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No injuries are reported in an accident in the area of 1506 Broadway, Darien, but a utility pole and wires are down.

Darien fire and ambulance dispatched.

David A. Leach Jr., 24, of Stafford, was arrested Oct. 20^th by the Le Roy Police Department and charged with: first-degree burglary, a Class B felony; second-degree strangulation, a Class D felony; third-degree criminal mischief, a Class C felony; and third-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor. In the early morning hours of Oct. 20^th, Le Roy police responded to the report of physical domestic incident in progress. Upon arrival, the suspect, later identified as Leach Jr., had fled the scene and was believed to be operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. It is alleged that Leach Jr. broke into a residence causing damage to property in the process, and once inside the residence a physical altercation occurred. During the altercation, Leach Jr. allegedly placed his hands around the victim’s neck, obstructing the breathing of the victim, and he bit the victim, causing physical injury. The defendant was subsequently located by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and faces additional charges. He was arraigned in the Le Roy Town Court and jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail. Leach Jr. is to return to the Le Roy Town Court at a later date to answer to the charges.

Heather M. Coates, 32, of Myrtle Street, Le Roy, was arrested on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, and charged with one count of hindering prosecution in the third degree and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, both Class A misdemeanors. On Oct. 25, the Le Roy Police Department assisted New York State Parole with attempting to locate Rob H. Hoag. New York State Parole received information that Hoag was allegedly at Coates’ residence and at the time there was a child under the age of 17 also present in the residence, in violation of Hoag’s parole conditions. Patrols responded to the residence and spoke with Coates, who allegedly made several statements to the patrols hindering their investigation to locate Hoag. During the investigation, Hoag allegedly jumped from a second-story window at the residence then fled from police on foot. The Le Roy Police Department was assisted by the New York State Police and DEC K9 Unit in an attempt to locate Hoag. To avoid capture, it is believed Hoag was picked up in a vehicle and then left the area. Hoag was not located on the date of the incident. Coates was arrested as a result of assisting Hoag from being located by the police as well allowing Hoag to be in the presence of a child under the age of 17. Hoag was located and taken into custody on Oct. 26 on parole violations. Hoag also has pending charges with the Le Roy Police Department as a result of the incident on Oct. 25. Coates was arraigned in the Le Roy Town Court and released under the supervision of Genesee Justice. Coates is to reappear in the Le Roy Town Court on Dec. 3.

Recognizing the leading entrepreneur of his time, Leonardo Da Vinci, the Business and Commerce department at Genesee Community College will host its sixth Creativity Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Batavia Campus. The lineup of speakers will serve both aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners looking to take their business to the next level. 

Conference attendees should check in at 8:15 a.m. for a continental breakfast and the conference will begin at 8:45 a.m. with a welcome from Provost Kate Schiefen, Ed.D.. Keynote speaker, Trace R. George, GCC class of 1993 and owner of VSP Graphic Group in Buffalo will begin at 9 a.m. sharing his inspiring story.

From 10:30 a.m. to 11a.m. GCC students will host a poster presentation highlighting various creativity-specific concepts and creative thinking tools designed to help participants learn to leverage their own creativity.

Beginning at 11:10 a.m. attendees will select two of the following 10 sessions to attend. Each workshop will be offered at 11:10 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. 

• Bryan DeGraw, owner of 810 Meadworks
• Brian Kemp, owner of T-Shirts, Etc.
• Michael Messerly, publisher at Batavia News Corporation
• Val Bello, GCC instructor of Communications and Media Arts and social media guru
• Sam Campanella, serial entrepreneur and retired Small Business Development Center Representative
• Karen Crittenden, artist and owner at Karen's Yarn, Paper, Scissors
• Heather Jones, GCC professor of Fine Arts, artist and owner at Glassfeather Studio
• Barb Shine, serial entrepreneur, consultant and retired GCC faculty
• Mike Raisch, owner of Dark Labyrinth Entertainment

These presenters will cover an array of helpful business building topics ranging from important lessons learned during their own climbs to success, to "Leveraging Social Media to Grow your Business," "Options Thinking to Increase Organizational Creativity," "Using Creativity to Build and Grow a Business" and "Personal/ Organizational Vision Board for Future Growth."

