CAFARELLA

Falls lawyer and County lawmaker Jason Cafarella
was named in a lawsuit this week by the State
Attorney Generals office. Andy Cuomo says it's
on behalf of consumers who have allegedly been
victimized by unlawful debt collection practices.
Cafarella's law office is one of 35 firms and two debt
collection agencies identified in the suit. It was filed
Tuesday in State Supreme Court in Erie County.

WHEATFIELD BREAK-IN'S

Sheriff's deputies were kept busy in Wheatfield
yesterday morning investigating events that
happened overnight. The owner of Nearhood
Auto Service on Walmore Road said somebody
threw a rock through the windows of his double
glass doors and stole a tool set, inspection
stickers, a $4,000 pro scan tool, and a graphing
meter. Audio equipment and speakers were taken
from a locked vehicle on Lancelot Drive and from
another in the 2000 block of Duero Drive. The
owners of both saying their loss was more than
a thousand dollars. Deputies said they advised
a nearby flea market owner of the thefts and
said to contact them if anyone trys to sell the
items.

THURSDAY DRUG ARREST

Two people were arrested on drug charges around
1pm Thursday as Lockport police were serving an
arrest package at 272 Green. Thirty-nine year old
Nathaniel Carson of 22 Van Buren was charged with
possesion of a controlled substance and marijuana.
Forty-two year old Jacqueline Sutton of 272 Green
with possession of a controlled substance. Police
said they found cocaine on the top of a refrigerator
as they were interviewing Carson. He also allegedly
gave them the marijuana from his sock when they
asked if there were any other illegal substances
present.

SPRAY PAINTERS ARRESTED

Two adults and two teens were arrested by Lockport
police just after midnight today after they allegedly
spray painted letters and symbols on the wall of a
building on John Street and the nearby pavement.
Twenty-seven year old Richard Zuehlke of 19 John,
19 year old Thomas Washburn of 251 Caledonia,
and 16 year olds Christopher Holmes of 4 Walnut
and Brittany Doxey of 6 John all charged with
criminal mischief and making grafitti. Police said
Holmes refused to cooperate and they used pepper
spray on his face. He also accused officers of
breaking his cell phone.

RECYCLING COMMITTEE

Lockport Mayor Mike Tucker thinks the chances
the City will begin curbside recycling this year
are 50-50. He made the estimate after the City's
Recycling Committee met last night trying to
figure out the true cost of the program. Alderwoman
Richelle Pisceri said the Council may have to push
the decision back to the Fall when next year's budget
is put together, and then start the program next year.
Alderman Pat Schrader and Joe Kibler and Pisceri
want to set up a garbage district so everyone in
the City...including churches and other not-for-
profits ..would have to pay for trash related services.
Pisceri is also pushing for some sort of limit on how
much trash you can place at the curb hoping it will
encourage recycling. The Committee will meet again
next Thursday to come up with a "bare bones"
proposal.

COMPETITION

The Executive Director of the Eastern Niagara
Animal Welfare Alliance told lawmakers in the
Town of Lockport last night her group will be
submitting a bid this Fall to handle the Town's
stray or injured animals. The work is currently
done by the County SPCA. Bobbie Mael also
wanted to talk to the Board about the group's
plan to set up a shelter in the Town but
lawmakers told her they needed more details
about it's engineering and tabled the issue till
next month. The Town pays the SPCA $811 a
month and the contract expires at the end of
the year. Mael says the SPCA euthanizes too
many animals and doesn't provide prompt care
for injured animals collected at night. SPCA
Director Al Chille disputes most of the charges
but admits they do put a lot of cats to sleep
because they can only handle 90.

LOCKPORT ASSAULT CASE

A Lockport man accused of punching a three
month old child during a domestic incident
Saturday night had the charges against him
reduced yesterday. Thirty-three year old
Thomas Lee McDowell was originally facing
two felony charges of burglary and criminal
mischief in connection with the incident that
took place in a home on Gooding Street. The
charges were reduced to misdemeanors so the
case could remain in City Court. His next
court date is August 12. Police said the child
was being held by his Mother, and McDowell
hit him as he was taking a swing at her.

