NEW TATTOO PARLOR REGULATIONS IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTY ::Friday, April 25::

The Niagara County Board of Health unanimously passed regulations on tattoo artists that the health department chief said are designed to protect the public. The measure allows the health department to shut down any tattoo parlor that doesn't comply with the regulations, but public heath director Dan Stapleton says the plan is not to put people out of business. The plan is to have people follow the regulations and have a safe environment for their clients. The issue of tattooing came to the board's attention after a tattoo artist in the Falls was blamed for causing infections among at least seven customers. Three of the infections were case of MRSA - the antibiotic resistant staph bacteria . Stapleton said further investigation has disclosed that the man - who remains unidentified for legal reasons - caused infections in some Erie County residents too. The tattooer was forced to surrender his equipment to the health department on March 10th, and was fined $250 for failing to show up for a hearing before Stapleton. Assistant county attorney Michael Fitzgerald says the fine has not been paid. Stapleton says the man has been calling to ask for his equipment back, but that won't happen until the fine is paid and the man follows regulations.

SPCA HAS BREWING ANGER WITH CATARACT CITY ::Friday, April 25::

The Niagara County SPCA has warned that it will stop providing services to the city in May if it does not get paid for work it has done during the last four months. The agency has been working in the Falls without a contract since January. Al Chile - the executive director of the county SPCA - says that in good faith, he has continued to provide services in the absence of a signed contract, but "if you don't have dollars, you can't pay the bill... and we have to pay our bills in order to operate. The mayor and city council received letters Thursday from the SPCA that warned of the May deadline. The council earlier this month delayed a vote to renew the agency's contract. Councilman Bob Anderson says the council wants several issues regarding the SPCA's services addressed before the contract is renewed. Chile met the a city attorney Thursday to discuss the contract, and a list of issues the council and city clerk want resolved. Chile says he believes the issues between the city and SPCA can be worked out before next month.

COMMON COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A STATE GRANT FOR UNION STATION ::Friday, April 25::

In Lockport the city may sponsor a state grant application to restore the burned out Union Station. The city did the same for a previous owner in the 1990's, but that project fell through. A similar request was brought before the board of the city's Economic Development Agency Thursday; who didn't act on it, but are expected to do so at a future meeting. Mark Davidson - a 43 year old set dresser who works in various Hollywood movie studios - and his wife Michelle - a Lockport native - bought the station for $80-thousand in 2006. Like the previous owner - Brian Yaiser of Royalton - they have notions of making the gutted train station into a profitable business and attraction. The station as a restaurant after regular train service stopped, but it was ruined in a fire in the early 1970's. Since then, little has been done there.

LOCK-CITY TRASH TALK ::Thursday, April 24::

The Lock-City this week ordered the party responsible for a big mess on John Street to clean it up or face arrest. In between two nicely kept John St. homes a trash pile had grown as a couple losing their Pine St. home to foreclosure put the house's contents to the curb. The garage was set out behind the house, at the foot of the driveway leading from 267 Pine west to John. Furniture, boxes, wood, glass panels, and miscellaneous junk was deposited at the curb unbagged, and at least two feet high over the width of the lot. A John St. homeowner claimed the pile emerged several weeks ago and changed in size as garbage pickers helped themselves; and passerby's added to it. After taking a complaint about the mess, Mayor Michael Tucker took the bull by the horn and tracked down the former owner - John Preston - at his new residence. Tucker says he told Preston that city garbage crews won't pick up the pile, that he'd have to get rid of it on his own or be cited for multiple violations of the local garbage ordinance. Preston promised to hire a truck and have the garbage taken away immediately.

That was on Tuesday.

When the pickup didn't happen, Tucker said he was preparing to send police after Preston when his contractor and a representative of Hunt Real Estate each appealed to Tucker to give it a little more time.

And now - according to the Mayor - the garbage has been cleaned up.

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT DOUG YOUNG'S 8:25 INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR, AS WELL AS HIS APPEARANCE ON DIALOG... ONLY IN WLVL'S INFAMOUS PODCAST SECTION!

