METRO[OLITIAN

The Greater Lockport Development Corporation decided
Thursday to file suit next month against restaurenter
Peter Calieri. He owes the City about $321,000 from the
$400,000 loan he took out to open the now closed
Metropolitan Bar and Grille in the Ulrich City Center.
David Ulrich bought the fixtures for about $55,000
on December 16. Corporationm Counsel John Ottaviano
said the court would decide if the City can also go after
the assets of Calieri's other restaurant, The Village
Eatery. Ottaviano also said Jayne & Company has
asked for more time to repay a $15,000 loan made in
July.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The State Labor Department says the unemployment
rate in Niagara and Orleans counties went from 7.1
per cent in November to 8.5 per cent in December. Erie
County's rate rose from 6 to 6.9 per cent during the same
period. The report says the region lost 7600 jobs from
December 2007 though December 2008. They also said
that initial claims for benefits rose to a seasonably
adjusted 589,000 in the week ending last Saturday.
That was up from 527,000 at the end of the previous
week. The department's regional economist says the
recession has caught up with Western New York.

COCAINE BUST

Twelve people were arrested in the Falls Thursday following
a six month investigation into cocaine sales at the Waterworks
Bar on Buffalo Avenue. Detective Captain Morris Shamrock
said the bar took the phrase, "rum & coke" to a new level. The
alleged ringleader, 26 year old DeWayne Holland of South
Avenue was initially arrested October 9. Shamrock said it took
them time to infiltrate the rest of the circle. He said Holland did
most of his business out of the bar. The owner, 42 year old
Robert Leo of Colonial Drive was the only person arrested
that was connected with the bar. The State Attorney General's
office participated in the investigation. They said most of those
named were customers of Holland. Thirty-five year old Joseph
"Bones" Williams of South Avenue was allegedly one of his
suppliers. All of those arrested plea dnot guilty yesterday
before Judge Sara Sheldon Sperezza. Police are still
looking for one man named in the indictment.

WARME

A federal grand jury issued a ten count indictment
Thursday against former Falls police officer Ryan
Warme. The 27 year old was charged with violating
the civil rights of three women, with using his posiiton
to extort sex from a prostitute, with conspiring to
distribute powdered and crack cocaine, and with
failing to report a felony. Two of the civil rights
charges could result in a life time prison sentence.
Warme was arersted December 2. He's denied the
charges in previous court appearances. He'll be
arraigned at 2pm Monday.

BURGLARY

Lockport Police are investigating a burglary that
took place early Thursday in an apartment at
318 Walnut. Entry was apparently made through
a front window. Police said they saw snow
covered footprints leading to it and to another
window that had a damaged screen. The victim said
he had been involved in an argument earlier in the
evening at Pat's Place. He said he was not even going
to report the break-in until he noticed that his
prescriptions for hydrocodone and carisporodl
were among the items taken. A neighbor told
police he saw a tall white man carrying blankets down
Walnut around midnight. Two comforters were among
the items taken.

MARKEL

The Falls teen accused of raping and robbing a clerk
at Watson's Candy August 9 accepted a plea deal
yesterday in County Court. Anthony Markel plead
guilty to charges of first degree rape and attempted
first degree robbery. He could get up to 40 years in
prison when he's sentenced April 2. The victim agreed
with the deal.

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT

Interim Niagara Falls School Superintendant Cynthia
Bianco told the School Board last night they should
hire Mark Laurie as acting Deputy Superintendent.
Laurie had been principal at the high school but he's
currently on special assignment in the Central Office.
He started working for the district 25 years ago as a
monitor in an independent study room. He's also been
a special education teacher, a dean of students, and
a vice principal.

POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY

The State Police Wednesday filed felony charges against
a Lockport couple. Twenty-seven year old Mark Mix and
20 year old Amanda Mix of Washburn Street were charged
with criminal possession of stolen property. Police say the
two possessed checks that were stolen from an elderly
customer while they were employed as drivers for a local
taxi company. The victim's signature was forged and the
checks were cashed by the couple. They were issued
appearance tickets and will be in City Court February4 at 9am.
The investigation is continuing and additional charges are
expected to be filed.

FALLS FIRE

A fast moving fire last night destroyed a two story
apartment house at 1610 Tenth Street in the Falls.
Firefighters were called to the wood frame structure
just after 10 and didn't clear the scene till about 4am
today. Fire Chief Bill McKay said it looked like it
originated on the second floor. He estimated damage
at $43,000 to the building and $20,000 to it's
contents. The Red Cross is helping two adults
and three children. They were not home when the
fire broke out. The cause is under investigation.
The building will be torn down.

