THREE YOUNG PEOPLE HURT IN ACCIDENT

Three young people are at Buffalo's Womens
and Childrens Hospital following a two car
accident around 7:15 this morning at the
intersection of Niagara Falls Boulevard and Ward
Road in Wheatfield. The Sheriff's department
says 24 year old Daniel Hernandez of Buffalo
was going South when he made a left hand
turn in front of a northbound vehicle driven by
17 year old Kelsey Broadley of Wheatfield. She
and her passengers, a 13 year old family member,
and 17 year old Kayla Jones of Wheatfield were
taken by ambulance to the hospital with serious
but not life threatening injuries. Hernandez was
taken to DeGraff with minor injuries. He told
deputies the sun was in his line of vision along
with another vehicle.

WOJTASZEK TO STEP DOWN/WHAT ABOUT RIVERA

The Chairman of the County's Republican
party said yesterday he will step down next
Thursday. Henry Wojtaszek told WLVL he's
been thinking about it for the past couple of
months. He said there have been many demands
on his time and he would be returning to the law
firm of Harris Beach on Monday. He also said
he wants to spend more time with his kids and
it was time for him to pursue other interests.
He said he was leaving the party in great
shape after Tuesdays election. The 46 year old
has led the County GOP since 2000. He said
about 300 members of the party would meet
next Thursday at the Wheatfield Community
Center to chose a new leader and he would
reccomend the job be given to Michael Norris
of Lockport. Meantime County Democratic
chair Dan Rivera said he was not worried about
his job despite calls by Renea Kimble and Jason
Cafarella that he should step down. Legislature
Minority leader Dennis Virtuoso told WLVL
his colleagues have brought their concerns
to him about what happened in Tuesday's
election and they would meet tomorrow to
evaluate what happened and see where they
go from there. He said party rules do not
include a procedure for firing the chairman
and his term would not be up till next September.
He said it would be a decision that Rivera would
have to make. Virtuoso admitted he was not happy
with Tuesday's results, saying it affected all
of them and he wants to see what the reasons
were and where they can go from here.

SPECIAL SESSION

The Governor's plan for Tuesday's special
session of the State Legislature includes a
lot more than balancing the budget. Paterson
will also ask lawmakers to o-k same sex
marriage, enhance penalties for drunk and
drugged drivers, amd to reform the State pension
system by creating a new tier of benefits for
newly hired State and local govdernment
officials.

DEPARTMENT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT

Falls Mayor Paul Dyster Thursday announced a new
proposal for the City's Inspections Department. It
basically involves the hiring of an additional inspector
to serve in the downtown area near the casino. They
would be paid using casino funds so there would be
no impact on taxes. He also wants to extend the hours
worked by the existing inpsectors from 7 hours a day
to 8. He told WLVL they had done so on a temporrary
basis since July and it resulted in a dramatic increase
in the number of citations. He said it would enable
them to get a handle on the many vacant properties.
The City Council must o-k the proposal and they are
expected to vote on it later this month as they make
changes to the 2010 budget proposal. Dennis Virtuoso
has been serving as Acting Building Commissioner and
he would run the department, which would be renamed
as the Department of Code Enforcement.

LOCKPORT MAN FACING 19 CHARGES

A 29 year old Lockport man is facing at least
19 charges after he led police on a chase through
city streets around 11pm Thursday. Joshua Lee
Meadows of 25 Marshall Place allegedly refused
to stop after police tried to pull him over for a
traffic infraction on Washington Street. Police
said he continued down the street at a high rate
of speed and they followed him down numerous
others with their emergency lights activiated and
sirens blaring. He allegedly ran many stop signs,
drove on both sides of the road, went off the pavement
on Hill Street and did not use turn signals. Police
said he passed a car on the left at a high rate of
speed and and finally stopped in the driveway at
25 Marshall Place. They said he got out of the
vehicle and initially refused to comply with
orders to return to the car. While police were
talking with him, 25 year old Chanel Riggs came
out of the house. She said she knew Meadows
did not have a license but let him drive the car
anyway. She was charged with facilitating
aggravated unlicensed operation. Meadows
long list of charges includes reckless driving,
unreasonable speed, obstructing governmental
administration, six counts of failing to signal
a turn, and five of not stopping at a stop sign.

