CANDIDATES LINING UP TO REPLACE TOM BEILEIN!!

The name game is already going on strong when it come to Tom Beilein's successor as Niagara County Sheriff. As you heard yesterday on Hometown 1340 WLVL, Beilein will soon be named the chairman of the state's Commission of Corrections. With State Senator George Maziarz telling us on Thursday that a special election would be held for sheriff in November. Some of the names being mentioned for the democrats, are Chief Detective James Voutour and Sheriff's Investigator Scott Elliot, both of whom live in Lockport. Although Democratic Party Chief Daniel Rivera said he would wait until Beilein's appointment is official before mentioning any names. On the Republican side, Party Chairman Henry Wojtaszek says the Niagara Falls Chief of Detetctives Ernest Palmer would be his top choice, and Palmer expressed interest in the job. Gov. Spitzer called Maziarz personally to ask about Beilein as a possible candidate for the chairman's job, and Maziarz said quote: "I have no problem with it". The Commission of Corrections is a 3 person panel that has control over the state prison system.

WINTER FUN FEST SET FOR THIS WEEKEND!!

A few new bells and whistles have been added to this year's Winter Fun Fest taking place this long weekend in the City of Lockport. Buffalo magician Garrett Thomas, known worldwide for his stunner card, coin and ring tricks, will present a free show Sunday at the Kenan Center Arena. Also new to the festival are the Buffalo Silverbacks, the show basketball team that will dispatch several players for a demo and free clinics with children, also Sunday at the Kenan arena. Winter Fun Fest is a weekend, winter-themed, indoor and outdoor festival put on the the city Youth and Recreation Department and community partners for many years. Key to the mission is that events are family-oriented and free or low-cost, so says Youth Director Melissa Junke. The festival has been formally extended into Monday, President's day, when Kenan enter will host a youth roller hockeyskills contest. The festival takes place at Altro park, Rogers Avenue Park, Skateland and the Kenan Center will hos a youth roller hockey skills contest.

G.M. OFFERING INCENTIVES TO UAW WORKERS....BUT DELPHI WORKERS NOT INCLUDED!!

After posting a 38.7 billion dollar loss in 2007, G.M. has reached an agreement with the UAW union, to offer buyout incentives to all of its 74 thousand UAW employees. The 4 part attrition plan gives exit options to every employee, regardless of his or her time with the company. But not every employee is eligible for all of the options, according to a company spokesman. Employees are eligible for retirement after 30 years, but some chose to stay. G.M. is offering skilled trades employees with more than 30 years $62,000 to retire, and production employees $45,000 to take their retirement. The G.M. buyout won't have any affect on Delphi workers in Lockport, at this point. The retirement incentive can be taken in a lump sum, rolled over into a 401k or IRA, paid in a monthly annunity in addition to a regular pension or in a combination of partial lump sum and partial 401k or IRA payments. For the Tonawanda Powertrain plant, the 401k category constitutes the majority of UAW members.

CONCERT PLUS CHOSEN TO PROMOTE GATEWAY SERIES!!

In North Tonawanda, city officials have selected Concerts Plus of Western New York as the promoter for a free summer concert series at Gateway Park. The Commen Council Tuesday night unanimously approved a 3 year contract with the firm, which will be working with New York City based Metropolitan Entertainment, a booking agent. City officials selected Concerts Plus in early January out of two proposals submitted. But withheld the name of the promoter until a contract could be worked out. The move follows the high-profile departure late last year of Canal Concert promoter Kathy Paradowski, who moved those concerts to the Ulrich City Center in Lockport. A representative of the promoter said there are plans to improve the experience for concert-goers at Gateway Park, which is on the North Tonawanda side of the Erie Canal, adjacent to the City of Tonawanda. The tentative date for the first concert of the season is June 21st.

BUDWEY OWNER MEETS WITH NEWFANE SUPERVISOR!!

Newfane Supervisor Tim Horanburg met with Budwey's owner Frank Budwey on Tuesday, to discuss the possibility of a Budwey's Supermarket moving into the former Shurefine Food Center on Main Street. The 90 minute meeting was held at the Niagara County IDA. Frank Budwey called Horanburg 3 weeks ago about a Budweys coming to Newfane. Shurefine closed last month after many years in the town, leaving a void for many shoppers in Newfane and the surrounding areas. In an interview on WLVL Radio on Wednesday morning, Horanburg said he thought there was an 80% chance of Budwey's coming to town. There are currently 2 Budwey's in Western New York, in North Tonawanda and in Buffalo. Horanburg also said the goal is to get Budwey's up and running in Newfane by this summer.

LOCKPORT SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN DESPITE BRUTAL WIND CHILL!!

Despite wind chills that reached as low as 20 degrees below zero, Lockport School Superintendent Terry Ann Carbonedecided to keep Lockport Schools open today, drawing the ire of some parents who felt they should have been closed. In an exclusive interview on Hometown 1340 WLVL, Carbone said it was a very close call, and that at 4:30 this morning, she was leaning towards closing the schools. But upon further review, Carbone decided to keep them open, in part because the wind wasn't blowing that hard, and that their was no blowing snow. And also, because the forecast called for a high of 15 to 20 degrees, and that the wind chill advisory was cancelled at 9am. Carbone say no child would be punished if their parents decided it was just too cold to send them to school. Carbone also said that if today was yesterday, school would have been closed because of the blowing snow, high winds and the brutally cold tempertures and wind chill.

PANTHER PLAYER SEVERS JUGULAR DURING SABRES GAME!!

A horrifying scene last night at HSBC Arena where Richard Zednick of the Florida Panthers suffered a severed jugular vein in his neck, when he was slashed by the skate of a team-mate. The incident happened with 9:56 left in the game when Oli Jokinen collided with Clarke McCarthur of the Sabres in the corner. As Yokinen fell, his right leg went airborn. Zednick was skating towards the play and Jokinen's skate sliced into the right side of Zednick's neck. Blood spurted from the wound onto the ice as players and fans alike gasped at the ugly sight. Zednick skated to his bench where trainers went to work immediately. He was taken to the lockerroom, and then to Buffalo General, where he underwent emergency surgury. Thankfully, it was a success, and Zednick is listed today in stable condition. The Sabres ended up winning the game 5-3. The injury brought back memories of a similar injury to the Sabres Clint Malarchuck back in 1989, when he needed some 300 stiches to sow up his neck. Meantime, Zednick's wife is now with her husband, after being flown up from MIami last night.

HEPATITIS A SHOTS CONTINUE!!

Thousand more are expected to get vaccinated today at ECC's North Campus, in what has become one of the largest vaccination clinics in New York state in recent memory, according to state health officials. By the end of the day Sunday, some 5 thousand people were expected to have received a vaccination for Hepatitis A over a 2 day period. An additional clinic is scheduled again today, from noon to 8pm. Health officials recommend the precautionary shots for customers at the Wegman's located at 5275 Sheridan Drive, who purchased produce that was exposed to a produce department employee diagnosed on Friday with Hepatitis A. Today's clinic will treat people who bought the produce from the Wegman's Sheridan Drive location after January 7th, and ate it (uncooked only) after January 28th.