MARCH FOR LIFE

The 2009 March For Life is going on today in Washington.
Catholics and other Western New Yorkers opposed to abortion
left yesterday morning aboard five busses. The Western New'
York delegation attended a Mass this morning with Bishop
Edward Kmiec. A speaker, Loretta Flemming, then spoke
on the legislative strategies they'll need to fight the proposed
Freedom of Choice act. President Barak Obama told Planned
Parenthood in 2007 he would sign the bill if Congress
presented it to him. Opponents call it a "radicial and extreme
abortion bill" that would go much further than the Roe decision.
About 300,000 people are expected to participate in the March,
which starts at 1pm. About 150 Western New Yorkers were
on the busses that left yesterday.

TRY AGAIN

Five residents asked the Lockport School Board last night
to consider taking another vote on the recently defeated
proposal to build a $6-million sports complex. Voters turned
down the idea December 16. School Chief Terry Ann Carbone
said the decision to hold another vote would be up to the
School Board.

FIRETRUCK

Lockport lawmakers talked Wednesday night about how
to pay for a $600,000 pumper truck needed by the Fire
Department. Fire Chief Tom Passuite told the Council two
pumpers bought in 1987 are in poor condition. The
department wants to replace one, but keep it around for
spare parts for the other. Mayor Mike Tucker said Treasurer
Mike White will be making phone calls looking for grants or
other aid to help pay for it. He said they could not get the
money from Homeland Security. He said former
Congressman Tom Reynolds got the City $250,000 a few
years back to pay for a new ladder truck...and that avenue
was exhausted.

NEW PRICE TAG

The new public safety building in the Falls will cost about
$2.63-million more than anticipated. The Buffalo News is
reporting a volunteer advisory group appointed to oversee
it's construction signed two amendments to the deal in
November 2007 that were never OK'd by the City Council.
They added an electronic system to the building and
authorized the developer to buy new furniture, equipment,
and fixtures. The State will pcik up some of the cost for
the furniture but the developer is charging an 8% procurement
fee. City attornies are advising the Council to o-k the changes
at Monday's meeting. The building will now cost $47-million.

C-W-M HEARING

Twenty-five speakers coming to the podium last night
at Lew Port High School to express their opposition
to plans to expand the CWM landfill. They criticized the
company and the State Department of Environmental
Conservation asking the agency to say no to the
company's request to redesign a landfill cap so they
can squeeze in even more hazardous waste. Lawmaker
Clyde Burmaster noting they were back again to beg their
government to obey laws meant to protect the health and
safety of familes and friends. Nobody spoke in favor of
the proposal, but CWM spokesperson Lori Caso said a
number of engineers have submitted written comments to
the DEC supporting the idea.

MIDDLEPORT

A Middleport man says vandals have twice damaged
a home he recently bought on Orangeport Road. He
found the basement full of about 8 inches of water when
he went to the home yesterday. It seems somebody ripped
the sump pump off the wall. Vandals had previously
broken a window on a door leading from the garage to
the house about two weeks ago. The man put a board
over it, but several days later he found the board had been
ripped off and tossed through the hole. An obscene note
was attached to the board.

SHOPLIFTER

Nineteen year old Patrick Hoadley of Baer Road
in Sanborn was stopped by security personnel
last night after allegedly leaving the Sears store in
the Summit Mall without paying for a digital photo
album. Store officials say Hoadley hid the
$60 album under his jacket and walked out. His
actions captured on a security camera. Hoadley
allegedly lied to Sheriff's deputies about his name
and address. He's charged with petit larceny and
false personation and was taken to the County
Jail where he's being held on $500 bail. He'll be
in Wheatfield TownCourt next Tuesday night.

SCHOOL BUS FIGHT

The Sheriff's Department is investigating after three
students at the Niagara Academy allegedly attacked
another boy yesterday morning on their school bus.
They pushed open the door and started walking on
Route 31 after hearing the bus driver had called officials.
It happened around 8:30. The school bus aide also
suffered injuries when she tried to stop the attack.
She and the victim were both treated by the school
nurse. The victim did not want to file charges but the
school did on his behalf. The aide says the three boys
approached from the rear of the bus and began punching
the victim in the head, neck, and face. She said they
grabbed her in a bear hug when she tried to stop the
attack. She complained of back pain and pain in the
back of her head. The three boys were picked up by a
school employee and brought back to the school.