APPLETON MAN CHARGED IN BANK ROBBERY

A 22 year old Appleton man is being held on
$25,000 bail in the Orleans County Jail. Christopher
Doulin is accused of robbing the M&T Bank branch
in Lyndonville around 12:15pm Thursday. Deputies
say he handed a teller a note saying he had an
explosive device strapped to his body and he would
detonate it if she didn't give him some cash. She did
and he ran out and got into a Chevy pick-up and drove
away, A witness followed and gave 9-1-1 dispatchers
a license plate number and his direction. State Troopers
from the Albion barracks tracked the truck to a house in
Carlton where Doulin had been staying with his
girlfriend. Troopers found the money taken in the
robbery in the home along with the clothes he had
been wearing in the hold-up. They said he never had
an explosive device. The Sheriff's department says
although Lyndonville District buildings are near the
bank neither the students nor faculty were ever at risk.

BENEFIT IN THE FALLS

A benefit will be held tonight in the Falls for
an 11 year old girl whose battling a rare type
of cancer found in children and young adults.
Jessica Stone is a sixth grader at the 79th Street
School where she has attended classes since
kindergarten. Tonight's benefit will run from
5 till 9 at the school and is being put on by her
fellow classmates. Pupil Service Assistant
Karen Cassert say it includes a Chinese auction
and a kids bazaar, and a cake walk. Cassert
said some of the children have made things
to sell at the bazarr and others have brought in
items that are special to them to sell. There'll
also be signed hockey pucks by three members
of the Sabres along with jerseys and tickets. The
Sabres picked Jessica up at her home in a
limousine this morning so she, her parents, and
two of her friends could attend practice. Her mom
says Jessica is a big fan and especially likes
Ryan Miller. Monetary donations and checks
should be made out to The Jessica Stone Benefit
and sent to the 79th Street School , attention
Karen Cassert.

VIGILANT GUARD

The state's largest-ever joint military and civilian
emergency response exercise wrapped up
yesterday. Operation Vigilant Guard included
more than 1300 National Guard troops and
hundreds of civilian emergency response members.
They had been simulating a response to an earthquake
disaster since last Friday. Training locations included
the former Spalding Plant site in Tonawanda, unused
buildings in Lockport and the Falls, and the Buffalo
Niagara Airport. The Command Post was at the
Connecticut Street Armory in Buffalo.

PLAY DOH WINNER

A third grader at WH Stevenson Elementary
in Ransomville got a letter yesterday saying
she had taken first place in a national play
doh contest. Eight year old Teagan Clark's
entry consisted of a fish fry dinner made of the
substance. She will get $5,000 and the Wilson
School district will also receive $5,000.

RITE AID ROBBERY

Falls police are looking for a man who robbed the
Buffalo Avenue Rite Aid store of an unspecified
quantity of oxycotin around 8:30 Wednesday night.
Captain Ernest Palmer said the man had a gun and
walked directly to the pharmacy and demanded the
drug. He left the store on a bicycle and headed
north onto 78th Street. He was described as being
white, six feet tall, and weighing 185 pounds, He
was wearing a ski mask, black leather coat, a gray
hoody and jeans.

COUNTY LEGISLATURE

At the Courthouse last night, County lawmakers
gave a Town of Tonawanda company the contract
to repair the heating and electrical system at the
Shaw Building. Parise Mechanical will be paid
$278,000. The building houses the County Health
Department. CIR Electrical of Buffalo won the job
of replacing the navigation lights on two bridges
spanning the Canal. They'll be paid $73,800. The
bridges are on Fiegle Road in Pendleton and
Carmen Road in Royalton. The "Taste of
Middleport" was given $2500 of casino money
to hold it's event next Saturday and Sunday, November
14 & 15. Two other resolutions were sent to
committee. One of them would require the Sheriff's
department to set up a system to alert the community
and the media if a senior citizen suffering from
dementia goes missing. It'll be discussed next Monday
night by the Community Safety and Security committee.
The bill setting up the so-called "Silver Alert System" is
being sponsored by chairman Bill Ross. Lawmakers also
sent a proposal to give the Niagara Militarty Affairs
Council $40,000 to the Economic Development committee.

