News roundup: A turtle's best friend

From the Daily News (Thursday):

• Let me kick things off here today by saying: Thank goodness for Tom Rivers. His quirky column on today's editorial page is more than worth the 50 cents I paid for the paper. Today, Tom muses on the thankless, not entirely sane, activity of saving our sluggish distant cousins the turtles when they try to cross a busy highway. When Tom busts up his foot trying to save a snapping turtle, he writes: "It's comparable to the professional baseball player who goes on the disabled list for sneezing too hard." Gems like this abound, and I encourage folks to check out the column for themselves. Hope the foot gets better soon, Tom!
• The Genesee County Legislature approved some boundary changes last night for an Empire Zone that encompasses the proposed Genesee Valley Agri-business Park near the county fairgrounds. About 100 acres were added to the zone and about 40 removed. Empire Zones are geographic designations intended to attract business by providing  tax breaks and decreased utility costs if the business settles within the zone.
• Reporter Scott DeSmit takes a look at how ever-increasing fuel costs are taking a toll on police departments that rely on a fleet of autos to get around. No surprise, they, too, are hard hit.
• Outgoing Batavia City School Superintendent Richard Stutzman was named honorary inductee at the Middle School's Honor Society ceremony yesterday. Some words of advice from the soon-to-be retiree: "There's no room for underachieving. You have to be prepared so that, no matter what happens, you have the skills and the work ethic to carry you through."
• Batavia's Board of Education will meet at 7:00pm Monday at the Administration Building, 39 Washington Ave. The Board will begin with an executive session and hopes to get started with the public meeting about an hour later.
• Batavia's Present Tense bookstore at 101 Washington Ave. will host author Christine Smyczynski Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00pm for a book signing. Smyczynski is the author of Western New York, An Explorer's Guide: From Niagara Falls and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes Region. Call (585) 815-7640 for more information. Or visit the bookstore's Web site.
• Batavia Musical Society's presentation of Urinetown will premiere Friday night in Elba. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Check out the production's Web site to find out where to get yours. Showtimes are at 8:00pm Friday and Saturday.

For the complete stories, the Daily News is available on local newsstands, or you can subscribe on BataviaNews.com.