THE BIKE WAS STOLEN

The Sheriff's Department says the motorcycle
involved in a fatal crash July 14 in Hartland
was stolen. Thirty-three year old Brian Hill
of Dutten Place was killed when he collided
with another car after he crossed over the
center line of Ridge Road. The Sheriff's
Department said the 2008 black Yamaha
Hill was riding had been reported stolen
June 23 by a man from East Amherst.

PUBLIC LEWDNESS

A 75 year old Lockport woman was charged with
public lewdness yesterday. Dawn Webb of 268
Garden Street was allegedly seen by city court
staff and police officer Paul Beakman urinating
and exposing her buttocks in front of a northwest
window of the courtroom. Police said she made
no effort to conceal her private body parts.

SAVE A LOT

The manager of the Save A Lot in what's left
of the Summit Mall arrived at work yesterday to
find someone had filled the locks to the doors
with super glue. The Sheriff's Department said
they were the only ones in the complex that
had been tampered with. Damage was estimated
at $175.

DELPHI

Ten of the 17 classes of creditors of the Delphi
Corporation voted against a plan Monday that
would allow the auto parts supplier to be
acquired by a private equity firm and possibly
emerge from bankruptcy. Delphi says it may
hold an auction of assets if it can't convince
it's creditors to support a deal with Platinum
Equity before another hearing is held Thursday.
The auction is called a 363 sale referring to a
section of the bankruptcy code that outlines
the process for such an auction. The tentative
deal reached last month would allow Platinum to
acquire most of Delphi's businesses with the help
of billions of dollars from G-M.

RICHARD RAVITCH

A judge yesterday issuing a restraining order
blocking Richard Ravitch from serving as
Lieutenant Governor. State Supreme Court
Judge William LaMarca in Nassau County
issued his ruling late in the afternoon. He
also refused to move the case to Albany.
Paterson appointed the former head of the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
earlier this month as a way of breaking the
month long leadership struggle in the Senate.
Attorneys for the Senate argued the State
Constitution does not allow such an appointment,
but the Governor's office said they would go to
the Appleate Division today to have the
preliminary injunction lifted. Senate Republican
leader Dean Skelos said the Court ruled on
behalf of the people of the State and against a
governor more concerned with his poll numbers
than governance.

LEGAL BILLS

County lawmakers got their first bill yesterday
for the lawsuit they filed against the State Power
Authority. The Buffalo law firm of Webster Szanyi
sent a bill for over $94,000 for putting together the
initial filings in the suit which attempts to overturn
the Power Authority's decision to add their $544-million
surplus to the State's general fund. The lawsuit also calls
for the Power Authority to use the money to pay rebates
to electric customers in the County. It's being financed
with the County's share of the casino money. Legilsature
Chairman Bill Ross says the majority caucus has set
aside $400,000 for this case and for a pending suit
that seeks to overturn the state law that said the
County will not get any more casino money in the
future.

T-O'S CEREAL

The Pittsburgh company that gave us Flutie Flakes
about ten years ago is about to introduce a new
cereal named after Bills receiver Terrell Owens.
T-O's are made of honey nut toasted
oats. They'll come in a collectors box featuring
Owens on the front. The cereal will be sold
excluisvely at Tops and sell for 2 for $5. The
company will unveil them at the Tops in Fairport
next week to coincide with Bills training camp
at Saint John Fisher College.

PORTER CUP GETS UNDERWAY

Ninety of the world's best amateur golfers
started their quest to win the Porter Cup
this morning at the Niagara Falls Country
Club. Defending champ Adam Mitchell
is back along with his University of Georgia
teammate Brian Harmon. Harmon set the
course record in 2007 by shooting 22 under
par 258. It's the first time in ten years the
champs from the previous two tournaments
are back.

PRESBYTERIAN HOME

A 20 year old aide at the Lockport Presbyterian Home
plead not guilty in City Court Monday to charges she
stole nearly a thousand dollars from a resident.
Gabrielle Hill of Pine Street turned herself into police
last Friday after confessing to the theft. A resident
told police May 25 he suspected $995 was taken from
a lock box in his closet. Hill was released on her own
recognizance and is due back in court August 3.

