PATERSON

A number of the State's most politically
influential African American leaders expressed
their support for Governor David Paterson following
a two hour meeting last night in Harlem. The
session was organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
It came after another top Paterson aide resigned
yesterday. Communications Director Peter
Kauffmann said he could not in good conscience
continue. His resignation came two days after he
testifed before a State Ethics panel about
Paterson's allegedl solicitation and acceptance
of tickets to the World Series for himself, his
son, and two staffers. Paterson answered questions
yesterday before a meeting on the budget.
When asked if he thought he would still be Governor
next week, he said that two years ago he became
governor just about overnight and that when you
have that kind of change in the executive branch
it causes all kinds of problems. He said he felt the
best thing was for him to remain as governor and
he didn't think he had done anything wrong. Assembly
Speaker Sheldon Silver expressed lukewarm
support, saying the Governor is the Governor
right now and they had work to do on the budget.

JACOB KERN PASSES

Well known Locportian Jacob Kern passed away
Wednesday night following a lengthy illness. He
was 81. Kern was well known for telling people
what he thought and made his feelings known at
City Council sessions, School Board meetings, and
on WLVL's Dialog. He was the second generation
owner and operator of Jacob Kern & son, a 79-year
old candy and tobacco wholesale business. Visitation
will be from 2 till 4..and from 7 till 9 Sunday at Prudden
& Kandt Funeral Home. Services will be held at 10am
Monday at Saint Mary's Catholic Church. Donations to
Save A Pet or to a charity of one's choice will be
appreciated by the family.

FIRES

A blaze around 9 last night in the Town of Niagara
did an esttimated $100,000 damage at Lasher
Automotive. Owner Terry Lasher said he
accidentally dropped a gas can as he was working
on a vehicle inside the garage at the cornrer of
Military and Lockport Roads. Three vehicles
inside, a 2004 Mazda, a '99 Plymouth Voyager, and
a 1988 Toyota Celica, were damaged. The Niagara
Active, Frontier, Colonial, and Upper Mountain Fire
companies were all at the scene. Lasher was treated
for a cut on his hand. And in the Falls, a home in
the 500 block of Sixth Street was severely damaged
around 10:30am when two teens poured lighter
fluid on a rug or coat and set it on fire. Police said
a neighbor saw the two, about 14 or 15 years of age,
enter the home and set the fire.

SCHUMER SAYS SENIORS TO GET CASH

Senator Chuck Schumer announced Thursday he's
pushing legislation that would give a $25o check to
social security recipients because they did not get a
cost of living increase last year. Schumer said it
should be just about enough to cover increased
medical costs. He said it wasn't much but for a
lot of seniors it will help them get through the tough
times. Seniors in Western New York would
share $79-million and the entire state outlay will
come to $900-million. The legislation failed on a
procedural vote Wednesday night but Schumer
said he would attach it as an amendment to an
upcoming jobs bill. He said it should be coming to
the floor in about two weeks and he would be working
with his colleagues in a b-partisan way so that
those who voted no Wednesday would understand
how important it was, He dodged a question about
whether the governm,ent would have to borrow more
cash to pay for it, saying the money would come from
the general fund. He also refused to offer any comment
on the problems facing the governor and representative
Eric Massa.

RYAN FOUND NOT GUILTY OF RAPE CHARGE

A County jury last night found 22 year old Ryan
Smith of the Falls not guilty of raping a woman
in 2008. Smith is already serving a 45 year
sentence for two home invasions, a shooting,
and an armed robbery. He told the jury he had
consensual oral sex with the 19 year old but
stopped when she indicated she did not want
to go further. Smith is the man that police used
a taser on last year to obtain a DNA sample that
led to his conviction in the earlier case. The seven
men and five women on the jury took about an
hour and a half to reach their not guilty verdict
on the rape charge.

GEIBEN TO RUN

Village of Lewiston Mayor William Geiben
announced yesterday he's running for a full
four year term in June. The 66 year old was
appointed to the position last Fall when Richard
Soluri resigned. The Village Republican Committee
meets April 27 to decide on whether to endorse
Geiben or village board member Terry Collesano.

SURPRISE!

