SUMMIT PHARMACY BREAK IN

Cash and drugs were taken in a break-in just
after midnight today at the Summit Park Pharmacy
at 2578 Niagara Falls Boulevard in Wheatfield.
The Sheriff's department says one of the windows
on the front of the store was broken out. About
$700 in cash was taken from a safe that had been
left open and $40 was removed from a cash register.
Deputies said personal checks were lying on the
floor next to the safe and containers of drugs
were scattered about. Thirty-two fentanyl patches
of varying dosages were taken along with 300
lorazapam tablets. The manager said she locked
things up at 10pm last night. The alarm came in
from ADT Security at 12:20am today.

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

Former and current students and teachers showed up
yesterday to say good bye to Lockport's John Pound
School. Eighty-eight year old Lillian Bowser was
among them. She was a music teacher there for 20
years and wrote the school song, which was performed
by the school choir. Bowser was given a corsage and a
copy of the song signed by the current members of the
school's music program. Lockport School Superintendent
Terry Ann Carbone served as principal there for ten years
starting in 1986. She said her mom went to John Pound
and was so proud when she became principal. The
community celebration ran from 4 till 7. Photo displays,
scrapbooks were on display and free hot dogs were
provided by Reid's Drive Inn. The high school cheerleaders
and jazz band were there as well. The school opened in
1930 and was named after a former president of the school
board.

FORTY YEARS TO LIFE

A 23 year old Falls man was sentenced to 40 years
to life in prison Thursday for killing Robert Biggs
last year during a robbery attempt in the parking
lot of the Hometown Market on Pierce Avenue.
Biggs owned a nearby apartment building. Darnell
Carter of 12th Street showed little interest and even
yawned as the mother of the victim spoke. Judge
Sara Sheldon Sperrezza sentenced Carter to 25 years
to life for killing Biggs and added another 15 for
weapons possession.

REWARD

An Orleans County family is offering a $20,ooo reward
for information leading to the arrest and conviction
of the person responsible for the death of Kevin Smith.
He was found dead in his home on Smith Road in the
Town of Shelby on February 9, 2007. There have been
recent developments in the case. Police say 45 year old
Steven Rebert of New York and Pennsylvania is a "person
of interest." He was a friend of Smith's and police and
the family want to remind everyone about the reward.
Any information should be given to the Orleans County
Sheriff's department at 585-589-5527.

BENEFIT GARAGE SALE

A massive garage sale is being held today and
tomorrow to help pay the medical bills of two
girls who suffered medical problems during
their birth in 1992. Jen and Rachel Smith
were born pre-mature and were small at
birth. They're suffering from cerebral palsy
as a result of a lack of oxygen because their
lungs were not completely developed. They
need ccontinued treatment and some is not
covered by insurance. The benefit garage sale
is at 5308 Mapleton Road from 8 till 4 today
and Saturday. It's being put together by Dale
and Shirley Brittin. The stuff on sale fills
a large two car garage and there are also six
tents in the driveway. The Brittins have
put the sale together every year for about 17
years to help the family. Last year's raised
over $2,000.

FAMILY AFFAIR

A Falls dad and his two sons are being held on
$2,500 bail each in the County Jail after police
allegedly found five pounds of marijuana during
a raid Tuesday at the dad's home on Seventh Avenue.
Forty-six year old James Ashley Sr and his sons,
18 year old Jamil and 20 year old Michael...both of
Midway Avenue....all plead not guilty in City Court
Wednesday. Police said they also confiscated a
digital scale and over $2,500 in cash. They said
all three have connections with the Street Boyz
drug gang.

MIDDLEPORT FIRE

Two men alerted a 55 year old Middleport woman
around 6:45 yesterday morning that her unattached
garage was burning. The blaze at 3084 Johnson Creek
Road did about $1,200 damage and may have taken the
life of a kitten. The sheriff's department says the two
men tried to put out the blaze before crews arrived from
the Hartland Volunteer Fire Department. Chief Archie
Ames said the fire originated on the northeast side of
the 14 by 20 foot garage where the electrical service
came into the building from the house. Four other
kittens, a four wheel vehicle and assorted tools were
saved.

MEDINA MEMORIAL A STROKE CENTER

The Medina Memorial Health Care System will hold
an open house and ribbon cutting at 2pm today to
celebrate the hospital's designation as a stroke center.
It'll be in the ground floor lobby at 200 Ohio Street.