CHARLES UPSON LOCK-OUT

Nothing happened yesterday, but Lockport's Charles
Upson Elementary School went into a lock-out for
about an hour around 2:30. The District's Assistant
Superintendent, Michelle Bradley said an employee
got a phone call. She said it was domestic between
a husband and a wife and the phone call included a
threat to come to the work place. The employee
notified administrators. The building was locked and
they contacted the police. WLVL asked if the employee
was a teacher but the district repeatedly refused to
answer the question.

BUDWAYS COMING TO NEWFANE

Budways is coming to Newfane after all. Frank Budway
told the Union Sun & Journal he's bought the former
Shurfine Food Center from Harold Ford of Andover. A
tentative deal to lease the building fell through last year
but Budway said Ford offered to sell the structure
for a lower price. Supervisor Tim Horanburg says he's
excited. He told WLVL Newfane's in desperate need of
a full service grocery store and Budway has an excellent
reputation. He said the town would not provide any
help but they are working with the County IDA on
sales tax exemptions for new equipment purchases and
possibly a low cost power allocation. Budway expects
the store will open between May 3 and June 1 and
provide 25 full time jobs and 55 part time positions.
He told the paper he'll spend a million dollars on new
fixtures and another $250,000 on the roof and parking lot.
He said there'll be new heating and air conditioning and
a new register system with scanners. The store will be open
from 7am till midnight.

COUNTY TO SUE D-E-C

County lawmakers voted last night to sue the State
Department of Enivironmental Conservation over their
decision to give CWM tentative approval of the permit
modification needed to install a new cap and expand it's
Lewiston landfill. Clyde Burmaster said the increase
in capacity actually changes the permit that was
originally issued and there's a court order which says
any increase in the landfill could not take place until a
proper siting plan was produced by the DEC. The
agency has not done that therefore no addition to the
landfill is legal. Lawmaker John Ceretoo blasted the
agency for treating the County as a toxic waste dumping
ground. The County's move comes as the agency holds
two public hearings today on the issue. The first starts
at 4, the second at 7, in the Lew Port High School
auditorium. Also last night, lawmaker Renea Kimble
offered a resolution congratulating President Barak
Obama and his family. Lawmakers sent a resolution
calling for the formation of a bipartisan committee to
review the role of the County's Department of Homeland
Security to the Community Safety commmittee. Two others
that would send casino money to the Niagara Military
Affairs Council and to Youngstown to help pay for their
Labor Day Field Days were sent to the Economic Development
Committee.

THREE BELOW ZERO

The area lost it's protective cloud cover overnight and
the temperature plunged to three below zero around 4am
today. National Weather Service forecaster Dave Sage
said it was the first time the temperature had dropped
below zero since at the airport February 15, 2007. The
record low for today is -10. Sage said the temperature
fell rapidly, it was 13 degrees above at midnight.

ASHLAND ADVANCED MATERIALS

The Niagara Falls Zoning Board last night approved the
final city permit needed by Ashland Advanced Materials
to reopen the old SGL Carbon Plant on Niagara Falls
Boulevard. The session was marked by several shouting
matches between the owner of the nearby EconoLodge and
members of the Board. Galeb Rizek hoped to persuade them
to delay issuing a special use permit. He said questions
about environmental and safety hazrads have not been
fully answered by the company. Ashland still needs final
environmental permits from the DEC before they can open.
They're expected to get them by next month. The company
says 75 jobs will eventually be created. The site will be used
to produce products and services supporting the manufacture
of lithium batteries for hybrid electric vehicles and fuel and
solar cells for clean energy.

ARSON FIRE

Firefighters in the Falls spending about three hours
overnight battling a blaze in a vacant three story
building at 1776 Falls Street. Officials say the fire
was deliberately set. Damage was estimated at
$15,000 to the building and $5,000 to it's contents.
Fire Chief Bill McKay said it appeared to have
originated on the second floor. Crews arrived around
11:15 and they cleared the scene just after 2 am.