MONGEILO & SMITH GO AT IT

The winner and loser of Tuesday's Supervisors
Race in the Town of Lockport had it out at last
night's Town Board meeting. David Mongeilo
told Marc Smith during the public comment
section he probably could have beaten Smith
if he had $10,000 to wage a proper campaign.
Smith told Mongeilo the election was over and
he was talking politics in the people's house. He
said Mongeilo had done nothing for a year but
come into the building and harass staff. Smith
also responded to charges by Mongeilo that the
Town was heavily in debt. He said the $13-million
was incurred during the tenure of former Supervisor
Floyd Synder and they were paying it off about
ten per cent each year. In last night's business,
the board approved a $14.1-million budget for 2010.
The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will
see a decrease of $1.69 in taxes and fees. Town
employees and department heads will get a three
per cent raise. The County SPCA was given a
three year contract extension to care for stray
animals and the Board also o-k'd the deals
they have with the five fire companies that service
the Town. They each got a three percent increase.

LOCKPORT COUNCIL MEETING

Lawmakers in the City of Lockport decided
Wednesday to extend their water and sewer
rate contract with Delphi for three years with
no increase. The extension runs through
November 4, 2012. The company will continue
to pay $15,000 a month for water, plus a usage
bill of $1.26 for every 100 cubic feet of water and
a sewage usage bill of $2.15 per 100 cubic feet.
The Council also approved the purchase of six
new police vehicles. Four patrol cars will come
from Howell Motors Ford in Wrights Corners. An
unmarked car and an SUV will be bought from
Hoselton Fleet of Rochester. They also awarded
a $170,000 contract to KLW Municipal of Buffalo.
The 18-month deal is to update the city's
property inventory in advance of a citywide
re-evaluation expected in 2011.

H-1 N-1 VACCINATIONS IN NEWFANE

The Newfane School Board announced last
night they will be giving out the H-1 N-1
vaccine next month following a community
meeting with the Health Department on Friday
November 13. That'll be held from 7 till 9pm
in the Middle School Auditorium. The shots will
be administered for free on Friday, December 11.
They are voluntary and no student will get one
without their parents consent. School Chief
Gary Pogorzelski said they would focus on the
younger children first.

NATIONAL FUEL TO CLOSE OFFICE IN THE FALLS

National Fuel said Wednesday they will close
their customer service assistance center at
6250 Packard Road in the Falls at the end of
the year. The accounts handled by the office
will be serviced at 455 Main Street in Buffalo.
The company says customers used to paying
their bills at the Packard Road location can pay
online, sign up for their direct payment plan where
the bill is deducted from their savings or checking
account, or pay by mail. Most Western Union
and MoneyGram locations also accept gas bill
payments.

DATE RAPE

Falls Police said yesterday the 14 year old girl
who was allegedly raped in a stairwell at the
high school October 7 was the victim of
date rape. The girl said it happened between
morning classes. The 16 year old boy is charged
with first degree rape. He's free on $10,000 bail
and is restricted from school grounds until after
his next court appearance in December. School
Superintendent Cynthia Bianco said both students
had been suspended for a month for violating
school rules. Falls Police Juvenile Captain Nick
Paonessa said it was because of actions that led
to the rape but they did not want it to look like
the the victim had any culpability in the incident.

CELL PHONE USE LEADS TO DRUG CHARGES

Two Lockport residents are facing drug
charges after they were pulled over by
police in seperate incidents for using their
cell phones while driving. Thirty-five
year old James Goodenough of Bear Ridge
Road was stopped by State Police Tuesday
on Prospect Street. He was charged with
felony DWI and they also allegedly found
two grams of cocaine and five grams of
marijuana in his car. His drivers license was
also suspended, he had no insurance, and
he had a previous DWI conviction in the past
ten years. The other arrest took place
Wednesday. Forty-eight year old Michelle
Entwistle of 128 Ontario was stopped after she
was seen using her cell on South Transit near
Genessee. Police said they smelled a strong
odor of maqrijuana coming her car. They saw
a bag of pot in her purse as she was getting out
her license, and another was found in a pocket
of the handbag. Her father was driving by as
she was being questioned and he was permitted
to take possession of her car.