New York was named last night as of the 16 finalists
to receive federal dollars to improve education under
the President's Race To The Top program. It came as
a surprise since the Governor had said the state's
chances were slim after the Legislature previously
refused to raise the cap on the number of charter
schools in the State and to o-k other measures sought
by Obama. Getting into the finals doesn't mean the State
will get anything for sure, but it's the first step toward
winning a share of the $4.35-billion in funding. Paterson
has said in the past the State could get as much as
$700-million. New York State United Teachers
President Richard Iannuzzi said the decision confirms
what they had said from the beginning, the State had a
strong application and would be competitive. The
Obama Administration says the money is meant to
reward and spur states to lift student achievement.

NEW MCDONALD'S

The agenda for Monday's meeting of the Niagara
Falls City Council includes a resolution seeking
approval for the demolition of the McDonald's
in the City Market. A new restaurant would be
built in it's place.

EASTER EGG HUNT REGISTRATION

Registration starts Monday in the Falls for the city's
11th annual Easter Egg Hunt. The free event is open
to children from age 1-10. It's set for Saturday, March
27 at the clubhouse at the Hyde Park Golf course.
Registration forms can be picked up between 8am and
4pm Monday thru Friday at 1785 New Road. All
participating children must be registered by Friday,
March 20. The hunt will take place in the area
surrounding the golf course clubhouse.

HARMONY FOR HAITI

The choirs of six Lockport churches are putting
together a fundraiser for relief efforts in Haiti. The
"Harmony for Haiti" event will be held on Sunday,
March 21, at the Palace. It'll feature choirs from the
First Baptist Church, Saint Mary's, All Saints, and
Saint John The Baptist, plus the Victory Christian
Center and the Chapel at Cross Point. Tickets are
$10. The proceeds will go to the Red Cross relief
effort. There will also be a basket and silent
auction and a 50-50 split. Tickets are on sale at
the Palace, Mills Jewelers, or thru the participating
churches.

LOCKPORT SCHOOLS

Two elementary schools in Lockport would be
closed if the school board follows a list of
reccomendations made last night by School
Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone. She also
advised them to cut more than 40 positions and
said they should end after school and Summer
programs. Other programs that are not mandated
would also end including the arts and elementary
school libraries. It would save about $3.5-million,
but as much as a ten percent increase in taxes
would also be needed to close a $7.9-million
gap in the budget. The names of the two schools
will be announced at next week's board meeting.
One of them will be used to house the district's
universal and special pre-K programs and the
Records management and technology departments.
The move would free up space in the remaining
buildings for students moved from the two closed
schools. The closure of the two is expected to save
$1.2-million. Fourteen of the 40 positions to be
eliminated would come from retirements. The Board
has moved next week's meeting to the North Park
Middle School. The public portion starts at 7pm.

FIRE DEPARTMENT DISPATCH

The Lockport Common Council voted last
night to move the Fire Department dispatch
to the Police Department as soon as possible.
Mayor Mike Tucker said he expected the police
union will ask for some extra money for the
additional work, but he did not know what it would
be.

CHRISTOPHER CREGO

Christopher Crego learned yesterday he will be
sentenced on Saint Patrick's Day for assaulting
the owner of a pizzeria in the City. He had plead
guilty to the charge last October before he
skipped town and went to Indiana. Judge
William Watson also said the 39 year old will
be resentenced on a driving while ability impaired
conviction from last Summer. Crego failed to get
the treatment and do the community service that
was part of the sentence. Watson also set a
pretrail conference on a new charge of bail
jumping.

FRAUDULENT BILLING

The trial of a Newfane dentist accused of making
fraudulent claims to three insurance companies
started yesterday in Buffalo. Doctor Scott Geise
owns Newfane General Dentristy on Main Street.
He allegedly gave 57 patients a teeth whitening kit
but charged the companies for a custom made
appartus to prevent teeth grinding. He's being
represented by Joel Daniels and George Muscato.
Daniels told the jury the closest billing cofe for the
whitening kit was the code for a custom fitted mouth
appliance. The charges date from July 2002 thru
December 2006. The trial is expected to take four to
six weeks.

TAYLOR GETS 25 YEARS

James Taylor of Newfane was sentenced to
25 years in State Prison Wednesday for sexually
abusing three female members of the same
family. The 45 year old was found guilty last
December. He could have gotten 50 years.
The three victims said Taylor had abused them
from the time they were three to twelve years old.
Two of them are now 20, and the third is 16.