DALE ROAD TO CLOSE FOR A WEEK

Dale Road will be closed to all traffic for one week
beginning Monday. We're told the Towns of Hartland
and Lockport will be working together to rehab the
road from Wheeler to Slayton Settlement Roads. Limited
access will be available for Dale Road residents and
emergency vehicles only.

THANKS

An 18 year old Youngstown boy returned to the
hospital yesterday where he was treated after
rear ending a state truck in January. Michael
Gifford and his family wanted to thank the staff
at ECMC where he stayed until early March. They
presented the staff with a check for $7,000. The
hospitals trauma intensive care unit will receive
$4,000 of the donation and the medical surgical
unit and the inpatient rehab unit $1,500 each. The
money is part of nearly $20,000 raised at a recent
fundraiser. Mercy Flight received $4,000 and the
same amount was donated to the Lewiston and
Upper Mountain Fire Companies. Gifford lost a
kidney and his spleen and suffered a broken hand
and leg and a collapsed lung, but the only sign left
that he had been in an acciddent is a scar across
the back of his right hand.

APPLETON WOMAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY

A 25 year old Appleton woman plead not guilty in
county court Tuesday to charges she stole about
$4,500 from a Subway restaurant in North Tonawanda
when she worked there last Fall. April Does of Hess Road
used to live in NT. She's charged with third degree grand
larceny for allegedly taking the money from the store
at 966 Payne Avenue between September 2 and October 23.

LOCKPORT SCHOOLS

Lockport's soon to be closed DeWitt Clinton
School will be the new home of the Niagara
County Head Start program in Lockport. It's
currently offered at Grace Episcopal Church and
they need more room. School Chief Terry Ann
Carbone said Head Start won't be paying them
any money to use the building, instead they will
be charged with it's maintenance, inside and out.
The lease is for one year. Meantime, a hundred of
the seats thatr are being replaced in the high school
auditorium are up for sale. They are $10 and
you must pick it up between 2 & 4pm today or
Friday. All the seats are being taken out of the
auditorium as part of it's remodeling and
asbestos removal will start Monday, so the
sale must be completed Friday. Call 478-4450
and ask for Peter D'Aneglo if you're interested.
The money will go to help the Music Department
pay for future events.

RAPE

A 46 year old Lockport man was charged Wednesday
morning with rape and endangering the welfare of a
child as police were investigating a disturbance in an
apartment on John Street. James Drake of 177 Pine,
Apt 1 was allegedly caught by officers engaging in a
sexual act on the 23 year old victim. He's being held
on $25,000 bail in the County Jail. Police said a
neighbor called after hearing screams. Captain Mike
Niethe said to the best of their knowledge, Drake was
a stranger to the victim, who was taken to ENH-Lockport
for a sexual assault exam. Drake will be back in City
Court Monday.

LIBERTY EXCURSIONS

Liberty Excursions in Olcott said Wednesday they
expect to resume tours of the lower Niagara River
soon after a suspicious fire last Saturday did about
$10,000 damage to their 73 foot ship, the Black
Pearl. The fire broke out around 6am and is
considered a burglary and arson. Investigators
say the fire was set at two points and the cabin was
broken into. Owner Amanda Alexander said they
plan on getting their equipment replaced and
they hope to be out in a week with passengers.
The ship is worth $2.2-million.

MACLEODS PHARMACY

Falls police are looking at surveillance tapes after
burglars failed to get into a Buffalo Avenue drugstore
around 2:15 am Wednesday. MacLeods has been
broken into before, but police said the would be
thieves were unable to pry open the front door and
an alarm went off. They say a white mini van was seen
leaving the area. The door sustained $500 damage.

COUNTY MANAGER SEARCH

The committee charged with finding a new county
manager decided Wednesday that 12 of the applicants
will undergo background checks and they'll be sent a
letter asking if they're still interested in the job. As
we've previously reported, they include NT School
Board President Jeff Glatz, County Refuse Director
Richard Pope, and Harold Hopkins, the personnel
manager of the West Seneca Development Center. He's
also the brother of late county lawmaker Curtis Hopkins.
Another applicant, Martin Murphy, was just hired as
Cortland County administrator. Former county managers
from Iowa, New Mexicom and Washington are three
others.

