FLIGHT OF FIVE

The State Canal Corporation has issued a permit
for work to begin on Lockport's Flight of Five
project. That was the word yesterday from State
Canal Corporation Director Carmella Mantello. She
met with the Flight of Five Committee during an
afternoon session at City Hall. Project Manager
Pete Welsby said they would spend $225,000
this year restoring masonry and railings at the
lower end of the five stairstep locks. The Canal
Corporation's Operations Director also said testing
has shown the bridge over the old locks can be
narrowed to make room for the swinging of the
long beams that would be used to open and close
the restored gates to the locks. Mayor Mike Tucker
said the hard part is over, that they still had to
resolve the permit versus lease question..adding
that it won't be as hard as the rest of it was....and
then finish raising the rest of the money they need.
He said the end is in sight for the first time since
they started. The city hopes to begin this year's
work in June.

CRAIGS LIST

A 45 year old Royalton woman who placed an ad
on Craigs List offering to be a "secret shopper"
apparently got involved in a scheme to pass
counterfeit money orders. Dawn Frainier of
Lewiston Road was contacted by a man named
James Bishop. He mailed her two money orders
with instructions to cash them at any Money Gram
location at Wal-Mart. She was told to observe the
procedures used by the attendant, how many
attendants there were, and the security system.
Frainier told Sheriff's deputies she took the
money orders to a bank instead and was told
they were counterfeit. She turned over all her
correspondence with Bishop to deputies. They
say they got a similiar call March 6 and believe
someone is using the web site to pass counterfeit
money orders.

HIT AND RUN

The victim of a hit and run accident yesterday in
Lockport was arrested for aggravated unlicensed
operation. The mishap occurred just before 5pm
at the Mobil Station at 4 South Transit. Tina Abbo
of Baxter Avenue in Alden told police her car was
struck while she was getting gas and coffee. While
interviewing the 37 year old, officers discovered her
license had been suspended for failing to pay fines
levied in City Court. Police also interviewed a
witness who provided information about the
vehicle that left the scene. Elizabeth Russell of
Appleton was located and issued tickets in regards
to the accident.

FALLS AIRPORT

The nasty winter weather we've had has caused the
NFTA to delay it's planned opening of the new
$30-million terminal at the Falls airport. NFTA
Vice Chairman Henry Sloma is looking at the end
of August. He says it will attract new service.

HORSEHOE FALLS UPDATE

Officals say the man who went over the Horsehoe
Falls Wednesday is a 30 year old resident of
Western Ontario. They say his family does not
want his name or any other information released to
the public. He is in stable condition at Hamilton
General Hospital and is expected to make a full
recovery. It's being treated as an attempted
suicide and no charges will be filed.

TAX PREPARER CHARGED

The State Tax Department arrested a 40 year old Newfane
woman Thursday on charges she encouraged and helped
an undercover client prepare false tax returns. Dara Lis
is the President of D-L Tax and Accounting Services in
Clarence. She's charged with two counts of attempted
offering a false instrument for filing...and two counts of
violating a section of state tax law. All are misdemeanors.
She plead not guilty yesterday in Clarence Town Court
and was released on her own recognizance. The State
said her arrest is part of a statewide investigation to
expose tax professionals who help clients cheat on their
taxes.

NEWFANE GARAGE FIRE

A garage fire around 10:30 this morning in Newfane
doing an estimated $65,000 damage. Daniel Brown
told Sheriff's deputies he was working on a 2000
Ford Explorer van in his detached garage at 3500
Coomer Road. He said he was taking out a spark plug
when it sparked and started the blaze. He suffered
burns to his face, head, and hands when he tried
to put it out himself. He was taken to ECMC by an
ambulance from Miller Hose. They fought the blaze
along with volunteers from Olcott. The 32 by 28 foot
wooden structure and all it's contents were lost in
the fire.