WORLD SERIES TICKETS

A State Ethics panel charged Governor David
Paterson Wednesday with violating the State's
gift ban. He allegedly solicited and accepted
free tickets for himself and others to last Fall's
opening game of the World Series at Yankee
Stadium. The State Commission on Public
Integrity also accused him of lying under oath to
investigators about his intention to pay for
them. The information was turned over to
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo . He's
already investigating charges Paterson tried
to stop a Bronx woman from getting an
order of protection against his aide, David
Johnson. Paterson still insisted yesterday he
would not resign and said he didn't think he
had done anything wrong that would merit he
should not be governor.

ERIE COUNTY HOLDING CENTER SUICIDE

A 29 year old Amherst man who was arrested in
Niagara County Monday night after drugs were
allegedly found in his car took his own life
Wednesday in the Erie County Holding Center.
Jeremy Kiekbush was found hanging by a
bedsheet in his cell. Officials say he left his
home on Campbell Boulevard in Amherst around
3pm Monday following a domestic incident. He was
stopped in Wilson around 8:30pm and a chase
ensued when he took off on Route 18 into
Orleans County. Deputies say he turned off
his headlights and drove straight at two police
vehicles that had joined in the pursuit. They drove
off the road to avoid a collission and Kiekbush's
vehicle spun out and landed in a ditch after hitting
a mailbox. He was captured in a nearby field.
Police say they found baggies of heroin, two rocks
of crack cocaine, a hypodermic needle, and other
drug paraphanelia inside the car. Kiekbush was
arraigned in Amherst and sent to the Holding
Center at 6pm Tuesday. A Middleport police officer
said Keikbush told him he wished one of the
cops in the chase would have killed him. His
death is the third suicide at the Holding Center
in four months.

UNDERAGE ALCOHOL SALES BLITZ

Three people were arrested last night for allegedly
selling alcohol to minors during an underage
enforcement blitz at 17 convenience stores in the
County. The Sheriff's Department was assisted by
the State Police and the State Liquor Authority.
Twenty-four year old Jessica Barber of Barker is
due in Town of Lockport court March 16. Twenty-four
year old Jillian Bartholomew of Lockport is due
in Royalton Town Court on the same date. Twenty-
one year old Nicholas Herrick of Sanborn will answer
the charges in Lewiston Town court March 9. All
three face misdemeanor charges of unlawfully
dealing with a child and prohibited sales. The
detail ran from 6 till 10pm.

CHESTNUT STREET LAUNDRY

A dog from the Lockport Police Department last
night found two teens accused of trying to break
into a back room at the Chestnut Street Laundry.
Eighteen year old Jasen Ray of 358 West Avenue and
19 year old Corey Soock of 107 Genesee are charged
with third degee burglary, criminal mischief, and
obstructing governmental administration. The owner
called police after an alarm went off, and a police
officer said the two ignored orders to stop after he
saw them in an alley behind the laundry just after
9pm. He let the dog Thunder loose but they
escaped by jumping over a high stockade fence.
Thunder then tracked the pair to East Avenue
near the US&J building. Soock was found hiding
in a large bush. Ray was arrested a short time later
as he was walking on Washburn near Family Video.
The owner said they were unsuccessful in their
attempt to pry open a door to a back room with a
pair of pliars, which were found in the laundry.

NIAGARA WHEATFIELD

All 275 fifth graders in the Niagara Wheatfield
School District would get portable computers
in the upcoming school year under a three year
plan to advance technology announced last
night. They would be able to take them home
but they would be linked to servers at the school
that would prevent them from being used for
other than educational purposes. The Director
of Instructional Technology said a cost analysis
will come at their next meeting. A committee is
looking at several different models ranging in
price from $198 to $400. The District would be
reimbursed for 68% of the cost if they buy them
through a BOCES contract.