At 1:10 p.m. everyone will come together for a sit-down lunch, provided by American Creative Dining served in the centrally located William H. Stuart Forum. Winners of the Poster Presentation will be announced during lunch.

Small business owners or employees, entrepreneurs and the general public are invited to attend the conference and workshops. The cost is $39 per person, which includes a continental breakfast and delicious lunch. Seating is limited, so register today with The BEST Center! For GCC students, faculty and staff, the conference cost is $25 per person. GCC students, faculty and staff are encouraged to register with the Math, Science and Career Education (MSCE) office. 

Click here for details on the associate degree and certificate programs available at Genesee Community College.

The entire conference is made possible through GCC's collaboration with Startup Genesee Committee to provide an agenda full of learning and networking opportunities, inspirational stories and education. 

For more information, contact Director of Business Programs Lina LaMattina, Ph.D., at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6319, or via email: lmlamattina@genesee.edu.

The Genesee Society of Model Engineers announces that their semi-annual Great Batavia Train Show will be held at the Richard C. Call Arena in Batavia on Sunday, Nov. 11. The new venue on the campus of Genesee Community College offers unmatched convenience and for attendees and vendors.

•  Date: 
Sunday, Nov. 11

•  Location: 
Richard C. Call Arena at Genesee Community College

•  Admission: 
$6 adults, $3 under 18, children under 13 are free

•  Hours: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

•  Features: Vendor tables, door prizes, free parking

For more than 40 years the Great Batavia Train Show has been one of the premier hobby events in Western New York. Our move to the Richard C. Call arena at Genesee Community College has allowed us to grow the event in a state-of-the-art facility.

All forms of model railroad and train-related merchandise will be available. Items offered include all scales of model trains, clothing, historic railroad items, books, videos and toys. Modeling demonstrations, and door prizes featuring great railroad items, will be part of the fun. 

About the organizing group: 


The Genesee Society of Model Engineers has promoted the hobby of model railroading in the Western New York area for nearly 50 years. This not-for-profit organization is headquartered at 50 Main St. in Oakfield. In our facility above the M&T Bank, our membership maintains four operating model train displays. An open house is offered free to the public each December, and visitors are welcome on Tuesday evenings.

 Train Show Chairman: 
Mike Pyszczek

•  Phone: 
585-768-4579

•  Email: 

bataviatrainshow@gsme.org

•  Website: 
www.gsme.org

•  Mailing address: 
GSME, P.O. Box 75, Oakfield, NY 14125

Press release:

For the second time in the past year, indicted incumbent Chris Collins has ducked high school student who want to hear from their representative. Nate McMurray, Democrat and Working Families Party candidate who is challenging Collins in NY-27, condemned Collins for his refusal to engage with high school students and failure to participate in any debates with less than a week before the election.

"It says a lot about a guy if he’s too scared to talk to high school students, and it makes it even worse when it’s his job to listen to the people he represents,” McMurray said. “In the spring, it was Clarence students wanting to talk about gun violence in schools.

Today, it was St. Joe’s students who have proudly hosted debates for the last 30 years. These aren’t political operatives or insiders, they’re young people who will be the future of our country and who just want to have a voice in the discussion.”

In April, Collins declined an invitation to a “Town Hall for Our Lives” hosted by Clarence High School students, calling the students “radical partisans.”

Today, St. Joe’s learned that Collins planned to skip the debate from a local radio broadcast. McMurray attended both events and plans to meet with Clarence High School students on Friday. He will also be at the forum hosted by the League of Women Voters.

"It’s typical of millionaires like Collins to look down on voters like us, and he just doesn’t have the backbone or character to talk with students or debate. Eleven felony counts, out on bail and a flight risk, and he just makes himself more of an embarrassment to our community with his cowardice. He’s got one more chance today, and then it’s three strikes and he’s out -- of office!”

East Pembroke fire has been dispatched to the Apple Grove Mobile Home Park on Pratt Road, Batavia, to assist a man whose leg has become stuck in a sinkhole.