BUDWEYS

The County IDA will hold a public hearing after the
owner of Budweys Supermarkets asked the agency
for a ten year property tax break yesterday for his
planned store in Newfane. Frank Budwey said the
$1.45-million project would not be feasible without
the incentive. He said the proposed store in the
former Shurfine Building would create 23 full time
jobs and 70 part time positions within two years.
The agency also heard a request for a 10 year payment in
lieu of taxes deal from the owners of Globe Speciality
Metals in the Falls. The company has already
gotten ten years of Empire Zone benefits and they
want the IDA tax breaks to kick in when they expire.

CASINO MONEY FOR LOCKPORT

Some of the county's casino money could be
coming to Lockport. The legislature's Economic
Development Committee last night o-k'd a
request to give the City $57,500 to pay for a
feasibility study on the proposed Upper Harbor
Project. The resolution was sponsored by
lawmaker Keith McNall and has the backing
of Majority Leader Rick Updegrove and
lawmaker Tony Nemi. McNall says it should
easily pass the full legislature. The Committee
also backed a proposal by lawmaker Renea
Kimble. She wants the County to hire a lobbyist
to fight for federal stimulus dollars coming to
the State. She said when people think of
Western New York, they think of Erie County
and she wants Niagara to be equally
competitive when it comes to getting some
of the available cash. She said the county
has some really good projects.

LOCKPORT SCHOOLS

Residents of the Lockport School district would
face a small tax increase under a $77-million
spending plan proposed for the coming year.
Taxes would go up by 19 or 20-cents per thousand
dollars valuation. School Chief Terry Ann Carbone
said the President's stimulus package made it
possible for the Governor to reinstate $2.1-million
in aid he had planned to take away. The proposed
budget also contains another $2.1-million transferred
from seven reserve accounts established by previous
school boards. Lockport was critcized by the State
Comptroller in a recent audit for having so much
cash stashed away. His report said some of it should
have been used to lower property taxes. School
Board President Marietta Schrader said they would
not ask residents to vote again on a proposition to
build a new High School Sports Complex. The idea
was rejected by voters in December.

OVER THE FALLS

A man who went over the Falls and lived yesterday
has been transfered from Niagara General Hospital
to Hamilton General Hospital where he's listed in
critical condition. Officials say they hope to release
more details about his identity later today. He's
thought to be in his late 30's. A tourist said he saw
him hop the fence south of the Horseshoe Falls
just after 2pm and jump into the water above the
brink. He was seen going over the Falls and travelled
downriver to near the Ontario Power Generating
Building. Members of the Canadian Parks Police
and their high angle river team and the Fire
Department responded to the scene but the man
refused any assistance and swam further into the
center of the river. A chopper was able to push
him toward shore where a firefighter on a tether
entered the water and took control of the man.
He was in the water for about 45 minutes. We're
told he's being treated for hypothermia and a
head injury. A spokesman said they were
treating it as a suicide attempt and no charges
will be filed.

DRUG RAIDS

About 400 SWAT team members, officers from the Falls
Police Department, and perosnnel from nearly a dozen
other law enforcement agencies made a series of early
morning raids today on suspected drug and gang houses
in the Falls. Police Superintendent John Chella
said going into today, they already had five of
those indicted in custody from previous incarcerations.
They executed 25 arrest indictments and 15 search warrants
this morning. He said they had confiscated a quantity
of cocaine and marijuana, a number of guns, and
cash and 19 of the 25 indicted individuals are in
custody. The target of the sweep was a local chapter
of the "Bloods" gang. Chella said they had organized
a gang chapter in the City that dealt with the distribution
of drugs and weapons in about as formal a setting as
they had ever encountered. The raid used helicopters
from the Border Patrol and quick entry teams from
across Western New York from as far South as
Cattaraugus County and as far East as Orleans
County. Some of those arrested are facing State
indictment and they'll be arraigned in Lockport,
the others will face a federal judge in Buffalo.
The Justice Department says County DA Michael
Violante will say more at a press conference at 2pm
today in Buffalo.

