LOCKPORT MAN DIES AFTER HELPING STRANDED MOTORIST!!

A good samaritan was killed Wednesday night near his house on Bowmiller road,while helping a motorist who had slid into a ditch. Icy conditions on Bowmiller caused a 2006 Pontiac driven by 37 year old Angela Goodman of Lockport to lose control at about 5:15. 73 year old Roy Dietz, a Bowmiller Road resident, came out of his house and attempted to help Goodman get out of her car. But while he was standing next to the vehicle, a 2nd car driven by 41 year old Andrea Walton of Middleport lost control and slid into Goodman's car, striking Dietz. He was taken by ambulance to Lockport Memorial and then to ECMC where he died from his injuries at 6:30. Both drivers received tickets for speeding in unsafe conditions. Dietz grew up in Lockport and worked for 38 years at Harrison Radiator, retiring 16 years ago.

FALLS MOTHER IS RULED FIT TO BE TRIED!!

For the third time, a psychiatrist has found Shauna Mahoney mentally competent to stand trial on a murder charge. She's the young Niagara Falls mother who told police she smothered her infant son to death last summer. Two doctors had made that recommendation after interviewing Mahoney in September, but Judge Sara Sperrazza found their reports inadequate. However, the third time was evidently the charm, and Sperrazza was very satisfied with the final doctor's findings. She says of all of them it's the most thorough and that she was very pleased with it. The 20 year old Mahoney of Laughlin Drive called 911 on September 5th to announce to the police that she had just killed her 19 month old son Trevor Schneider by smothering him. A hearing on the admissibility of those statements is set for February 28th.

SEAN O'CONNOR WILL BE INSURED IN FULL!!

The controversy surrounding the health care benefits for county legislator Sean O'Connor will likely come to an end as early as next week. County officials have determined that O'Conor does indeed qualify for lifetime health insurance benefits paid for by the county. In addition, they have made arrangements with O'connor for recouping the pay he received at the end of last year when he was technically retired. A relieved O'Connor says the situation is being resolved. He resigned from office on December 21st, citing personal reasons. A few days later, he changed his mind and was sworn in for his current term, which started January 1st.In the meantime, the county sent him a paycheck for several days of service for which he did not perform. That amount will now be deducted from his next paycheck, which is due next Friday.O'Connor has served in the legislature for more than 20 years, and normally would have qualified for full lifetime health insurance from the county. But a change in the law last year would have prohibited him from receiving the benefits had he been sworn in on January 1st, without a break in service.

HILLARY AND MCCAIN WIN BIG IN NEW YORK AND IN NIAGARA COUNTY!!

Super Tuesday proved to be a super night for Hillary Clinton and John McCain in New York state, as both presidential candidates swept to victory with the greatest of ease, over Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Statewide, Clinton got 57 percent of the vote, to Obama's 40 percent. While McCain just beat up Romney 51 to 28 percent, and thus took all 101 Republican delegates in the winner take all contest. Meantime, Hillary won 89 New York state delegates, to 56 for Obama. And in Niagara County voting, Clinton won easily with 66 percent of the vote to just 29 percent for Obama. Republican county voters supported McCain 47 percent to Romney's almost 28 percent. Mike Huckabee ended up a poor 3rd with almost 16 percent.

A TRAGIC END IN THE SEARCH FOR ARNOLD BARNETT...

A missing school administrator from Lockport was found dead Tuesday, a short distance from his car at the edge of the lower Niagara River. 57 year old Arnold Barnett was reported missing by his wife last Thursday after he failed to return home from the Seneca Niagara Casino in the Falls, where he had spent Wednesday evening. State police investigating the case said fishermen spotted Barnett's car Tuesday morning at the river's edge. Barnett's body was found about 100 feet from the vehicle. Preliminary findings suggest Barnett drove past a stop sign at a T-shaped intersection at Church and Main street in Youngstown, and his car jumped a curb and plunged about 50 feet down an embankment. Troopers believe Barnett may have been disoriented from the crash, left his car to get help and collapsed, succumbing to exposure. An autopsy is planned to determine the exact cause of his death.

LEGISLATURE CALLS ON STATE FOR HELP FOR FALLS MEMORIAL!!

The Niagara County Legislature Tuesday called on Albany to help bail out Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center's psychiatric units with a $5 million cash payment and other aid. "We have to demand more of our state officials to help us wtih this health care crisis," said the lead sponser of the resolution, Legislator Renae Kimble, D-Niagara Falls. The measures were passed after Memorial President and CEO Joseph Ruffolo blamed the county for the psychiatric unit's woes, and county Social Services Commissioner Anthony Restaino called that "a categorical misrepresentation of the truth." The units, unique in the county, employ 175 people. Some layoff notices have alreaqdy gone out.

SUPER TUESDAY IS UPON US!!

New York State offers one of the big prizes in today's Super Tuesday primaries, as Republicans and Democratsalike look to clarify the most competitive presidential contest in generations. Most observers believe Sen. John Mccain will carry New York's winner take all for the Republicans, as well as solidify his lead in the national contest that features 24 primaries and caucuses across the nation. But the real New York contest will pit favorite daughter Sen. Hillary Clinton against Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. And although Clinton is heavily favored throughout the state, the primary's proportional nature in all 29 congressional districts means Obama could very well pick off a significant number of delegates in New York City, and maybe even Western New York. We shall see!!

LOCKPORT MAN STILL MISSING!!

The search for a missing Town of Lockport man continues, with the whereabouts of 57 year old Arnold Barnett still a mystery. The Locust Street man hasn't been seen since early lsat Thursday morning, when security cameras caught him leaving the Seneca Niagara Casino, where he had been gambling along that evening. A check of the casino's parking areas and nearby city streets failed to turn up anything. His wife called police after not hearing from him in 24 hours. State Police investigator John DiPasquale said yesterday that troopers are looking into the possibility that he drove off a road somewhere in the county. Barnett's wife told state troopers he did not appear despondent when he left on Wednesday, and that he does not have a cell phone.

DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET COMING TO LOCKPORT!!

The owners of Niagara County Produce are opening a new farmer's market in downtown Lockport come the fall. Niagara Produce Lockport completed its purchase of the former Brewhaus Coffee and Cafe at 112 Chestnut St. on Monday, and will establish a market there, according to co-owner Jody Chesko. She says she is thrilled with the idea of being a part of downtown revitalization.The Lockport Market will offer all of the same goods offered at Niagara County Produce, the thriving enclosed market at South Transit and MillersportHighway. It's owned by Chesko and her parents, who have run that market for the last 47 years. Mayor Mike Tucker lauded the purchase, and said the city will assist them by selling a portion of Washburn Street to the company fo conversion into a parking lot. And the cost for that effort: Tucker say his one dollar bill, is now in the mail!!