified Child Protective Services. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth, assisted by Sgt. Jason Saile.

Linda A. Kupka, 49, of 940 Hardy Road, Cadiz, Ky., is charged with: first-degree falsification of business records; second-degree endangering the welfare of a physically disabled person; willful violation of health laws; and physical abuse/neglect/mistreatment. The incident(s) allegedly occurred at 3 p.m. on Jan. 12 at the GC Nursing Home, 278 Bank St. in the City of Batavia. NYS Attorney General's Office requested assistance from City of Batavia Police Department in arresting Kupka, a previously employed healthcare worker at the Nursing Home. She was arraigned at 2 p.m. on Sept. 27 before City Court Judge Balbick and put in GC Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack.

Robert M. Schryver, 53, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, is charged with forcible touching. He allegedly touched the intimate parts of another person without that person's consent at 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 28. He was arraigned and jailed in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Kilmjack.

Darleen Ann McComb, 58, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. At 7:05 p.m. on Oct. 3, Batavia Police were called the Emergency Room at UMMC after McComb, who was a patient, allegedly kicked a hospital employee. She was arrested and issued an appearance ticket for City Court on Oct. 11. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins.

Salvatore M. Schwable, 19, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with: resisting arrest, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration; trespass; and unlawful possession of marijuana. The subject was arrest at 3:01 a.m. on Sept. 29 on Bank Street following an investigation into a trespass complaint on State Street a short time earlier. He was jailed on $2,500 cash bail and was due in City Court Sept. 29. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Eric Foels, assisted by Officer Peter Flanagan.

Darrin Mitchell Brown Sr., 27, of Platten Road, Albion, is charged with failure to obey a child support order, which was issued Aug. 2. The subject was turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office on an arrest warrant out of Batavia Town Court after allegedly being involved in a larceny at Walmart in Orleans County. He was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 and put in jail in lieu of $1,000 cash or $2,000 bond. He was due in court on Oct. 4. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Chris Parker.

Dawshawn A. Suber, 23, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree identity theft, third-degree forgery, and petit larceny. It is alleged that Suber stole a paycheck from a coworker at 5 p.m. on Sept. 16 and cashed the check at a local business. Suber was issued an appearance ticket and is due in City Court on Oct. 25. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Linsday, assisted by Officer Arick Perkins.

Annette Joy Waleski, 50, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or higher, and unsafe tires. Waleski was arrested at 5:31 p.m. on Oct. 2 on Main Street in Oakfield after a motor-vehicle accident in the Village. She was released on appearance tickets for Oakfield Town Court on Nov. 14. The case was handled by Sheriff's Deputy Mathew Clor, assisted by Deputy Michael Lute.

Melynda M. Gayhart, 28, of North Avenue, Le Roy, is charged with: DWI -- common law; aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 percent or greater; and failure to yield right-of-way on left turn. Batavia Police responded to Oak Street at 1 a.m. on Oct. 1 after receiving a complaint about erractic operation. Gayhard was arrested following a traffic stop, then released on appearance tickets for City Court on Oct. 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Mitchell Cowen, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Katelyn L. Walsh, 21, of Redfield Parkway, Batavia, is charged with DWI -- common law, DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more, and having no tail lamps. At about 2:26 a.m. on Sept. 25, Batavia Police conducted a traffic stop on a Jeep with no tail lamps on Main Street in the City of Batavia. Upon further investigation, Walsh was arrested for allegedly operating the vehicle while in an intoxicated condition. She is due in City Court on Oct. 12. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Eric Bolles.

Joel Sebastian Puma, 41, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with third-degree criminal mischief. At 10:35 p.m. on Sept. 27, Batavia Police responded to a residence on Walnut Street for the report of a male/female physical altercation. Following an investigation, it was revealed that during an argument, Joel Puma allegedly damaged the female's phone, which was valued greater than $250. He was arrested, arraigned and released on his own recognizance. He was due back in City Court on Sept. 28. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Mark E. Green, 34, of 75 Center Street, Warsaw, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. He had an active arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court and was located at the old GC Courthouse and taken into custody. It is alleged that on June 25 Green removed a vehicle from a driveway on East Main Street in the City and in doing so caused damage to the driveway. He was arraigned and released on his own recognnizance and is to appear in City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Frank Klimjack, assisted by Sgt. Matthew Lutey.