Press release:

The Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation (GGLDC) will consider approving a revised and consolidated loan as well as two purchase and sale agreements for parcels in the Gateway II Corporate Park at the agency’s board meeting Thursday, Nov. 1st.

Yancey’s Fancy has requested the revision and consolidation of a January 2017 loan for an expansion project at the company’s town of Pembroke facility. A $233,449 loan from the corporation’s Revolving Loan Fund #2 will close out the fund in its entirety. It would be consolidated with two outstanding GGLDC loans for a total of $340,000.

Mega Properties, Inc. is seeking to purchase a 22.2-acre parcel of land at the Gateway II Corporate Park in the town of Batavia in order to construct a 60,000-square-foot facility. The company owns Mega Properties Inc., which also is located at Gateway.

Wellsville Carpet Town Inc. also is seeking to purchase a parcel of land at the Gateway II Corporate Park. Wellsville Carpet Town plans to construct a 15,000- to 20,000-square-foot facility for an outlet center at the site on approximately 2.9 acres. A purchase and sale agreement set the land price at $45,000 per acre. The company owns Ashley HomeStore, a business also located in the Gateway II Corporate Park.

Both Mega Properties Inc. and Wellsville Carpet Town Inc. may seek incentives from the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) in the future.

We get a lot of questions about the construction project off of State Street next to the Thruway in Batavia.

The project is a new 30,000-square-foot warehouse and service center for Freightliner & Western Star of Batavia, LLC. The company is expanding beyond its current West Seneca location.

The company wanted a location close to the BOCES campus and plans to create at least 30 new jobs.

The Genesee County Economic Development Center approved $437,652 in sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions for the $4.35 million project.

The project also received a $465,000 state grant because of the educational component of the facility.

Construction finally began just over a week ago on a new four-story, 64-room hotel on Federal Drive in the Gateway II project.

The hotel will be operated by Oakfield Hospitality LLC, a company headed by Ash Patel, and branded as a Fairfield Inn.

While Oakfield Hospitality acquired the property from Genesee County Economic Development Center, the project has not received any incentives from the IDA.

Tom Turnbull, president of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, said the new hotel will help bring more visitors to Batavia.

"The addition of the Fairfield Inn to Genesee County’s inventory of hotel properties adds one of the only large flagship chains – Marriott – not represented in our county," Turnbull said. "The familiarity of the Marriott name and the loyalty to its brand by its customers means even more people will be staying in Genesee County hotels.

"That means not only more revenue for the hotels but also from restaurants, retail shops and other ancillary businesses in our area. More tourism revenue also means more sales tax revenue from sources outside of the county, which should help reduce the burden on county taxpayers."

Students at Notre Dame walked through the school's neighborhood today in support of their effort to raise funds so a school in Uganda can have clean, safe drinking water.

The students raised $4,635.30 through donations from friends and family. Mary Vandenbosch, a senior, raised the most money, $955. Sophomore MacKenzy Nenni raised $312.

Imagine the perfect weekend getaway. It’s comfortable, secluded, and your every need is anticipated and cared for. Most importantly, it’s easy to get to. In fact, it may even be in your backyard. Welcome to River Spring Lodge, located at 1961A Church Road in Darien Center.

About the Lodge & the Hamers

An executive retreat and country inn, River Spring Lodge is known for providing a high-end, luxury experience to its guests. Opened in 2016, the Lodge is owned by locals Dave and Carolyn Hamer. After working in hospitality around the world for 15 years, the Hamers returned to Western New York to bring their passion for good food and great lodging to this area.

Seven modern and comfortable rooms, a fully equipped conference room, and large dining room make up this beautiful country estate.  

Deeply influenced by French cuisine as a student at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Dave is world-renowned and has cooked for an impressive list of A-listers and celebrities. Carolyn complements the team with touches that make the River Spring Lodge experience unique – greeting each guest with a warm welcome as they arrive and sending them off with her favorite treat, a chocolate chunk cookie, when they depart.

A Romantic Escape

Surrounded by the colors of autumn, the deep chill of winter snow, or the sights and sounds of spring – River Spring Lodge is a romantic escape year-round. Named as one of the "top 10 most romantic inns in the country" by iLoveInns.com, they offer a couple's escape that’s sure to keep the fires burning or reignite the spark. Relax, refresh and enjoy each other’s company while your every need is tended to. The package includes a four-course dinner, three-course breakfast, and a room of unrivaled luxury. 

