WARME

Federal prosecutors added more charges
yesterday againstr disgraced Falls police
officer Ryan Warme. They say he withdrew money
from cash machines 81 times to buy cocaine
between June 2006 and last November. The
withdrawls ranged from $100 to $500 each.
Prosecutors filed an 11 count superseding
indictment expanding on the charges first
filed in December.

STATE BUDGET

Published reports say a tentative State budget deal
will provide no new aid for school districts in the
coming year. Negotiators have also reportedly
agreed to impose an income tax surcharge on
individuals and familes making more than $300,000
a year. The plan would raise more than $4-billion
a year and be in effect for five years. The rates would
be divided into three categories, $300,000 to
$500,000....$500,000 to a million, and a million
dollars and above. Lobbyists and lawmakers told
the Buffalo News the plan to impose higher taxes
on utility companies has been tentatively o-k'd
by the Governor and legislative leaders. It doesn't
look like the push to sell wine in supermarkets
will pass and the annual Star property tax rebate
could be dropped.

MOXIE MANIA

A State Judge in Albany County says Moxie
Mania is legal. The decision by Acting State
Supreme Court Judge Roger McDonough
was released yesterday but was made last
Friday. The State Liquor Authority had ruled
it was a game of chance rather than skill but the
Judge called their determination "irrational,
arbitrary, and capricious". A spokesman for
the Liquor Authority said they would decide
whether to appeal at their next meeting.

CONCERT SERIES

The name of another group coming to Lockport
for the summer concert series has surfaced.
Queensryche is listing a July 31 date in the city
on it's website. The heavy metal band enjoyed
their greatest popularity in the late 80's
and 1990's. The official schedule has not been
announced but it's known the Charlie Daniels
Band, The Cult, and Rusted Root will also appear
this summer.

MORE MEALS

The County will be able to add about 12,000
more meals for seniors this year after officials
were able to get $60,000 of federal stimulus money
for the Senior Nutrition Program. Eight thousand
will be served at dining centers around the County,
the other 4,000 will be delivered to seniors in their
homes.

METROPOLITIAN

The owner of Lockport's closed Metropolitan
Bar and Grill has made an offer to settle the
city's lawsuit against him for less than the city
wants. An attorney for Peter Calieri made the
request last week in a letter to City Corporation
Counsel John Ottaviano. The City says Calieri owes
$323,000, the amount Calieri wants to pay was
not disclosed. His attorney said it would be
very shortsighted if the City went after Calieri's
other restaurant, The Village Eatery, to settle
the debt. He said Calieri is the Village Eatery
and it's only as good as it's creator. Ottaviano
said no judge has been assigned to the suit
yet and the notion of a settlement can be
negotoated back and forth. The restaurant
closed last November after 14 months in
business.

ERIE CANAL NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR

The House and Senate o-k'd legislation
yesterday extending funding for the Erie
Canal National Heritage Corridor through
2015. The corridor was established in
2000. It covers around 4800 square miles
across 23 counties. The bill also gives
members whose Congressional districts
fall with the corridor the ability to appoint
residents to the Commission and requires
the Department of the Interior to help the
Commission carry out it's duties.

DRUGS/TRESPASSING

Three people were arrested just before midnight
last night when Lockport police went to an
apartment at 77 Main Street to investigate a
possible trespassing. Officers found the man,
24 year old Lewis Wright of 288 Washburn, hiding
behind a cabinet in an apartment on the 8th floor.
That happened after the resident and a friend told
police he was not there. Police said a bag of
marijuana was in plain view, that they found some
more on Wright, and that a large plastic bag
containing several small bags of pot was in the
seat cushions where 35 year old Curtis Panell
of 48 Waterman was sitting when they first arrived.
The resident, 18 year old Stacy Duxbury, Wright,
and Panell were all charged with possession and
obstructing governmental administration. Wright
also with trespassing and harassment.

LOCKPORT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ARRESTED

A 17 year old student at Lockport High School
was arrested around 1pm Wednesday after he
allegedly violated an order of protection and
spoke to his ex-girlfriend in the hallway. He's Ryan
Caraco of 33 Vermont is charged with criminal
contempt. The order was issued March 16 by
Judge William Watson. A teachers aide told
police she heard yelling and the girl repeatedly
told the boy to leave her alone. She said Caraco
kept blocking her path and told her it was none of
her business. He allegedly said he was not
going to the office. He was held without bail
and arraigned in City Court yesterday.

MARKET PLACE WINDOW

The Sheriff's Department found the front plate glass
window broken at Cambria's Market Place Grocery
when they responded to an alarm around 2:15 this
morning. Deputies found no one in the store at
2956 Saunders Settlement and they can't say what
was used to break the 8 foot by 8 foot window. The
manager said he didn't know if the security cameras
were on. The operator of the Valero gas station across
the street said he did not see anything. The damage to
the window was estimated at $750.