PORK

Some of the pork in the government spending bill
signed by the President yesterday is headed to our
area. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says
it includes $950,000 for the proposed train station
in the Falls, $475,000 to do a study on building a
low level power plant in the Niagara River, and
$150,000 to come up with a plan to renew and
protect Cayuga Creek. Another $96,000 is
earmarked to develop a watershed management
plan for the Niagara River and $100,000 will
support the activities of the Niagara Falls Police
Athletic League. Slaughter's office says the
total amount of funding she secured for the 28th
Congressional District comes to $8-million, 216-
thousand dollars. Most ot it will go for projects
in Buffalo and Rochester.

TRAFFIC STOP/DRUGS

Two people are facing drug charges after Lockport
police pulled their vehicle over for an equipment
violation just after 1pm Tuesday on Niagara Street.
They are 38 year old Kevin DiPirro of 6483 Dysinger
Road and 34 year old Jacqueline Sutton of 272 Green
Street. Police said crack cocaine was in plain view
on the center console and a collectible gravity knife
was inside the console.

TOWN OF NIAGARA

A 34 year old Town of Niagara man was ordered to
undergo a mental evaluation after he allegedly set
his mobile home on fire in Cayuga Village around
10am Tuesday. Thirty-four year old Brad Fisher
told officials ghosts and demons were harassing
him. He allegedly poured gasoline on his couch
and used a BIC lighter to set it ablaze. He's charged
with third degree arson. Town of Niagara Judge
James West set bail at $75,000 cash or $150,000
bond. The mobile home was a total loss, the
smoke could be seen for miles.

HURLEYS AUTOMOTIVE

A fire around 3:30 this morning did between
$30,000 & $50,000 damage at Hurley's
Automotive at 6720 Buffalo Avenue in the
Falls. Fire Chief Bill McKay says they were
alerted to the blaze by a police officer who
responded to a burglary alarm. McKay can't
say if the blaze was deliberately set or if the
fire triggered the alarm. He said the fire
was concentrated in a vehicle that was in the
shop for repairs. There were two other vehicles
in the garage but he couldn't say if they could
be salvaged.

POSSIBLE ABDUCTION

The Sheriff's Department announced yesterday they
are conducting an investigation into a possible
abduction and sexual assault that happened at an
unspecified earlier date in Wilson. A young girl told
deputies she was approached by an older white minivan
as she was walking through Dorwood Park after getting
off her schoolbus. She said she was forced inside,
taken to a nearby area, and assaulted. The girl said the
van was an older style minivan with rust around both
passenger side wheel wells and it had an out of state
plate possibly containing a "V." She said there were
two men inside. The driver was described as possibly
being an Hispanic male with a large build and a scar
on his right hand. The other man was said to be white,
of average build, and with possible brown hair and blue
green eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call
Investigator Kristen Neubauer at 438-3335.

TAXES ELIMINATED

The Governor announced an agreement with the Senate
and Assembly today to remove several proposed taxes
from the new state budget. Paterson said they would
use $1.3-billion of the federal stimulus money and the
taxes on sugary soft drinks, gym memberships, clothing,
cable and satellite TV, haircuts, entertainment, coupons,
and digital material would be eliminated. He said he
was not in favor of higher taxes for the wealthy but
admitted his counterparts did not necessarily have
the same view.

RAIL UPDATE

Falls Mayor Paul Dyster was in Albany for
yesterday's high speed rail announcement
by the Governor. Dyster says it's good news
for the City...he says if the State and Federal
government are going to invest $3-billion
in putting in the service in order to connect
New York City, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester,
Buffalo with Toronto than there has to be a
station at Niagara Falls. He said he was very
encouraged and it means good things for the
City's station project. Dyster also said a plan
to provide commuter rail service between
the Falls and Buffalo is included in it.
Dyster is staying in Albany today to join
a group of about 50 city residents who are
coming to the Capitol at the invitation of
State Senator Antoinne Thompson. They'll
let lawmakers know this is the time to take
a strong interest in Niagara Falls. The group
includes Block Club members, officials from the
Medical Center and Tourism.