THOMPSON

State Senator Antoine Thompson is facing criticism
for a trip he took to Jamaica last week. Local Tea
Party activist Rus Thompson said Antoine must have
been sick of budget negotiations. He disappeared
Wednesday and Thursday and no-one seemed to
know where he was. His staff was refusing to answer
questions or they would say they did not know his
whereabouts. Nobody answered the phone Friday
and the Senator did not return till late Sunday. He took
his Chief of Staff with him and Russ Thompson said
it looks like Antoine used campaign cash to pay for the
trip. About a dozen people were there and Russ says
they're not sure how much came from State money and
how much came from campaign money but they're trying to
find out. The Chairman of the Jamaican and American
Association in Buffalo called it a legitimate business
trip. Thompson's office released a statement saying
it was to build upon existing relationships and
examine opportunities for partnerships in commerce,
renewable energy, education, tourism, and healthcare.
It said the trip was productive but it's too early tro
speculate on firm committments.

NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY

Officials in Albany announced yesterday
that 2009 was the safest year ever along
the New York State Thruway. There were
26 fatal accidents resulting in 27 deaths, the
lowest rate in the 56 year history of the
superhighway. The fatality rate was 1/5
of the overall national fatality rate and a
third of that of all roads in the State.

FUGITIVE

A 23 year old Lockport woman is in the County
Jail awaiting extradition to Florida. Heather
Hillman of Dysinger Road was arrested by the
State Police Monday on an active warrant for
Grand Theft auto from the Marion County
Sheriff's Office. Troopers found her at her
home after getting a request for her arrest
from officials in Florida.

HEAD ON COLLISSION

Three people were sent to ECMC by ambulance
Tuesday following a head on collission at the
intersection of Campbell Boulevard and Lockport Road
in Pendleton. Twenty-eight year old Robert Hill of Norwood
Drive was making a left turn when he allegedly
struck another car driven by 42 year old Colleen
Schul. She and her passenger, 40 year old
Amy Ventrilla , were taken to the hospital with
internal injuries. Schul is in fair condition today
while Ventrilla is listed as stable. Hill was treated
and released for facial injuries. He told police he
did not see the oncoming vehicle because of the car
in front of him.

LATE NIGHT HOUSE FIRE

A fire around 1am today did an estimated $50,000
damage to a two story home at 8410 Ridge Road in
Hartland. The homeowner, 32 year old Angela
Hanczarowski, said she thought it started in the
chimney as a result of a wood burning stove.
Deputies said flames were coming from the West
side when they arrived. The Red Cross is assisting
three adults and seven children. The blaze was
fought by four fire companies, Hartland, Gasport,
Middleport, and Barker.

CREGO BACK IN LOCKPORT

The Lockport man who led police to his
whereabouts in Indiana by posting his
personal information on Facebook will
be arraigned this morning in City Court.
Detective John Yotter and Officer Michael
Wasik drove to Terre Haute Sunday to pick
up 39 year old Christopher Crego. They
returned Monday. Crego was considered
one of the City's Ten Most Wanted. He fled
before sentencing after pleading guilty to
second degree assault in County Court
last November in connection with a
November 2008 bar fight. He was also charged
last August with DWI and possession of
marijuana in Niagara County and with animal
cruelty in Buffalo. He could get up to two years
in jail.

FORD WILL NOT CHALLENGE GILLIBRAND

Former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford
Jr. says he will not challenge Senator Kirsten
Gillibrand in a primary this Fall. Ford says he
came to the conclusion it would only result in
a brutal and highly negative race where the
winner emerges weakened and the Republican
is strengthened. The annoucement appears in
an op-ed piece in today's New York Times.
Ford says he refuses to do anything that would
help Republicans win a Senate seat in New York.
Gillibrand will announce a new push today to
require country of orgin labeling for all dairy
products. She says that, just last month, the
Chinese government recalled 170 tons of
powdered milk that had been tainted with
melamine. She says her proposal will give
New York dairy farmers a competitive edge
at a difficult time and help protect consumers
from tainted foreign products.

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

A 50 year old Lockport man was sentenced to
nine years in jail Monday for receiving child
pornography. Thomas Powers will also be
subject to five years post release supervision.
Assistant US Attorney Marie Grisanti said
Powers had 16 disks containing child
pornography and he admitted he had over
two thousand images and a few videos. He
had been found guilty last October. The case
was brought as part of Operation Safe
Childhood.

GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE

State Senators George Maziarz and Bill Stachowski
are expected to be named today to a bi-partisan
task force on government efficiency. The Senate
Majority Conference says they will work to develop
a fiscally responsible budget.