Meals are crafted by Chef Dave himself, and meant to be savored -- never rushed. When you dine at the lodge, the table is yours for the evening. Decide to retire, and you’ll find goose down duvets, European shower rooms, heated floors for the colder months, and woodland or pond-side views from your private balcony or alcove. Wi-Fi and boosted cell phone coverage allow you to stay connected with the outside world, but why would you want to?

A Sportman’s Paradise

Romance isn’t the only package River Spring Lodge specializes in. The Sportsman Suite is a completely private space for hunters and fisherman, offering an exclusive steelhead fishing trip, as well as whitetail, turkey and pheasant hunts. Boasting four bedrooms and two full bathrooms along with a gun safe, poker table and darts, it’s truly a man’s world wrapped in a wilderness retreat. And man’s best friend is welcome to join the fun, as hunting dogs are allowed in the suite. All-inclusive packages are available in the warmer months.

Drop By & Dine In

If an incredible food experience is simply what you seek, you don’t have to stay the night to get it. The dining room serves four-course dinners from 5 until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday to lodge guests and local diners alike. While it’s open for reservations, we recommend you make one early. Dave and Carolyn take comfort seriously, so your table is yours for the evening, or however long you wish.

Once you’re booked for the evening, start perusing the menu. Guests are requested to pre-order their meal 24 hours in advance – all part of the personalized experience – on a menu that changes regularly. Local produce is used in season, keeping fresh foods and first quality always top-of-mind.

Large groups (8-18) can make reservations for the Chef’s Table, located in an adjacent room for a completely immersive dining experience – or sometimes even in the kitchen itself.

Whether you’re looking for your next hunting adventure, board retreat, romantic getaway, or just a weekend away from it all, River Spring Lodge is the ultimate in luxury and comfort. Stop by, and let Dave and Carolyn welcome you to an experience you won’t soon forget.

For more information visit www.visitgeneseeny.com.

Fifth Ward City Council Representative Kathy Briggs was with John Roach this afternoon walking the area around Thorpe Street to better see for herself, she said, what a proposal to make Thorpe one-way would mean for the neighborhood.

Briggs said she stopped to talk with local residents, especially those living on Thorpe, about the idea.

The plan is to make Thorpe one-way for southbound traffic and allow parking on one side of the street. Thorpe was apparently one-way many years ago and nobody knows how or when it changed, Briggs said.

There will be a public hearing on the proposal Nov. 26 and Briggs hopes for a City Council vote on the change at its Dec. 10 meeting.

"The folks on Thorpe (she spoke to today) like it a lot," Briggs said. "At my ward meetings they've been complaining about traffic that zooms down Thorpe Street and it’s so narrow and kids are out playing so they’re excited about this."

Press release:

On Monday, Oct. 29, Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School hosted a Senior Citizen Knight. Seniors were treated to a pasta dinner and dessert prepared and cooked by our students, and enjoyed live student music entertainment, games, and companionship!

This event was organized by a committee of students from our Emerging Knights Leadership Team.

Students reached out for donations, advertised the event, and organized the student volunteers and entertainment.

More than 70 senior citizens attended the evening, which was hosted in the Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School Cafe. More than 30 student volunteers prepared the dinner, cooked, greeted, served, washed the dishes, performed live music, led bingo, played games, and, most importantly, interacted with the guests.

We would like to thank the following people/businesses who graciously donated their time or goods for this event: Laurie Locke, Barilla, Jeff Condidorio, Wegmans, CH Wright, Le Roy Rotary, and Netsins Ice Cream!

From two of the guests:

"Thank you so much for all your hard work on the Senior Knight Dinner. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves -- great food, great service, great music, you covered it all, thanks again for a wonderful evening!"

"The meal was delicious. The conversations wonderful. And your students were very polite, courteous, personable, and considerate. What a pleasant experience for us and hopefully for them also."