DOMESTIC INCIDENT LEADS TO ARREST

A 26 year old Lockport man turned himself
into police Wednesday in connection with a
domestic incident that took place last Friday
night at 114 LaGrange. Jason Cain allegedly
choked his girlfriend and bit her on the left
cheek during an argument. The incident
took place in front of their one year old son.
Cain had accused the victim of cheating on him
after he came home drunk. She managed to
get away when he eventually fell asleep. Cain
is charged with petit larceny for taking her cell
phone plus assault and endangering the welfare
of a child.

TWIN BROTHERS ARRESTED

Two 18 year old twin brothers were arrested by
Lockport Police around 2am today after they
allegedly smashed a windshield on a Chevy
pickup at 105 Cottage. Zachary and Dillon Smith
of 42 Ashely Place are charged with criminal
mischief and obstructing governmental
administration. Police say a patrol car in the
area heard a loud crash and saw the two
running from the area. Zachary was immediately
arrested on LaGrange Avenue while Dillon
was apprehended a short time later when he
returned to the scene of the crime. The damage
to the truck estimated to be $200.

TUCKER SAYS NO DEAL WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT

Lockport Mayor Mike Tucker is dimissing claims
by the City's Firefighters Union that the two sides
have agreed to a new five year contract. He said there
are some things in the proposal that he and the
Council don't like and until they sit down and
negotiate a package that everybody likes there
is no deal. He said the Council is not interested
in hiring any new firefighters under any circumstances ,
and neither is he. He aid whether that proposal drives
fire hiring or not nobody really knows because they
are not interested in it. Union President Randy Parker
said they voted Friday night to o-k a deal that was
retroactive to January 1 of last year. The details
would mean the City might have to hire more
firefighters. Council President John Lombardi
said after struggling with this year's budget, next
year would be even tougher and there's no way
the City can afford to hire firefighters.

ELECTION DAY

A Sheriff's Deputy is stationed at each of the
six polling places in Wheatfield during today's
election. The request was made by the Board
of Elections. Wheatfield Town Attorney Bob
O'Toole says an elections flyer that was stuffed
into mailboxes yesterday is not true. It says a
candidate for Supervisor and some Town
councilmen want to turn the Summit Mall into
a home for sex offenders. O'Toole says there
is not one word of truth to it. The polls are
open till 9 tonight, WLVL's election coverage
begins at 8:30.

NIAGARA FALLS CITY COUNCIL

Two top leaders of the NAACP told lawmakers
in the Falls last night the City needs to take steps
to address a series of race related complaints.
Vice President Shirley Hamilton said they had
been silent on the issues at hand and the problems
had grown into a garden of hate, disrespect,
intolerance and injustice. She called on City
leaders to work with the Justice Department and
the State Attorney Generals office to address
complaints of discriminatory hiring practices,
hostile work environments, and unprofessional
behavior by police officers. At the afternoon
work session, lawmakers got some good news
on the reconstruction of Lewiston Road from
Project Manager Mike DeSantis. He said their
consultant told them the contractor has gotten
a license to handle the radioactive material
buried in the roadway. They anticipate that
work will start on the project in two to three
weeks. He said they would start by digging
for water and sewer lines. The $14.6-million
project has been on hold while they waited for
the State license. Lawmakers were also told
a water line break at the Hyde Park Ice Rink had
been repaired by the DPW. City Controller
Maria Brown said the water bill increased from
$40,000 for one quarter last year to $70,000
for the same quarter of this year due to the
break. DPW Director Dave Kinney said they
expect to finish their first pass through DeVeaux
for leaf pick-up today and they would start on
Cayuga Island this afternoon and continue
there tomorrow and Thursday.