NIAGARA MILITARY AFFAIRS COUNCIL

County lawmakers Monday presented the Niagara
Military Affairs Council with a check for $40,000
to help pay for their activities this year. Lawmaker
Kyle Andrews said the Legislature has been a
partner with NIMAC for many years and have
kept the base off two base realignment and
closing commission lists. Lawmaker Danny
Sklarski was on hand for the presentation. He's
the longest serving NIMAC member in the
Legislature. He noted the base supports over
3,000 men and women from this area and
contributes over $100-million annually to the
local economy. NIMAC Chairman and
organizer Merrill Lane said the base was a major
employer and it's important to keep it going and
keep it strong. He said they were working on
$25-million in more projects that will be coming
to Niagara in the future.

TOWN OF LOCKPORT ZONING

Lawmakers in the Town of Lockport are expected
tomorrow to set a public hearing for April 7 on a
number of amendments to the zoning code. The
proposed changes were presented to the Town
Board Monday. They would do away with the
seperate provisions governing car dealerships,
allow taller and more densely packed buildings
in cluster developments, and give the Planning
Board more leeway in administering parking
rules for businesses. The package basically
leaves the sign laws untouched except for one
change that allows larger signs for businesses
on small lots. Owners of land in agricultural
districts would be permitted to build single
family homes on land that hasn't been farmed
in five years but the lot must be at least
three acres. Anyone owning livestock or
horses would have to have at least ten acres
and they would be limited to two horses per acre.

AGGRAVATED DWI

A 28 year old Newfane man was charged with
aggravated DWI around 4am Monday on Ewings
Road. Brian Wise of 2852 South Main registered
a .23 blood alchol content when he was tested at
the Sheriff's Department. He was held on $250
bail. He told deputies he had three beers at a
friends house in Lockport. Wise was arrested
after his car was found in a ditch with the motor
running. He's due in Town Court tonight.

BEAR HARVEST

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
says last year's harvest of black bears was the second
highest ever recorded. Hunters took 1,487 bears, a 15
per cent increase over 2008. The largest harvest ever
recorded was in 2003 when 1,864 bears were taken by
hunters. More than half of last year's harvest was seen
in the Adirondacks. The DEC says favorable weather
and a relatively good food supply kept bears from denning
early and led to plenty of opportunities for hunters.

BURGLARY

The Sheriff's Department is investigating a second
break in that occurred Sunday morning at the
former Bell plant in Wheatfield. It's now the
Wheatfield Industrial Park and about $1,500 in
copper pipe and $500 worth of machinery were
taken from the air conditioning room on the third
floor. Deputies said the building's maintenance
staff failed to follow their reccomendations after
the building was entered last week. Entry was made
through the same unlocked door on the roof. Deputies
said it appeared the copper was dropped from the
roof to a waiting truck. Two pieces of plywood were
found on the ground apparently to keep the truck
from being stuck in the snow.

DWI

A 40 year old Newfane man was charged with
aggravated DWI around 3am Sunday on Lockport
Olcott Road. Clark Dunkelberger of Caledonia
Street was orginally pulled over for speeding. He
allegedly told deputies he had too much to drink
and that he shouldn't be driving. When they tried
to administer field sobriety tests, he supposedly
told them there was no need, to just arrest him. He
failed all the testing at the scene and registered a
point 19 when he was taken to headquarters. He
was held on $250 bail. Dunkelberger is due in
Newfane Town Court tomorrow.

WILSON TEEN ARRESTED IN WHEATFIELD

A 16 year old Wilson boy was charged with
possession of marijuana and unlawfully
driving at night around 2:30 Sunday morning
in the parking lot of the former JT Wheatfield's
bar. Christopher White of Wilson Cambria Road
was with two other teens from Wilson. A deputy
said they were standing on the corner of the
Boulevard and Ward Road and they ran
when deputies approached. They were found in
a car that had become stuck in a snowbank, and two
glass marijuana smoking bowls were allegedly inside
the vehicle.

NEWFANE MAN ATTACKED AT BAR

A 23 year old Newfane man was taken to ENH-
Newfane early Sunday morning after he was
attacked by four to five men outside the Time
Out Two bar in Olcott. The victim said he was
struck by fists, kicks, chairs, and a baseball
bat. He gave deputies the name of one of
those he thought was involved, but none of
the bystanders would provide any information.
The victim did not want to press charges.