Jacqueline Michelle Bigelow, 51, of Prune Street, Batavia, is charge with dog running at large. At 11:18 a.m. on Oct. 4, Batavia Police responded to the area of South Spruce Street for the report of a large tan and black dog running loose. Police and Animal Control attempted to capture the dog for more than 30 minutes and found that the dog was owned by Bigelow. She was issued an appearance ticket for Oct. 11 in City Court. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by OfficerJames Sheflin.

Robert M. Freeman, 24, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He allegedly stole a bottle of alcohol from a business on West Main Street in Batavia on Sept. 28. He was arrested at 3:24 p.m. on 8351 Lewiston Road. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Arick Perkins, assisted by Officer Chad Richards.

Shane Zimblis, 45, of East Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief. Zimblis turned himself in at Batavia Police Headquarters on an arrest warrant out of Batavia City Court for a criminal mischief charge, which stemmed from an unspecified incident on West Main Street, Batavia, on Oct. 3. He was issued appearance ticket and was due in City Court Oct. 4. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Davis.

Nathan Samuel Love, 23, of Montclair Avenue, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested on an active bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for allegedly failing to appear for a court date. He was issued an appearance ticket and turned over to another jurisdiction on a warrant for a separate matter. He was due in City Court Oct. 5. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Chad Richards.

Press release:

For students, the junior and senior years of high school are filled with many critical decisions about the future. The College and Career Counseling Center at Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School is working hard to make preparing for life-beyond-school easier for students and their families.

This is the second year for the school’s dedicated Center, led by counselor Rob Kaercher. The Center is busy in the fall with a full schedule of visits and special presentations from a wide range of regional and national two- and four-year colleges, trade schools, and military branches.

(A Financial Aid Night is scheduled at 6:30 on Oct. 20 to help families from Byron-Bergen, Elba, and Oakfield-Alabama with the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.It will be held in the Byron-Bergen High School auditorium.)

Jr./Sr. High School Principal Patrick McGee said, "Our goal is to provide a wide variety of opportunities for our students in the areas of college and/or career. I feel we are ahead of the curve in this area as our students now have a daily chance to identify a pathway and gain a much better sense of what their post-secondary plans will be."

Students at the school not only have access to extensive in-person and online resources in the Center; they also get invaluable hands-on, one-to-one guidance from college-and-career expert Kaercher.

“This is a small school, and I can really get to know our kids as individuals,” Kaercher said. “I start as early as possible with them, so they have more options. I can help them find educational and career directions that match up with their interests and values.

"I enjoy working with them and their parents on financial aid, exploring scholarships, and completing their college applications. The commitment our district has to this initiative is extraordinary—kids at B-B can have a similar support experience to what they might find at a private school or with a paid independent college counselor.”

The College and Career Center has greatly expanded its services this year:

• Instant Admissions Week is being offered Nov. 7-10. Participating colleges include Erie Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, Genesee Community College, Monroe Community College, Niagara Community College, The College at Brockport, and SUNY Alfred State. “It is an exciting opportunity for kids to present themselves, have a short interview, and potentially get an on-the-spot decision from that college,” Kaercher said.
• Students will be ready for that interview thanks to another innovation the Center offers: virtual interviews with online avatars. The district’s teachers use an interactive professional development tool called Mursion, which employs practice with avatars to improve teaching technique. The Center has adjusted and expanded the program for students to use to develop better interviewing skills.
• The Naviance Family Connection, which was introduced to seniors last year, is now available to juniors, too. The online program helps students inventory their interests, research careers, search for colleges, create resumes, and submit applications. "Our current focus has been working with upperclassmen,” Kaercher said. “But as the Center continues to become established, more opportunities, including Naviance, will be available to junior high school students."
• The Center has also increased its college and industry visits this year. “We have found these to be very important,” Kaercher said. “Students have the chance to make connections directly with the actual decision makers, the admissions counselors and company human resources directors.”