LEGISLATURE TO HONOR OBAMA

County lawmaker Renea Kimble will issue a proclamation
at tonight's legislature meeting offering congratulations to
President Barak Obama. She says it's an historic and
landmark occasion for our nation. "Yesterday was Dr. Martin
Luther King's birthday," said Kimble, "and Dr. King had a
dream that all men would be created equal, and that there
would be an opportunity in which people would be judged
by the content of their character and not the color of their
skin." She said "America decided that Barak Obama was the
person that would lead the nation during this defining
moment in time. And he, in fact, was judged by the content
of his character and not his skin color." Kimble was invited
to attend today's festivities in Washington by Congressman
Louise Slaughter but a family commitment made it impossible.
She decided to ask her fellow County lawmakers if she could
speak tonight. Her planned proclamation won the warm
praise of Legislature Chairman Bill Ross. He said "President
Barak Obama will have the support of not only the federal
government and state governments, but local governments.
He said "we in government, in elected positions, know what
the problems are...and what we can give to the new President
is the total support of government at all three levels". He offered
up a simple Inaguration prayer, "God bless President Barak
Obama. May he be successful."

ROY HART SEARCH

The three candidates for School Superintendent at
Roy Hart will be visiting the district this week. Elmira
School District Deputy Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter
will answer questions from the public starting at 6 tonight
in the High School Media Center. The Assistant Superintedent
of Orleans-Niagara BOCES, Kevin MacDonald, will be there
Thursday and York Central school chief Thomas Manko will
visit Friday. Each session starts at 6pm and is expected to
run for about 45 minutes. Current School Superintendent
Paul Bona retires June 30 after ten years on the job.

FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT BUSINESS MANAGER

The Niagara Falls School District has hired Orleans
Niagara BOCES chief Clark Godshall to help them
find a new Business Manager. The post has been
vacant since James Ingraci left last August. The job
pays $116,000 a year but it's been hard to fill because
of the district's residency requirement. The job's been
offered to two people but they did not want to move.
The school board now hopes to find somone to take
the position on an interim basis as an independent
contractor or consultant while they continue the
search. The district is also getting help from a
Brockport State college professor who teaches
school business administrators.

JOHNSON KILLING

County cornoner Cindy Lou Joyce says she found a
horrific scene when she was called to Saturday's
murder in the Falls. Joyce says 32 year old Ahkenya
Johnson was stabbed multiple, multiple, multiple times.
She told the Buffalo News she had gone to death scenes
with her husband..former coroner James Joyce..in the
past, but said Saturday's was one of the most horific
she had seen in seven or eight years. Police are
continuing their investigation into the killing. Johnson's
body was found by he rhusband around 5pm Saturday in
the kitchen of their home in Jordan Gardens. Robert
Johnson works at Time Warner Cable and is also one of
many ministers at Christ Redemption Tabernacle. He
says he would give his own life to get his wife back.
The couple's two children were not home at the time of the
attack.

JOEL DANIELS

One of the areas leading defense attornies will be
honored by the State Bar Association later this
month. Joel Daniels will be presented with the
Charles Crimi Memorial Award as the state's
outstanding private defense practioner. The
presentation will be made during the Association's
annual awards luncheon in Manhattan January 29.
Daniels is 70 and has been practicing law for 40
years.

HOSPITAL CUTS

The Health Association of New York says Lockport
Memorial Hospital could lose $989,000 in State aid
and the Medical Center in the Falls more than $3.5-million
if the Governor's cuts to healthcare are approved. The
Association started a statewide TV blitz Monday
designed to inform the public. It features a couple
rushing their young daughter to their local hospital
only to find out it had closed. More details about what
the cuts would mean to other hospitals in the area can
be found by going to "Help Your Hospital dot org."
There's also a petition and a chance to send a letter
to your members of the State Senate and Assembly.

NO BEER

A 20 year old Middleport woman was charged with criminal mischief
Monday after she allegedly admitted to damaging a car January 9th.
The vehicle was owned by a clerk at the Red Apple convenience
store at 263 South Transit. Police say Christina Hayes of Church Street
came to the store with another woman wanting to buy beer. The
clerk told them it was too late. Hayes allegedly went into the
parking lot and stuck something in the rear tire of the clerk's
vehicle causing it to deflate... and then pulled the windshield wipers
off the car doing $185 damage.