TOWN OF LOCKPORT

Lawmakers in the Town of Lockport are considering
an offer by the County SPCA to renew their deal
with the Town for three years at the same price.
The Town currently pays them $811 a month plus
$75 for after hours calls initated by the Town
Supervisor or a police agency. Councilmember
Mark Crocker told the Board Monday he thinks
they should take it but Supervisor Marc Smith
said they are in the process of bidding it out.
Tomorrow is the deadline to submit proposals.
The Board also hired Donna Johnson to put
together a Town newsletter. She'll produce
three issues a year and be paid $1,000. The
Board decided to become a sponsor of next
July's "Old Home Week" sponsored by the
County Historical Society and made a
$2500 contribution to the event.

CLARENCE CRASH

Erie County Sheriff's officials say there was no
evidence of alcohol at the scene of an
accident Sunday night in Clarence that
killed four teens and two others. They say
speed and a missed stop sign were to blame
for the accident at County and Stricker Roads.
Eighteen year old Viktor Shapiro and 16 year
old Amanda Slizs were thrown from the 2002
Nissan Sentra. Nineteen year old Mark Brown
and 16 year old Megan Schnoor of Amherst were
also killed. The two occupants of the 2009
Honda minivan...which was struck by the Nissan...
are Mark and Bonnie Grimmer of Tonawanda.
They were treated at ECMC, Mark was released
yesterday while his wife remains in fair
condition at the hospital.

LOCKPORT CARES

Lockport Cares has announced they will open a
new emergency shelter November 12 at 192
Genesee Street. A ribbon cutting ceremony
will be held at 3pm. The Community Action
Response Emergency Shelter was started
by Jim Haid of the Outreach Ministry at Saint
John The Baptist Church in June 2007.

RAPE

A 16 year old Falls High School is facing
charges he raped a fellow classmate October
7 in a stairwell at the school. Nicholas D'Angelo
of 8671 Griffin Avenue is charged with first degree
rape and committing a first degree sex act. He's
free on $10,000 bail. The victim is said to be 14
years old. School Superintendent Cynthia
Bianco said they referred the matter to police
as soon as they became aware of the situation.
Assistant DA Robert Zucco said he thought a
grand jury might look at the case.

LOCKPORT SEX OFFENDER

A 19 year old Medina man is being held on
$10,000 bail in the County Jail after he was
arraigned on sex abuse charges yesterday
in Lockport City Court. Ritchard Baldwin of
Marilla Place is charged with abusing a boy and
a girl under the age of 11. Baldwin was on
probation after being convicted of abuse last
Summer. He told investigators the incidents
now under investigation happened at different
locations over an extended period of time.

NEWFANE MAN RESCUED AFTER FALL

A 69 year old Newfane man was rescued by
Sheriff's deputies around 7:30 yesterday
morning after he fell in his home and could
not get up. All the doors to his home on
Charlottsville Road were locked and deputies
used a device they now carry called Res-Q-Me
to unlock the door and get him to a hospital.
The device was designed to help people
escape from dangerous vehicles and it's
carried by all deputies on their utility belts.

FOUR TEENS KILLED IN CLARENCE CRASH

Four teens were killed last night in a two
vehicle crash in the Town of Clarence. The
Erie County Sheriff's department says it
happened around 8:30 at the intersection of
County Road and Strickler when a dark colored
sedan went through a stop sign at a high rate
of speed. It struck a van and the two people
inside are listed in serious but stable condition
at ECMC. The names are being withheld pending
notification of next of kin.

DOWNTOWN MELTDOWN CONTINUES

Lockport Mayor Mike Tucker has lost the
most weight so far in the Downtown Meltdown
fundraiser for the United Way. He and four
others, Papa Leo's owner Parker Greenman and
store manager Gary Chapman, and
Molinaro's owner Mike Molinaro and his
brother Anthony started doing some serious
physcial workouts October 5th at the
Lockport Athletic and Fitness Club. Owner
Amer Abdullah says Tucker has lost 20 pounds
so far and Chapman and Anthony Molinaro have
lost 18. Abdullah will donate $10 to the United
Way for each pound they lose. The competiiton
will end at noon November 14th at the club where
there will also be a huge auction to benefit the
United Way. The goodies will include a 42 inch
LCD TV, navigation systems, and a slew of
gift certificates.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY BASKEBTALL PLAYER CHARGED