CAR BREAK-IN'S

The Sheriff's Department could not find anyone
around 1am yesterday after several residents of Jennifer
Drive told deputies two men dressed in hoodies
were going through cars in their neighborhood.
A 58 year old said he heard the door of his Cadillac
open and close. He said he looked out and saw the
two crossing the street and trying to open doors
on cars parked in the driveway there. In a
seperate incident, a 20 year old woman said an
I-pod, a radar detector, and $40 in change was
taken from her vehicle overnight while it was
parked in her driveway on Meadow Lane.

MAN FLEES AFTER TRAFFIC STOP

A 29 year old Lockport man turned himself into
police yesterday after he allegedly fled from
officers during a traffic stop earlier in the day
on Pine Street. Lamar Johnson of 111 Cottage
managed to escape by scaling a fence on John
Street during a foot chase that started on
LaGrange Avenue. Police say they found two
bags of marijuana on him before he fled. He's
also charged with resisting arrest, obstructing
governmental administration, and assault.
Officer Trowbridge hurt his knee during the
chase and was treated at ENH-Lockport.
Johnson's attorney was with him when he
surrendered to police.

MARGARET WILSON PASSES AWAY

Longtime Lockport pastor Margaret Wilson
died last Wednesday at DeKalb Medical
Center in Georgia. She was 84. Wilson
began preaching as a child and came to
Lockport with her husband Cliff Wilson.
She became pastor of the Historic Old
Christ Church which later became the House
of God Church. Mayor Mike Tucker says
she was a great community leader and was
always looking out for others through her
church and in her life. He noted she was always
looking for help around the holidays so she
could provide meals for the needy. Anybody
and everybody could get a meal and she
did most of the work herself. White was
presented with the key to the City five times
and received numerous other awards. She was
the first female African American pentecostal preacher
in the City and was listed in Who's Who. She was also
in the Tyler Perry movie, "Diary of a Mad Blacl
Woman." Wilson moved to Atlanta following the
death of her husband. she hosted a radio program
there called "Prayer Clinic." She always ended the
show with the words, It is so nice to be nice."

WHITE GIVEN 30 YEARS

DeQuanna White of the Falls was sentenced to
30 years in prison Monday for shooting Dorothy
Banks to death last September. The 35 year old
was killed during a robbery in an alley near 13th &
Ashland Avenue. White admitted to County Judge
Matt Murphy that he did a lot of bad things in his
life but said he did what he did to put food on the
table for him and his mother. Murphy told him he
should have gotten a job instead of being in a drug
gang. White had also been charged with shooting a
man in the arm last August in an argument over a
dog.

KESSEL TO MEET WITH COUNTY LAWMAKERS

The President of the New York Power Authority
will be in the hot seat at next week's meeting of the
County Legislature. Richard Kessel is expected to
be quizzed about the Power Authority's decision to
send $544-million of it's surplus to Albany to help balance
the State budget. The County filed a lawsuit demanding
the Authority take the money back and that it should be
used to pay rebates to residential electric customers
in the County. Legilsature Chairman Bill Ross says
members of the majority caucus were urged at a meeting
last Saturday to come up with some good questions. The
lawsuit has been assigned to State Supreme Court
Judge Ralph Boneillo. It starts August 5 in the Falls.

MIDDLEPORT

About $1200 worth of prescription drugs were
taken Sunday from a home on Maple Avenue in
Middleport. The victims telling the Sheriff's
department the theft took place between 10am
Sunday and 2am Monday while they were
attending a nearby graduation party. The missing
drugs included 60 hydrocodone pills, a hundred
Valium tablets, and 60 Vikatin. The victims said they
made multiple trips back to their home during the
day and that other family members were in town for
the party....but they do not suspect any family
members were involved. The Sheriff's Department
says there was no sign of forced entry and that
other medications in the vicinity of the missing ones
were not disturbed.

STOLEN CLOTHES

A 22 year old Sanborn woman says somebody
stole her clothes from a Saunders Settlement
laundromat last night. The victim said she put
her clothes in the dryer at 6pm, left for 15 minutes,
and everything was gone when she got back. The
clothing included $200 in hospital scrubs and a
variety of towels.