LOCKPORT PRESERVATION

The City of Lockport Historic Preservation
Committee expects to begin looking at buildings
in the central part of the city this year to decide
which ones are worthy of protection. The city was
awarded a$15,000 state grant last week to pay for the
survey. They said Lockport's program has a good
law and a good commission with qualified people.
Mayor Mike Tucker says he will send the names of
9 people to the Council next month for appointment
to the Commission. Retired Delphi engineer Bob
Hagen serves as Chairman. The survey will take 3
years. They'll begin by looking at properties in
an area bounded by High, Prospect, and Exchange
Streets this year. Next year's survey will cover
areas around Locust, Willow, and Pine and the
remainder will be surveyed in 2011. The ordiance is
designed to protect the exterior appearance of
houses and commercial buildings deemed
historic. The Commission will have the power
to designate individual buildings or set up historic
districts. The owners could not make significant
changes to their exteriors without getting the
apprival of the Commission.

SAINT MARY'S OF GASPORT

The Parish Council at Lockport's Saint John the
Baptist Church has accepted a bid from the Hartland
Bible Church to buy the closed facilities of Saint
Mary's of Gasport. The congregation of Saint
Mary's merged with Saint John's under the recent
diocesan reconfiguration. The diocese will not say
how much they offered until the deal is finalized.
The Hartland Bibe Church has been looking for a new
location. Their current builidng on Johnson Creek Road
seats about 230. The Saint Mary's building can accomodate
475.

MARTIN LUTHER KING

Niagara University will be taking part in today's
Martin Luther King Day of Service. Students in their
Renu Niagara Program will be in the Highland
neighborhood in the Falls shovelling snow and
taking a survey about a community vegetable
garden coming this Spring. They'll be going
door to door between 10am and 2pm. They'll
also paint quotes from Doctor King on stepping
stones that'll be placed in the garden. The community
outreach is being done in coordination with New
York Americorps and Hands on Greater Buffalo.
The days activities starting and ending at a church
on Eagle Street in the Queen City. Many
participants will also donate blood to Upstate
Transplant Services.

JAIL SUICIDE

A 21 year old Wheatfield man arrested early Friday for
allegedly robbing the NOCO Express on Williams Road
was found dead in his cell at the County Jail just after
8:30 Friday night. Joshua Skrzypek was being held on
$10,000 bail. The Sheriff's Department said he
apparently live dout of his car but was originally from the
Wheatfield area. They allegedly found a large quantity of
cash inside the vehicle along with a black paintball gun
used during the robbery. Skrzypek was caught shortly
after the robbery by Sheriff's deputies as he was about to
enter the LaSalle Expressway. Sheriff James Voutour
said Skrzypek was alone in his cell. Details about evidence
found inside could not be released because the
investigation is continuing.

EARLY MORNING MELEE

One man had his head sliced open by a beer bottle and
another was stabbed twice with a knife during a closing
time melee early Sunday at Bragg's Tavern in the Falls.
It started shortly after 3am. Several men began fighting
as they left the Ferry Avenue tavern. A 33 year old man from
Swann Road in Youngstown was smakced over the head
with a beer bottle causing a large gash on his forehead.
A 44 year old resident of Cayuga Village suffered puncture
wounds to the side and neck. Witnesses told police both
men were assaulted by the same man but he fled before
police arrived. Both victims were said to be intoxicated
and uncooperative. They were taken to the Medical Center.

FATAL STABBING

Falls police say they have conducted two interviews with
the husband of a 32 year old woman who was found stabbed
to death Saturday afternoon in the kitchen of her Jordan
Gardens apartment. They have not ruled him out as a possible
suspect in the stabbing of Ahkenya Johnson. The husband told
police he found her bodt around 5pm after getting home from the
barbershop. An autopsy will be performed this morning. Detective
Captain Ernest Palmer said they talked to the husband for several
hours Saturday night and again Sunday but have yet to file
charges. He said it was an extremely violent attack and she had
been stabbed with multiple knives. The couple has two children
but they were not home at the time.

FIRES

Firefighters were kept busy Sunday on both ends of the County.
A blaze in the Falls did an estimated $30,000 damage to a home at
2258 Niagara Avenue. The fire was reported just after 11:30 in the
morning and took about an hour to extinguish. The cause is under
investigation. In Barker, a fire in an apartment at 1678 Quaker Road
displaced two adults and one child. Barker Fire Chief Randy
Hildebrant says someone was thawing water lines in the apartment
earlier in the day. The woman living there noticed some smoke coming
from the walls and floor around 3pm. The fire was confined to the
apartment and there was extensive damage to the bedroom. No
estimate of the amount was provided.