A 20 year old member of the Niagara University
basketball team was arrested early Sunday. Chris
Armstrong allegedly created a disturbance around
1:15 am at the Whiskey Bar at 2109 Main Street.
He's charged with disorderly conduct and
resisting arrest. Police said he was struggling
with a bouncer when they arrived and he wearing
a "vulgar" Halloween costume that made it appear
he was naked. They said he had been asked to
leave several times but refused as a crowd of
about 60 people looked on. Armstrong is the nephew
of former Purple Eagles coach Jack Armstrong. He's
in his third season as a non-scholarship member of the
team and played for just 16 minutes in his first two
years. University Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin
told the Gazette last night he was still gathering
information and hoped to determine today if Armstrong
had violated the code of conduct for student athletes.

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR

The County will try to get a Congessional Medal
of Honor that was awarded to a Lockport man for
his service in the Navy in the Civil War. Michael
Huskey died and never received the medal. County
Historian Catherine Emerson and deputies
Craig Bacon and Ron Cary will tell his story to
county lawmakers at Wednesday night's meeting
of the Legislature. He was an Irish immigrant
whose family came to the U.S. during the 1846
potato famine.

NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION

The Niagara Falls City Coucil is set to vote
tonight on whether to spend $50,000 of the
casino money to pay for an outdoor New
Year's Eve celebration. It would be at the
Hard Rock Cafe and include live music and
perhaps a countdown with a large guitar
drop. The details are still being negotiated.
Mayor Paul Dyster says the eatery's
proposal would include tents with heaters
and a large replica of a guitar that would be
lowered by a crane during a countdown to
midnight. The City and the restaurant
sponsored three concerts over the Summer
and it's thought the extra traffic helped
increase revenues at the Rainbow Centre
Ramp.

MEDICAL CENTER PAYS UP

The Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has
settled it's bill with the Water Department. The
hospital on Friday paid $465,000 of the $510,000
bill they have piled up since 2007. Water Board
Executive Director Gerry Grose says they also
agreed to fork over the remaining $45,000 over
the next 72 weeks and to stay current on their
regular monthly bills.

SUSPICIOUS FIRE SUNDAY IN THE FALLS

A fire in the Falls around 12:45 Sunday morning
destroyed a vacant home at 549 Fifth Street and
caused damage to another house next door.
It's being called suspicious. A nearby resident
said they got home around an hour earlier and
smelled burning rubber. They saw two older
teens riding away on bicycles and saw them later
among the crowd watching the fire. Crews were
on the scene for about four hours. Damage was
estimated at $40,000.

K-LW TO DO PROPERTY RE-EVALUATION

A Buffalo company is expected to get the job
of updating the city of Lockport's property
values. KLW Municipal submitted the lowest of
four bids for the 18 month contract. The City
Council is slated to vote Wednesday on giving
them the job. The deal calls for them to be
paid $170,000 and work would start before
the end of the year. The re-evaluation would
most likely take place in 2011. The City has not
done a full reassessment since 2001. The State
says the equalization rate has fallen to 90%
of full market value.

TV SET THROWN AT MAN, WOMAN ARRESTED

A 29 year old Lockport woman allegedly threw a
TV set at her boyfriend early Sunday before she
was later arrested for DWI on High Street. Nicole
Miskell of 75 Pound Street was stopped around
5:15 am after police said she veered into the
opposite lane. She was charged with DWI
.18 & Higher after failing field sobriety tests.
Police had been called to her apartment
about an hour and a half earlier after her
boyfriend said she threw the TV at him and
struck him in the face several times. She's
facing a harassment charge over the incident
and the man requested an order of protection.

SUMMIT PHARMACY

Sheriff's deputies were called to the Summit
Pharmacy at 2578 Niagara Falls Boulevard
in Wheatfield just after 12:30 this morning
after alarms were received at central dispatch.
They found the west window broken out with
a brick which was inside the store. A security
tape showed a man broke the window and tried
unsuccessfully to enter the secured pharmacy
area. Nothing was taken and he left threw the
same broken window. He was wearing a mask
and a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.
The store will be checked for fingerprints.