From Maria Cacho, Emerging Knights Leadership Team member:

"I thought the Senior Citizen Knight helped the students reconnect with the community. It made us realize that our community cares about us and they're always driving us into finding more opportunities in leadership and kindness."

From Tim McArdle, Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School Principal:

"It was a true pleasure to host this event and welcome so many seniors from our community. Many of them were alums who have supported our school for many years. We are so proud of our students and how well they represented themselves and our school. It is in these type of events that all of their skills are put to the test and we cannot be more thankful for their leadership and efforts. We never underestimate our students and these events continue to be a reminder that when given the chance, our young people do not disappoint. The compassion and respect that was on display was nothing short of impressive. We look forward to continuing these types of events moving forward!"

Let's talk about French fries.

The lowly fry. Can you really kick it up a notch?

Cooking a gourmet fry is actually no secret. Any competent chef can do it. But it's a lot of work.

The new chef at Terry Hills, John Steward, is ready to do the work.

It's a four-day process that consists of blanching, drying, blanching again, more drying, freezing and then frying.

The result is a fry that has a veneer of crunch and a soft, fluffy center, like a perfectly cooked baked potato or a mouthful of savory clouds.

We told Steward we were going to write about his fries and that some people might find that odd. He agreed.

"People will be like 'oh, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, talking about good French fries,' " Steward said. "A fry is a fry, you know. But at the same time, people feel like, 'oh, why is this fry so good? What's so different?' And that's what we need right now. We need people talking about Terry Hills. So many times I hear that people forget that Terry Hills is a restaurant."

A native of Rochester, Steward, is a new father, current resident of Le Roy and the former sous chef at Farmer's Creekside Tavern & Inn.

Terry Hills isn't his first head chef's job, but it may be his most important. It's a chance, he said, not only to take Terry Hills to the next level but also to better establish his name and provide his staff with the training necessary to help advance their careers. Those are his goals.

They're ambitious for a guy who a little over six years ago started in the restaurant business as a dishwasher and quickly moved through his first kitchen, entirely self taught, to be ready to run a kitchen himself a few years later -- La Luna, in Rochester.

"Yeah, I never went to a culinary college or school," Steward said. "Everything I've learned, I've learned on the job. I've done a lot of research on my own, watched a lot of shows, read a lot. When I first started, I would go to the public market and buy a bag full of potatoes and  sit in my apartment working on knife cuts."

Danielle Rotondo, VP, and co-owner of Terry Hills, said Steward was just what management was looking for -- young and ambitious and eager to take the dining experience for lunch, dinners, and banquets to the next level. He came out on top after three rounds of interviews and several reference checks.

"We want to grow; we want to do more; we want to show Batavia that we're not just a golf course," Rotondo said. "You know we have our golf course, our restaurant, our banquet facility, we have all of that here, and, yes, we want to show that there are some different things out here and there are different ways to do it. Yes, it's Batavia, but we can also go on the edge a little bit and try something else."

To show off how Terry Hills will take it to the next level, a couple of weeks ago the restaurant hosted a chef's menu night for a few dozens guests both to introduce some new dishes and as a kind of soft opening on how things are changing.

It was at that chef's menu night that we tried those crisp, fluffy fries. But Steward also introduced diners to his gnocchi carbonara, like everything that night, made from scratch, consisting of hand-rolled, house-made ricotta in a rich and thick carbonara sauce with diced ham and peas.

Steward also served a dry-aged strip steak, a pan-seared salmon, chicken roulade, to go along with a wedge salad, a Caesar salad, and a grain medley.

Many of these dishes -- particularly, say, the fries and the gnocchi -- take substantial prep time but Steward said there's no reason he and his line staff aren't up to the demands of the extra effort.

"As you're organized, you always have lists going; then it should be executable," Steward said. "There's no reason why it shouldn't be executable."

Steward said what makes a good dining experience is fresh ingredients, scratch cooking, and service. It's his job to oversee all aspects of a guest's experience at Terry Hills now, and he plans to pay attention to those details.

"Even if I go to a diner, or if I go to a finer place, you can see if the food is taken care of, if people care about quality," Steward said. "I think that is what makes a good meal -- making sure you use fresh ingredients, you use the proper techniques, execute the proper techniques. Your execution is what makes a good meal."