CONTAMINATED SITE

A Public Meeting is set for 7pm tonight on an
$11-million plan to clean up a one acre site
at the corner of Transit and LaGrange in Lockport.
A NYSEG sub station sits there now but a gas
works plant occupied the spot back in the day.
The State DEC wants comments on it's plan to
clean up coal tar left over from the gas making
process. Some of it has leached through bedrock
onto the walls of the canal. NYSEG will pay the
cost of the clean-up, which is expected to take
about three years. The meeting starts at 7 at
City Hall.

PLAZA DRIVE

Over $2100 worth of electronics were taken
during an afternoon burglary Monday from an
apartment on Plaza Drive in Wheatfield. The
loot included a $900 computer, a $400 X Box
system, and a $100 I-Pod. The victim said she
left at 2:45 to go to the gym and everything was
gone when she got home at 4. She told deputies
a maroon Grand Prix was parked in the lot when
she got home. She had never seen it or the
driver before and noticed it had left after she
discovered the break-in. Deputies said entry
was made by using an unkown metal obejct,
possibly a screwdriver, on the doorknobs.

GREENS RESTAURANT

The Niagara Falls City Council last night approved
a five year lease with a Grand Island man to operate
the Greens Restaurant at the Hyde Park Golf Course.
City Purchasing Agent Dean Spring said John
Kwarciak was the only one to apply. He also owns
Crackers Tavern on Hyde Park Boulevard. He'll pay
the City between $3600 and $4200 a year to operate
the restaurant from April through November. The
Council also spent a good deal of time talking about
the $300,000 Pro Patch machine bought during the
Anello Adminstration. DPW Director Dave Kinney
says it takes too many men to operate and wants
to sell it...but most of the Council has questions
about such a move. The Council also voted to
transfer $50,000 of the casino money to the city's
NFC Development Corporation. They'll decide
tomorrow whether to grant the cash to the Red
Coach Inn to help pay for a renovation project.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

Lawmakers in the Falls last night voted to close
a loophole in the residency law that let workers
ousted from their city jobs reapply for them if they
moved into the city. More than two dozen city
employees were at the 7pm work session but only
two people spoke on the issue. United Steelworkers
President Jim Anthony accused the city of
selectively enforcing the law. He said many
department heads violate it. Council President
Chris Robins said he did not know whether they're
violating the policy as it's written but said he would
be in favor of strengthening it's language to make
sure everyone is treated fairly. The decision means
an assistant in the Community Development department
will not be able to reapply for her job. Sandra Bowman
has filed a notice of claim and is suing the City for
damages and loss of compensation and benefits.

RECYCLING COMMITTEE

A Lockport committee decided last night to present
their recycling plan to the City Council on April 22.
Highways and Parks Commissioner Mike Hoffman
said he'll have two sets of bidding documents to
consider. One will have city crews pick up the
material. The other will have employees of the
company that wins the bid do the work. The effort
will start on one of the five regular garbage routes
and others will be added later. Mayor Mike Tucker
said once the program is established, the City
will take a serious look at creating a garbage
district so properties exempt from property taxes
can be charged an annual fee for pick-up.

FOX CIRCLE

Four or five young men tried to break into a shed
around 1am today at a home on Fox Circle in the
Town of Lockport. The 43 year old homeowner
told Sheriff's deputies she heard noises and saw
the young men running through her backyard to
a newer model black SUV. Deputies were unable
to find the vehicle and checked other sheds in
the area for any signs of activity. The victim
said the drivers side door window of her parked
vehicle had been pushed down about six inches
but nothing was taken.

LOCAL HIRED

Lockport native Jason Torreano has been hired as one
of the reporters for Time Warner's local news channel
set to debut March 25. Torreano previously worked at
Syracuse's "News 10 Now," at KXMB in Bismarck, North
Dakota, and at WXXI in Rochester. Time Warner says they
have hired seven news and sports reporters and two
meterologists for the channel.