LOCKPORT GARBAGE

The Lockport Common council decided last night to
go ahead with plans to revamp the city's garbage
collection process. They voted to have City Engineer
Norm Allen to put together a request for proposals
to find out how much it might cost. Mayor Mike Tucker
called it an "important next step." He said once
they get them back they'll have a better idea of what
direction to take. The request is for a plan that would
give residenrs a choice of three sizes of city sanctioned
garbage cans, 35, 65, or 95 gallons. The cost of collection
would be taken out of the regular property tax and
billed seperately to each property owner depending on
the size they choose. Tax exempt properites would be
included. It's expected it will take six to eight weeks
before the request will generate replies.

TIM HORTONS COMING TO NCCC

Two Tim Hortons will be opening at NCCC
September 1 as part of a deal signed with the
college. One of them will take up part of the
snack bar in Bldg G while the other will be a
kiosk in the library. The college's food managers
and staff will be trained to run both and
three additional people will be hired to staff
them. The College Board yesterday o-k'd the
procedures needed to institute it's smoke-free
campus in September. People will be fined if
they're caught smoking, chewing, or even spitting
tobacco.

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT VICTIM DIES

A Falls man has died from the injuries he suffered
April 27 in a motorcycle crash at Buffalo Avenue and
63rd Street. Nineteen year old Joseph Kilmer of
Packard Road passed away Tuesday at ECMC. He had
been in a medically induced coma since the accident.
Police said he was travelling at a high rate of speed
and may have run a red light before he collided with
a pick-up.

EXPANSION

The chairman of the County Legislature's Economic
Development Committee announced last night
Metaullics Systems of Wheatfield will be building a
new $22-million plant on Cory Road that'll produce
lithium batteries for electric cars. Rick Updegrove
is also the majority leader. He said the state's office
of Community Renewal has given the company
$400,000 in funding, half of it will be a low interest
loan. The money is in addition to incentive packages
created by the County IDA and the Empire State
Development Corporation. The facility is expected to
create 47 jobs over the next two years. It'll include
the consruction of a 93,000 square foot building to
house a dozen new high temperature electric furnances
as well as processing and handling equipment. Lawmakers
also appointed former Falls City Administrator Bill
Bradberry to the board of the County IDA. The owner
of Fiddler Roofing in Wheatfield was removed to make
way for the appointment. John Petrozzi telling reporters
it was because he plans to run against Patti Weiss for her
seat on the Republican committee...but it looks like the
change was made to stop bills in Albany by Antoinne
Thompson and Francine del Monte that would guarantee
a spot on the Board for the President of the Falls chapter
of the NAACP. The bill has already passed the Senate,
but had not yet been introduced in the Assembly.

FILL THE BOOT

Lockport firefighters raised just over $5,800 for
the MDA Tuesday morning in a Fill The Boot drive
at several locations in the city. Firefighter Doug
Nicholson said people were very generous and
they found everything from change to a $50 bill
when they looked at the proceeds. About 25
firefighters, mostly off-duty, collected the money
downtown at Main and Cottage and several
other spots on Locust by the High School, and
at Pine and Walnut where a local emergency
room nurse joined in the effort, and at Niagara and
Transit. They hoped to raise about $7,500 and
Nicholson said they may do it again to make up
the difference. Last year's collection raised
$6,100. The money was turned over to the MDA
but members of the fire department will be on the
telethon August 31 to make an official presentation.

CANALWAY WATER TRAIL

The Director of the State Canal System announced
a new canalway water trail yesterday during a visit
to North Tonawanda. Carmella Mantello said the
designation would improve about 100 existing launch
sites by making them more user friendly. The goal is
to have a canoe-kayak launch site every 1o to 15
miles statewide. Some of the sites selected in the
first phase will see upgrades including restrooms and
showers. There'll be some shoreline improvements at
some others to make water access easier. A second
phase is planned that would add more sites and add
kiosks and flags but there is currently no funding in
place. The owner of Paths, Peaks, and Paddles in the
Town of Tonawanda said visitors come from across
the country to use our canal system.

COUNSELING?

