FORMER FRANBILT COMPLEX SOLD AT AUCTION ::Thursday, July 3rd::

In Lockport, a Cheektowaga businessman bought the vacant Franbilt Metal Fabricating plant at a foreclosure auction Wednesday, while a Canadian businessman made him a lease offer. Brian Schectman -President of Industrial Realty and Funding - bid $925-thousand. It was the only bid made after Scott Robbins - special assests manager of First Niagara Bank - set the minimum bid at $899-thousand. Schectman says, "I didn't think I was going to own it, but I do. I thought there were other bidders that were going to bid it up." One of those was Brian Mitchell - President of Pop and Lock Corporation, the Welland Ontario auto parts maker and defense contractor - who has been seeking a US plant since last year. Mitchell handed Schectman a letter offering to lease the 45-thousand square foot Akron Road plant from, and Schectman said he'd reply by Tuesday.

WE MAY HAVE THE HIGHEST TAXES, BUT WE HAVE THE BEST HOSPITALS ::Thursday, July 3rd::

The Buffalo Niagara region has been ranked by a national healthcare information company as the nation's best market for the value of hospital care. Western New York beat out 97 other metropolitan areas, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington DC, many of which are renowned for their health care and hospitals. In particular, eight Western New York hospitals, including Falls Memorial and Mount St Mary's in Lewiston - were named among the nation's 100 best values for medical care based on Data Advantage's inaugural hospital value index. Other local hospitals cited were all four hospitals of the Catholic Health Systems, Buffalo General, and ECMC. The survey is not a pure measure of the best medical care, but balances that quality with affordability. In addition, it's based on how efficiently the hospitals operate, the satisfaction of their patients, and the hospital's local reputation.

KAHN QUITS LEWISTON SCHOOL BOARD ::Thursday, July 3rd::

With the prospect of a badly divided Lew-Port school board on the horizon, Warren Kahn has quit his longtime post as school district attorney. Kahn says "I would have been possibly in the middle of disputes between four board members and three board members. There may have been a lot of strife, and I don't feel like having to deal with it at this time." Kahn has served as the district's lawyer for 20 years, including the last tumultuous year.

ALLEGED WILSON HAZER AWAITS TRIAL ON DRUG CHARGES ::Wednesday, July 2nd::

One of the teens involved in the alleged sexual assault on a Wilson school bus will have to wait a little longer for the charges against him in another court to be heard. The case against 16 year old Colton Sherman in Porter Town Court - where he is charged with possession of a controlled substance - was adjourned Tuesday night to a later date. Sherman - along with two fellow baseball teammates - was arrested April 25th after an investigation by State Police, and charged with aggravated sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. On May 7th, Sherman was arrested again, this time in Ransomville. Deputies stopped him and two other teens as they were walking through a car dealership lot. A search of Sherman found a sock in his pocket that contained a baggie with a white powdery substance and two hydrocodone pills.

OLCOTT BEACH CLOSED AGAIN ::Wednesday, July 2nd::

For the second time this season, Krull Park Beach on Lake Ontario was ordered closed because of unsafe levels of e-coli bacteria in the water. A spokesman for the county health department says test results showed similar results to those posted on June 18th, when the beach was also closed for a day. Officials blame the runoff from the heavy rains for the high bacteria levels. Another water sample was take Tuesday, and new test results are expected later today.

LOCKPORT PROPERTY OWNER IN TROUBLE WITH HOUSING COURT ::Wednesday, July 2nd::

A local property owner - who city officials said in April was being given time to fix up houses because of a good track record - was summoned Tuesday to housing court for failure to fix up a house on South Street. Steve Walsh of the Town of Lockport told Judge Thomas DiMillo that his normal method of placing run-down properties faced with foreclosure in a land trust while negotiating a reduction in the mortgage wasn't working in the case of 407 South Street. Walsh says the mortgage holder - Midfirst Bank of Oklahoma City - apparently is determined to foreclose. While acknowledging that no repairs have been made, Walsh says quote, "They won't talk to me. My company cannot repair a building we can't sell." Building inspector James McCann says the back porch roof has collapsed, there are holes in the roof, drywall is falling off the ceilings, and there is major water damage on the floors. Quote, "I was in there, and you don't want to be in the there." Walsh's land trust was served with two violation notices, each carrying maximum penalties of 30 days in jail or a fine of $1,000 a day.

FORMER MRS PLATING OWNER GETS SENTENCED ::Tuesday, July 1st::

The former owner of a city business has been sentenced on federal charges he illegally disposed of hazardous chemicals on the site. 47 year old Ronald Jageilo of Lockport - who owned MRS Plating - pleaded guilty in August to criminally disposing of hazardous wastes at the site between January 2004 and November 2006. He was sentenced Monday to 21 months in jail and 3 years supervised release. Judge William Skretney also ordered Jageilo to pay $1-million in restitution to the EPA. The conviction was the 2nd since 2006 for Jageilo, who was convicted of violating criminal environmental laws, and the 3rd time since 1996.

COURT MAKES RULING ON DELPHI ::Tuesday, July 1st::

The Federal Government has obtained court approval to restore $2.2-million in retirement plan assets owed to hourly employees of Delphi. The US department of Labor said in a statement Monday that the settlement - approved by the US Bankruptcy Court - ensures that assets are available to pay future retirement benefits for Delphi workers. The settlement resolves a claim brought by the Labor Department in 2006. The department launched an investigation into improperly invested dividends Delphi failed to properly disclose or correct. The decision could affect the 2,600 workers who work at the Lockport Delphi plant.

WILSON MAN LOSES CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE ::Tuesday, July 1st::

A Wilson man was injured Monday afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a car at Sunset Drive and Niagara Street. 32 year old Andrew Jenneveave of Ide Road was heading north on Sunset when he was hit by 32 year old Cassandra Leverette of Dysinger Road in the Town of Lockport. Leverette - who was driving a 2001 Pontiac - said she didn't see Jenneveave on his motorcycle as he tried to cross the intersection. She was charged with both failure to yield and having an expired registration. Jenneveave suffered a broken leg and was taken to ECMC. Leverette suffered some minor cuts and bleeding, and was treated at the scene.

PLAYGROUND SET TO OPEN IN THE CATARACT CITY ::Monday, June 30th::

In the Falls, the North End Block Club is getting ready for Tuesday's opening of a new playground at North Avenue and Lockport Street. It'll be the first one in the city with handicapped accessible equipment thanks to a nearly $18,000 grant secured by Niagara University. They say nearly 13% of those under the age of 20 living in the North End are disable. Students from the university will offer structured activities for them and others. The project is also being helped by a $100,000 committment by the Maid of the Mist Corporation. The park will also have a basketball court, bleachers, shelters, picnic tables, and benches. The total cost coming to about $250,000. Tuesday's opening festivities start at 1pm and will include a chicken barbeque.

DMV HOLIDAY HOURS :Monday, June 30th::

County Clerk Wayne Jagow says the Lockport DMV office will not offer extended hours this Thursday night in observance of Independence Day. The office will close at 4:30. He said the Niagara Falls location will be open till 6:30 Wednesday night and the N-T branch till 6:30 Tuesday.