He said he expects the care of the kitchen staff to be carried out into the dining room by the servers.

"Nothing frustrates me more when I go to a place, and I ask a server a question about the menu, and the server is like, 'I don't know,' Steward said. "You should, you should. To me, I feel like it's your job to know the menu to know what the chef is trying to cook.

"There's going to be time and money invested to ensure our staff is trained properly."

The one thing Steward didn't change for the night was Terry Hill's famous seafood bisque.

"The only thing I might change is the garnish and change the saltines to oyster crackers," Steward said. "I think a seafood bisque should have oyster crackers."

While upgrading the sit-down lunch and dinner menus for Terry Hills is high on the agenda, Steward said he also plans to revamp the banquet service.

"I'm not knocking the former chefs here, but some of these recipes are outdated," Steward said, "by like 25 years."

That doesn't necessarily mean there will be big changes in menu choices. He already considers Terry Hills the premier banquet facility in Batavia. He thinks a few changes to how things are done will make it even better.

"I understand that like I can completely get everything off the menu," Steward said. "But, again, some of the techniques we're using here again are outdated. No one uses them anymore so. Therefore, we need to update our techniques to make a better product. The quality of the product will improve but still essentially be the same, they will have the same ingredients, but it's just going to be a better product overall because it's done better."

Steward said the chef's that inspire him include: Massimo Bottura, owner of Osteria Francescana in Italy, now ranked the #1 restaurant in the world (Bottura was the subject of the first episode of Chef's Table on Netflix); Thomas Keller, a chef and restauranteur in California; and, Wylie Dufresne, a chef in Manhattan.

"I pride myself working hard, putting in the hours," Steward said. "I think anyone who does that is going to do well in any field."

Steward thinks he can take what he's learned on his own and use that knowledge to help make his line cooks better. He would like to be known as a chef who helps his staff advance their careers.

"I really want to make really good food," Steward said. "In that process, I want to teach the guys that are here, too. As I said from day one, my goal is for you guys, whenever your time is up here, is to walk into any kitchen (and) be the best cook that walks in that kitchen because you've got trained by me."

Brendan David Curry, 38, of Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with: DWI with a previous conviction within the last 10 years; refusal to take a breath test; operator leaving the scene of a property damage accident; moving from lane unsafely; and second-degree burglary -- illegal entry of a dwelling. Batavia police were called to an address on Ellicott Street for a burglary in progress at 12:08 a.m. on Oct. 24. They were advised that Curry had fled the scene in a vehicle and had also struck a guard rail. NYS Police located Curry and his vehicle at the intersection of Webster Avenue and Howard Street. Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis interviewed Curry and allegedly found him to be intoxicated and he was arrested. Batavia Police Officer Felicia DeGroot investigated the burglary and arrested him on the charge of second-degree burglary. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and bail was set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond for the DWI; he was released on his own recognizance on the burglary charge. He was to return to city court the same day, Oct. 24. Batavia Police officers McGinnis and DeGroot handled this case.

A 17-year-old who lives on Oak Street in Batavia is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. The defendant was arrested following a report that the defendant punched and pushed a juvenile near Dwyer Stadium at 7:40 a.m. on Oct. 17. The defendant was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Nov. 13. Then on Oct. 28, the same teenager and a codefendant, no age given, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and fighting in public. They allegedly entered the scene of a car accident at 2:13 p.m. on Oct. 28 on West Main Street, Batavia, while it was actively being investigated by police and engaged in a violent public fight. Neither defendant was connected to the accident in any way. They were processed and released on appearance tickets and are due in city court on Nov. 13. Both cases were handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Lindsay JR Goins Jr., 62, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. He was arrested Oct. 24 for an incident that occurred at 4:46 p.m. on Oct. 23 on State Street during which he allegedly had physical contact with another person. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kyle Krtanik, assisted by Officer Catherine Mucha.

Annie G. Stanley, 65, of State Street, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment -- physical contact. She was arrested Oct. 24 for an incident that occurred at 4:46 p.m. on Oct. 23 on State Street during which she allegedly had physical contact with another person. She was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Kyle Krtanik, assisted by Officer Catherine Mucha.