MAGIC POTHOLE FIXER IN THE FALLS? ::Thursday, April 24::

Well it's not real magic...

Officials plan to negotiate with a Pennsylvania based company to lease a one man pothole patching machine this spring for a 'pothole blitz.' With that plan being announced by Mayor Paul Dyster Wednesday. Representatives from Patch Management of Morrisville demonstrated a spray injection patcher Wednesday morning to the Mayor and council members Chris Robins and Steve Fournier. Dyster says officials are considering leasing the equipment this spring to supplement existing equipment that fixes potholes. The machine can address potholes quicker than the equipment the city currently uses. Meantime - on Monday - the city council approved the use of $77-thousand to hire temporary workers who will be assigned to fill potholes during the next few months.

CAT KILLER FOUND COMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL ::Thursday, April 24::

A Lockport man accused of drowning a cat in a bathtub at Urban Park Towers will be screened for a possible entry into mental health court, after a 3rd competency exam ruled him fit to stand trial. 23 year old Brian Soock pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals. Soock allegedly drowned his girlfriend's cat in the bathroom of her apartment at 77 Main St. on February 1st. He underwent two exams last month to determine if he is mentally fit to proceed in court. The results of those tests conflicted with each other, so Judge William Watson ordered at third; which proved to be the charm, as it ruled Soock is mentally capable to stand trial. Public defender Michael Ingham said he agreed with the Finding, but asked the judge to allow Soock to be screened for mental health court, which he'll undergo Friday morning. He's currently being held in lieu of $25-thousand bail.

POP everything in the car AND LOCK the doors ::Wednesday, April 23::

Pop and Lock Corporation is apparently crossing Niagara County off its list of places to do business. Company owner Brian Mitchell said Tuesday that he's been unable to find factory space anywhere that's both suitable and readily available. He also spoke very highly of the local government's efforts to accommodate him, but said his options at this point seem exhausted. Pop and Lock is under contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to produce a weapons part beginning this month. The Welland, Ontario auto parts company previously anticipated a $1.2-million local investment and up to 60 jobs in 3 years with relocation. They started looking in Lockport earlier this year after negotiations to purchase a Wheatfield site fell through.

HIGHER COSTS FOR HIGHER KNOWLEDGE AT SANBORN COLLEGE ::Wednesday, April 23::

Tuition for full time resident students at NCCC will go up by $60 a semester in the fall under the school's new budget approved Wednesday morning by the college's board of trustees. The $44.1-million spending plan must still get an OK from the county legislature and they're expected to take it up in early June. The increase for part time resident students will be $5 per credit hour. The proposed budget is $2.4-million more than the current one and includes a request for an additional $177-thousand in support from the county.

LPD STILL ON LOOKOUT FOR SUSPICIOUS MAN ::Wednesday, April 23::

Lockport Police are still looking for a man who reportedly frightened a young girl near Charlotte Cross School on Monday. A spokesman for LPD said the investigation was continuing, but that there wasn't any new information as of yesterday. A man described as being white and in his 20's waved at the girl as he drove by, parked, and got out of his car - according to the police report. The girl ran away and hid while the man look for her, but later drove off. The Lockport School District initiated its emergency calling notification system to inform parents of the incident. The district says that more than 6-thousand phone calls were received, and the response from parents has been mostly positive. A letter was also sent home with students. Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone says quote, "we've gotten good feedback. We needed to do everything in our power to keep kids safe."

"BAD DAY AT WORK JUDGE" AWAITS RESULTS OF FINAL APPEAL :: Tuesday, April 22::

A spokesman for the State Court of Appeals says a decision on whether Niagara Falls judge Robert Restaino can keep his job could come at the end of May or the first week of June. Six judges listened to ral arguments Monday on why Restaino should stay on the bench, despite a 9-1 decision by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct said that he should be removed. Restaino's problems go back to March 2006 when he jailed 46 people because a cell phone rang in his courtroom an no one would take responsibility.