FLOOD WATCH

A flood watch is in effect for Niagara County through
this afternoon....and a flood warning is in effect for
Ellicott Creek near Willamsville through this evening.
A flood warning is in effect for the Tonawanda Creek
at Batavia till Tuesday afternoon. A forecaster said
they may have to issue warnings for the Rapids area
sometime this morning.

NO SMOKING

The Board of Trustees at N-CCC are considering a
reccommendation by the school's Faculty Senate
to ban smoking and all tobacco products from campus.
Senate President and Biology professor Bryce McMicheal
said the decision was made after nearly a year of discussion
by the school's Wellness Committee. They were concerned
about health issues and because of the mess caused by the
habit. He said some spit chewing tobacco on the floors
and the entrances to buildings are cluttered with cigarette
butts. School President Doctor James Klyczek presented
the reccommendation to the board and noted it contained
no specific date to implement it. Board Chairman Marvin
Maziarz said he would soon call a meeting of the Student
Education and Planning & Facilities Committees to develop
a campus tobacco and smoking policy. If they uphold
the reccommendation, it would be sent to the Board for a
final vote.

RED COACH INN

Lawmakers in the Falls will decide tonight whether
to give the Red Coach Inn $50,000 of casino money
to help pay for a $900,000 renoavtion project. Owner
Tom Reese is planning to convert 12 offices into 11
luxury guest rooms and a reception area. Mayor Paul
Dyster said the money would come from casino money
left over from 2007. The award says the project must be
finished by the end of the year. The Council will also vote
on a $924,000 contract to DiDonato and Associates for
scoping and design work for the planned renovation of the
Hyde Park Ice Rink.

JUDGE D-W-I

A Somerset Town Justice allegedly had amost
twice the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream when
he was arrested for aggravated DWI just before 9pm last
Sunday, March 1. Donald Martineck of Pallister Avenue
in Barker was stopped on Hartland-Somerset Townline\
Roard in Hartland after deputies got a call about a
reckless driver. Deputies said they had trouble stopping
the car which crossed the center line several times and
ended up off the shoulder almost in a ditch. They said
Martineck had a hard time complying with orders, was
staring into space and that a deputy had to catch him
from falling when he got out of his vehicle. A witness
said Marineck had hit something...his side mirror
was missing and his vehicle was scratched when he
was pulled over. Deputies found a mile post marker
at Ridge and Day Roads had been hit. Pieces of mirror
were found on the ground. Martineck was also charged
with failure to keep right. His blood alcohol content
was said to be .18.

ATTACKED FOR DRUGS

A 24 year old Lockport man was arrested around
1:30 this morning after he allegedly attacked another
man on Waterman Street last night trying to steal his
pain medication. Joshua Gates of 6580 Dysinger Road
is charged with assault, attempted robbery, and criminal
mischief. The victim telling police Gates pulled up beside
him as he was walking and wanted his Soma pills....a
muscle relaxer the victim takes because he was injured
in an automobile accident. When the victim would not
give them to him, Gates allegedly punched the man on
the left side of the face knocking him to the ground. Gates
fled when residents came out to see what the commotion
was about. The victim was taken to Eastern Niagara
Hospital in Lockport after complaining of back pain. Gates
was arrested at his home.

TATOO PARLOR

The front door to the Rotten Ink Tatoo Parlor at 17
West Main Street in Lockport was shattered just after
3pm Sunday by an unhappy customer. Twenty-three
year old Jason Mesler of 2061 Tonawanda Creek
Road was upset he would not get a refund of his
deposit after the owner explained he failed to show
up for a scheduled session. The owner said Mesler
pulled out a black expandable baton and raised it
to her in a threatening manner. They left when she
started to call police but Mesler allegedly used the
baton to shatter the glass door on the way out.
The owner estimated the damage at $2,000. Mesler
was arrested a short time later at 130 Autumnvale Drive.
He's charged with criminal mischief, menacing, and
possession of a weapon.