A 38 year old Newfane woman was arrested by Lockport
police yesterday after she allegedly attacked her 15 year
old son during a counseling session at the Monsigneur
Carr Institute at 20 Market. Louise Daugherty of 106
Meadow Brook Lane was charged with endangering the
welfare of a child. Police reports said the mom began to
swear at her son during the session and the boy swore
back. The mother than allegedly slapped her son in the
face and the therapist and anothet employee had to
physically restrain her as she attempted to punch the boy
at least three times. Police said the mother was arrested
because she was the primary agressor. The boy was sent
to live with an aunt after he absolutely refused to stay
with his father.

LEWISTON RESULTS

Incumbents Bruce Sutherland and Victor Eydt
were re-elected to four year terms on the Village
Board in yesterday's election in Lewiston. Ernest
Krell and Terri Mudd were chosen to fill two year
terms left vacant by Michael Marra and Ron Winkley.
Unofficial results say Sutherland received 330 votes
and Eydt 303. Krell tallied 330 votes and Mudd 276.
Terry Collesano ran unopposed for Mayor. The new
Board will be sworn in at 6pm July 6.

SIGNAGE

The Niagara Falls City Council passed a resoltuion
Monday giving state and federal authorities ten
days to respond to their efforts to improve signage
in the City. Council President Sam Fruscione said
they've been trying to get them to do so for 25
years, and the Tourism Advisory Board and USA
Niagara joined the effort about six years ago. There's
been no response, so the Council will give them
ten days to respond to the Mayor. If they don't, the
City will move ahead and tell the Traffic Department to
begin removing the unnecessary ones and begin
installing new ones that'll send people in the proper
direction. The resolution says the current signage
is woefully inadequate for a number of reasons and it's
critical because 8 to 10-million people visit each year and
they have difficulty finding their way around. The
City has between $3,000 and $6,000 in the Tourism Fund
budget to start the effort. It comes from the Bed Tax and
won't affect taxpayers.

MUSIC STORE BURGLARIZED

About $2,500 worth of merchandise were taken
during an overnight break-in at D'Amico Music
at 2703 Pine Avenue in the Falls. Police discovered
the burglary around 5am Tuesday after they found
a door window shattered. Several guitars were taken
along with $70 in cash from the register.

LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST FORMER WHEATFIELD HISTORIAN

Officials in Wheatfield have filed a lawsuit against
former Town Historian Chuck Cederman claiming
he's failed to turn over camera equipment and other
materials since he was replaced in January. They
want $10,000. Town Attorney Bob O'Toole said
Cederman would be allowed to respond to the action
before they take him to court. He said the amount of
the action could increase if the Town determines the
stuff that's missing is worth more, or there are other
items found to be missing. Cederman was replaced in
January by Walter Bisset when Tim Demler left office.

WHEATFIELD BURGLARY

A Wii entertainment system, 8 games, and a 17 inch flat
screen monitor were taken Tuesday from a home in the
6600 block of Wheatfield Pendleton Townline Road. A 58
year old woman said it happened between 8:30 and 4:30.
Deputies said entry was made through a kitchen window
and a bedroom was ransacked. At least two credit cards
were also stolen.

SUMMER FILM SERIES

Nine Dustin Hoffman films will be shown on Thursday
nights over the summer at the Riveria Theatre in North
Tonawanda. The series kicks off July 1 with "The Graduate."
The other movies in July will feature "Wag The Dog," "Tootsie,"
and "Kramer Vs Kramer." "Midnight Cowboy," "Little Big
Man," "All the Presidents Men," "Marathon Man," and
"Rainman" will be shown in August. The doors will open at
6:15 on Thursday nights and a pre-show Wurlitzer performance
by a house organist will start at 6:30. The movies will start
at 7. Admission is only $3.

SHUTDOWN AVERTED

The 11th extender bill to keep the state running for
another week passed the Senate 34-27 last night with the
help of three Republicans. It contains about $325-million
in cuts to mental health and human services programs...and
there's also a provision shifting about $100-million in
spending to the counties. It's beginning to look like the
budget may get passed in pieces, the weekly extenders
have included nearly $80-billion in spending for the
current year. That's about 60 per cent of what's thought
will be the final budget amount of around $135-billion.
It's being reported that a tentative deal has been struck
behind closed doors to take care of part of the deficit by
collecting taxes on cigarettes sold to non Indians at
reservation stores. The current plan calls for the state
to issue coupons to Indians to buy cigarettes tax free
while wholesalers would be required to place the state
tax stamps on all others distributed to Indian retailers.
The State is hoping to begin collecting the tax by
September 1 while also adding another dollar to the
state tax on each pack.