LOCAL THRUWAY AUTHORITY MEMBER WILL BE OUT COME SUMMER :: Tuesday, April 22::

Jeffrey Williams - the Lewiston resident who's a member of the state Thruway Authority board - won't be on much longer. Williams has been informed that when his term ends on June 30, his services will no longer be required. Williams was the only board member to vote against proposed toll hikes, and the only one with enough guts to talk about it. Williams says because of that, he thinks the powers that be wanted him out. Donna Lou of Depew is apparently going to be Williams replacement. She was notified last week that she would be joining the board once she's confirmed by the State Senate.

MAN INJURED AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF TRACTOR :: Tuesday, April 22::

A Sunset Drive man was injured Monday morning when he lost control of his tractor and it rolled over him. 70 year old Stanley Kulak suffered rib, back, and head injuries just before 10 a.m. at his home on the 4-thousand block of Sunset, near Upper Mountain. Kulak was rolling his lawn at the crest of a large drop when the tractor started to roll. Deputies say that before the tractor came to a rest, it rolled on top of Kulak. He was transported by ambulance to ECMC where he remains under observation, where he's expected to recover.

DISABLED MAN SUES THE CITY OF LOCKPORT FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ::Monday, April 21::

A Lock-City man who was left a quadriplegic after falling down a flight of stairs last year now remembers that a police officers pushed him down the stairs, and now he's trying to sue the city for $154-million. However, a police report at the time of the January 14, 2007 incident says that 37 year old Christopher Bower was intoxicated and lost his balance on the stairs. A medical report in the court file says Bower has a history of drug abuse, including inpatient treatment and a toxicology test performed that morning found alcohol and cocaine in his system. Court papers filed by Bower's attorney - David Jay - assert that the head trauma he suffered - along with breaking his neck - robbed him of his memory for months after the fall. Doctors at ECMC placed Bower into a drug induced coma for several days. Bower claims his memory came back in October, but by then had missed the 90 day deadline to serve the city with a notice of claim. State law gives injured parties one year and 90 days after an incident to ask a judge for permission to file a late notice of claim. Jay filed that request last Monday, on the very day the clock would have run out on Bower. Arguments are scheduled for May 8 before Judge Richard Klock, over whether he'll let Bower go ahead with his lawsuit.

"DON'T BURN YOUR BRIDGES" CRY CATARACT CITY CITIZENS ::Monday, April 21::

A planned public rally on deck tomorrow in support of the BRIDGES Child and Adolescent Behavioral Unit will likely result in a meeting of the minds between a group of concerned citizens and officials from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. The group has questions about the unit's pending closure, and the hospital says it has answers. One answer may involve Lockport. State health officials have reached out to Lockport Memorial in an effort to fill the community's need for the vital service.

Meantime, representatives from Independent Living of Niagara County - a health services organization that often deals with families impacted by mental health illness - have scheduled the informational rally for Tuesday at the hospital in an effort to draw attention to the pending closure of the BRIDGES unit in the Falls.

COTE FAMILY AWAITS ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER 6TH BODY FOUND IN IRAQ ::Monday, April 21::

The family of Jonathon Cote has been notified by U.S. officials that another body has been found in Iraq. Francis Cote - the father of the former Amherst resident - reports on the family's website that government officials visited his family on Saturday and informed them that a sixth body has been recovered in the Basra area in Southern Iraq. The body will be flown to Dover Air Force Base just as the five other U.S. citizens recovered in March were, where an autopsy will be done and ultimately an identification will be made. Father Francis says at this point there is nothing else to reports, and asks the community to continue praying for Jonathon.

Jonathon Cote is an Army veteran who was working in Iraq as a private security contractor when he and four co-workers were abducted on November 16, 2006. In mid-March, Cote's family learned that the severed fingers of five hostages - including Jonathon's - had been sent to American authorities in Iraq. The bodies of those four co-workers were recovered last month.