HIGH SPEED RAIL

Senator Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Louise
Slaughter say the CEO of CSX Railroad indicated a
willingness yesterday to work with the State on high
speed rail during a meeting in Washington. The railroad
owns the rights of way needed to make the plan
possible. $8-billion in stimulus money has been
promised for the project. Schumer said his first
priority was to make sure the 430-mile Empire Rail
Corridor running between the Falls and New York
City is brought to a state of good repair. The high
speed plan calls for installing a third track running
along existing lines on which trains could reach
speeds of 110 miles an hour, and eventually 150
miles an hour. Schumer said it was the first stop
on a long journey. Slaughter added that
anything we can do to boost economic activity
is good for the region.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY

Niagara University announcing it's speakers
for this year's commencement exercises in
May. Special Olympics chairman Timothy
Shriver will deliver the undergraduate address
on Sunday, May 17 in Alumni Arena at U.B.
The anchor of the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation's "The National" will speak at
the graduate school ceremonies May 16 at the
Gallagher Center. Peter Mansbridge will also
receive an honorary degree at theundergraduate
commencement the next day. Shriver is the son
of Eunice Kennedy Shriver , the founder of the
Special Olympics. Mansbridge is a native of
London, England and has held the title of
chief correspondent and evening news anchor
for CBC Television for 20 years.

TOWN OF NIAGARA

The owner of Myles Auto Salvage in the Town of
Niagara plead guilty in County Court Wednesday
to operating without a state license. Sixty-six
year old President Myles Junior is expected to be
sentenced to five years probation May 27. His 26
year old son Jacob , plead guilty as an accomplice.
He's expected to receive the same sentence. The
investigation started when the company was accused
of buying stolen cars that they would either
dismantle or crush for scrap. They will have to pay
about $2,900 to two men whose cars were found crushed
in the yard after they had been reported stolen.

FALLS CITY COUNCIL

Falls Council President Chris Robins says he
will introduce a resolution at tonight's
council meeting supporting a change in
State finance law that would redirect casino
money currently sent to the County to the
City. The idea is being pushed in Albany
by Assemblywoman Francine del Monte
and State Senator Antoinne Thompson.
It would amount to $800,000. He said
councilmembers get calls daily about road
conditions especially the crater like
potholes. The Council has it's work
session at 4pm and public meeting at 7.

NIAGARA CATHOLIC

A fundraising meeting will be held tomorrow night
for parents and others concerned about the future
of Niagara Catholic High School. It's the only
Catholic high school in the County and officials say
they need to raise about $250,000 by June 30 to
stay open. They add they will face another
projected gap of $250,000 more during the next
academic year, so they need to raise half a million
dollars altogether. The meeting will start at 6pm
Tuesday in the School Cafeteria.

A-E-S

The Appelate Division of State Supreme Court
in Rochester announced Friday no decision
will be reached until May on the Town of
Somerset's payment in lieu of taxes case
against the County IDA. Officials say the
case has been postponed and the next
decision release date will be about two weeks
after the conclusion of the May term. The term
begins May 11 and concludes May 22. Meantime
the Town is close to hiring a new law firm to
possibly replace Andrews, Pusateri, Brandt,
Robertson and Brandt. Six firms responded to
a request for proposals and four are expected
to meet with the Town Board at 5pm today.
One of them is the Town's current law firm.

HAMMER

A 50 year old Lockport man was charged with
menacing Sunday night after he allegedly
threatened to strike his 17 year old daughter
with a hammer. Ronald Schurr of
6118 Ruhlman Road told police he did so
because she would not shut her mouth. Police
reports say he did pull her by her hair to the
ground. The girl signed a statement and wished
to pursue charges. The incident happened
at 68 South Transit.

MORE GAMES IN TORONTO?

E-S-P-N Radio says a survey has been sent out to
the organizers of the 'BILLS IN TORONTO" series
to see if they would support more than one regular
season game a year in the Canadian city. The
Bills issued a statement saying they are aware there
is interest in expanding the number of games in
Toronto, that they know about the survey but their
agreement only calls for one regular season game
for the next four years. The Bills say they no
agreement and there never has been one, to play
more games there. They said any such future
agreement would require consultation and the
approvals of Erie County, the Empire State
Development Corporation, and the NFL owners.

MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED

A 22 year old Falls man was charged yesterday with
shooting a landlord to death Friday night outside an
apartment he owned on Pierce Avenue. Darnell Carter
of 416 12th Street was picked up outside his home
shortly after noon. Police think he was trying to rob
Robert Biggs of 803 Maple, they believe jewelry and
cash were taken. Biggs body was found Saturday
morning at the rear of of 1537 Whitney Avenue.
Detectives believe Biggs was shot outside the
apartment building and fled from his attackers by running
through several backyards. They say a significant
trail of blood was found extending from the 1500
block of Pierce. An autopsy will be conducted
today to determine the exact cause of death. Carter
will be arraigned in City Court this morning. Detective
Captain Ernest Palmer is expecting to make more
arrests. He said the investigation is far from over.
He said they have multiple suspects.