“This can be a difficult and confusing time if you are trying to navigate it all by yourself,” Kaercher said. “We want to help make the process much easier. We are reaching out to parents and families—we hope they will contact the Jr./Sr. High School office to get more information.”

The Oakfield Alabama Central School Alumni Hall of Fame Committee will honor the Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2016 at an induction dinner and ceremony Oct. 22 at the high school. It is located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

Tickets are on sale now and only available through Oct. 9. Cost is $15. You can buy them at the high school main office, Warner's flower shop on Main Street in Oakfield or by contacting committee member Jamie Disalvo at bak2good@hotmail.com or by sending payment to Disalvo at: 7604 S. Pearl Street Road, Oakfield, NY 14125.

Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. and it begins at 6 o'clock.

The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding OACS alumni who have achieved distinction in their lives after high school through significant contributions to their career, community or through personal achievements.

The Swallow Hollow Nature Trail, located on Knowlesville Road inside Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is a fun little adventure for nature lovers. The 1.3-mile trail is a virtual biology field trip, offering an incredible variety of wildlife and natural environments. This is not only an enjoyable trail for some exercise, but has many opportunities to learn about animals and trees that inhabit the refuge.

The trail's education mission recently took another step with the addition of an audio tour which enhances the visitor’s experience. There are several audio tour signs along the way that help you get facts or answers about certain aspects of the trail. Each audio session is about a minute long and provides interesting information about where you are standing. A combination of the audio and visual is a strong learning tool. On a recent visit, this blogger learned that you walk through three different habitats along the trail: forested wetlands, upland hardwood forest and the emerging marsh. In addition to the audio tour, the trail features many educational signs that shed insight on the nature that surrounds you.

Another great bonus is that the Swallow Hollow Nature Trail is wheelchair accessible, with one half of the trail located on a boardwalk, and another half of the trail smooth cinder walkway.

If you still have a thirst for knowledge after your nature walk, go over to the nearby Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Interpretative Center for some fun learning opportunities.

Visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more...

Marlek E. Holmes, a convicted sex offender, is indicted for the crime of failure to register a change of address, a Class D felony. Holmes is accused of moving to 9 Gibson St. in the Town of Oakfield in March and failing to register his change of address with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services within 10 days as required by law. In Special Information filed in the indictment by District Attorney Lawrence Friedman, Holmes is accused of previously having been convicted of: (1) failing to report a change of address, a Class E felony, and (2) as a Level 3/Sexual Predator, failing to verify his address every 90 days, also a Class E felony, as required by law. The convictions were handed down on Dec. 5, 2011, in Genesee County Court.

Mark your calendars for the Dig Pink Game on Oct. 6 when Oakfield-Alabama and Elba high school volleyball players compete again Wheatland-Chili to benefit The Side-Out Foundation.

The JV matchup starts at 5 p.m. and the varsity game begins at 6:30. They will take place inside the Oakfield-Alabama Elementary School Gymnasium, located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

There will be 50/50 raffles, refreshments, raffles items and a serving contest.

This is the sixth year of the Dig Pink Game and to date more than $7,000 has been raised locally for the nonprofit foundation, whose mission is to enhance breast cancer research and awareness.

Somebody is stealing batteries from large trucks, buses, and heavy equipment and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office is looking for the public's help in identifying the culprit.

These are known as Type 31 batteries. They retail for as much as $300 and have resale and recycling value.

Investigators say the series of thefts seem confined to Genesee County, particularly in Elba, Oakfield, Batavia, Byron, Alabama and Alexander.

The Sheriff's Office has received more than a dozen complaints of such thefts, which occur overnight.

Anyone with information that may pertain to the case can call (585) 343-5000.