Raymond Charles Cook, 48, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with: DWI -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more; third-degree aggravated unlicensed operator; failure to use designated lane; and driving left of pavement markings. At 12:41 a.m. while on patrol, Batavia Police Officer Nicole McGinnis observed a vehicle traveling westbound on Main Street in Batavia committing numerous traffic infractions. After a roadside investigation, Cook was arrested. He was release on appearance tickets and is due in city court on Oct. 31. Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay assisted Officer McGinnis with the case.

Jordan Edenholm, 30, of Gabbey Road, Pembroke, is charged with: driving while intoxicated with a BAC of .08 percent or more; DWI; speeding; and making an improper left turn. He was arrested following a traffic stop on Route 63 in Batavia at 11:35 p.m. on Oct. 27. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Andrew Mullen.

Brandon Michael Burgess, 31, of Maltby Road, Oakfield, is charged with: DWI; DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more; inadequate exhaust; and following too closely. Following a traffic stop on Lewiston Road in Batavia at 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, Burgess was arrested on these charges. He is due in Town of Batavia Court on Nov. 15. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer, assisted by Deputy James Stack.

Kimberly A. Showler, 53, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. She was arrested after it was discovered she was allegedly shoplifting at Tops Friendly Market in Batavia at 4:35 p.m. on Oct. 22. She is due in city court on Oct. 30. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Jason Davis.

Thomas Allan Torrens Jr., 23, of Overlook Drive, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and speeding. On Oct. 28 following a traffic stop at 10:23 p.m. on Main Street Road in Batavia, Torrens was arrrested on these charges. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Batavia Court on Nov. 12. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy McClellan.

Brandon C. Smart, 41, of North Pembroke Road, Batavia, was arrested Oct. 26 on a Batavia City Court warrant for failure to appear on unnecessary noise charges he incurred on March 21 on Central Avenue in Batavia. The case was handled by Batavia Police Offier Stephen Quider, assisted by Jason Davis.

A kitchen fire is reported at 627 E. Main St., Batavia.

City fire is arriving on scene reporting light black smoke coming out of Apt. 3.

UPDATE 3:33 p.m.: Scene commander reports, "sounds like food on the stove. Making entry now."

UPDATE 3:35 p.m.: Fire is out. Ventilating. 

Press release:

Nate McMurray, Democrat and Working Families Party candidate, today released a new poll showing that he is ahead by 4 points, with 47 percent of the respondents saying they will support McMurray against indicted incumbent Chris Collins.

Since the indictment in early August, McMurray has surged in the polls, earned endorsements from both the Buffalo News and conservative New York Post, and the race has been added to the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” list.

"The people of Western New York are done with the embarrassment Chris Collins has brought on our region," McMurray said. "Republicans, Democrats and independents know that it’s time to put country before party and reject a Congressman who’s out on bail. There is no stopping this movement, and we are ready to win on Election Day."

The poll also showed that Collins has a 51 percent unfavorability, while McMurray’s name recognition has surged -- 74 percent of respondents know about McMurray.

The poll was conducted by Tulchin Research from Oct. 25th to Oct. 28th and had a sample size of 400 people. The results showed that 47 percent supporting McMurray, 43 percent for Collins, and 4 percent for Reform Party candidate Larry Piegza. The margin of error is ±4 percent.

The polling memo can be viewed here.

NOTE: The FiveThirtyEight poll, with results through Oct. 26, shows Collins with a slim margin. The New York Times poll also gives Collins a small edge. It also carries this disclaimer (true of all polling): "It’s just one poll, and we’ve talked to only 486 people. Each candidate’s total could easily be five points different if we polled everyone in the district. And having a small sample is only one possible source of error."

Batavia's Original Pizzeria hosted fun and games yesterday afternoon following the Halloween Parade in Batavia. Several children along with parents, grandparents started walking from Dan's Tire and Auto down side streets in the cool wet weather to the pizzeria.

In addition to Batavia's Original, the event was sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Batavia and Roanoke Apple Farms.

A costume contest was judged by City Church members and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley. Music was entertained by DJ Tom Mazerbo. There were various prizes for the costume contest along with pizza and cider.