FALLS COUNCIL

Falls controller Maria Brown said she was pleased
with the outcome last night after an outside auditor
delivered a report on the city's financial outlook at the
end of 2009. She atttributed the good report to proactive
budget monitoring, saying her office was very agressive
to make sure that departments do not overspend their
budget. she said she sent out e-mails every month
reminding the department heads it was their
responsibility to watch their spending. Laura Landers
of Freed, Maxick and Battaglia said the city finished
the year with a $1.39-million deficit, but Brown said
it was no surprise, that they had planned to make up
the difference by using some of the fund balance. She
called it a "planned deficit," and the budget was balanced
by using some of the Aid To Municipalities aid
provided by Albany. She said they did good. The city
finished the year with an undesignated fund balance of
$4.2-million. Brown warned they needed to watch their
spending because of the uncertainity of continuing aid
from Albany.

PALADINO AIDE INDICTED

A top aide to Republican gubernatorial hopeful
Carl Paladino was indicted by a Manhattan grand
jury yesterday for allegedly stealing more than a
million dollars in campaign funds that Mayor
Michael Bloomberg gave to the state Independence
Party last year. John Haggerty Jr has been charged
with money laundering, grand larceny, and falsifying
business records. His company, Special Elections
Operations was also named in the indictment. Paladino
hired Haggerty about 45 days ago to manage his effort
to get enough signatures to force a Republican primary
in September. Spokesman Michael Caputo said unlike
a typical career politician, Paladino doesn't throw his
friends under the bus. He said Haggerty is a loyal
and straightforward man of character, that they were
satisfied with his version of events, and that he would
remain on their team in his present capacity.

FILL THE BOOT

Off-duty Lockport firefighters collected donations
at key intersections this morning for the upcoming
Labor Day MDA telethon. The Fill the Boot effort
started around 7am today near City Hall, the High
School, and other locations.

RAIL SUMMIT

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter made the keynote
presentation yesterday at a day-long summit on
high speed rail in Albany. Falls Mayor Paul Dyster
was among the 200 or so civic, business, and rail
leaders attending. The focus was basically on getting
the money needed to put the system into place. Dyster
urged the audience to think in terms of the longr range
benefits because it will take a long time to build and
lot of cash to get it started. He was accompanied by
City Planner Tom DeSantis. State officials say the
high speed rail passenger service will create jobs and
boost tourism and help the economy. New York has
been awarded $151-million in stimulus money for
rail projects.

MORE ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES FILED

A Wheatfield woman charged in January with
inappropriately housing dogs and endangering
the welfare of her two kids is now facing further
animal related charges. Forty year old Joelle
Kott of Norman Road was charged last Thursday
with six counts of violating the agriculture and
marketing law. The statue covers overdriving,
torturing, and injuring animals and failing to
provide proper sustenance. The charges stem from
her January 29 arrest when officials took 47 dogs
from an unheated kennel at 3049 Niagara Falls
Boulevard and from a nearby farm and her home.
They said the animals and her children were living
in deplorable conditions...adding that they thought
Kott meant well in her rescue efforts but let the
situation get out of hand.

DANCING NAKED IN THE WOODS

Nobody was arrested around 5:45am Sunday after two
men from Hamilton, Ont. were found drunk and naked
on Saunders Settlement Road near Tuscorora Road in
Lewiston. State Police said the two had gone to the
St. John Dela Salle carnival in the Falls and decided
later to dance naked in the woods. One of the men was
found on the road and the other was passed out in a
ditch. They were 22 and 23 and were treated and released
at Mount Saint Mary's Hospital. Trooper William Persinger
said they took the Saint John's fest and made it into their
own Woodstock event.

HUBBY ARRESTED

Twenty-seven year old Matthew Siuda III of 118 Continental
Drive was charged with third degree assault around 8:45
last night after he allegedly beat up his wife earlier in the
day. Lockport police said the wife clammed up after being
told her husband would be charged, but they noticed
bruising, swelling, and redness around her right eye, right
lip, and cheek and said she was walking with a limp. The
wife said a 2pm verbal argument turned physical and he
grabbed her by the face and began to squeeze. He allegedly
kicked her in the upper thigh and grabbed her by the face
again...forcing her to the floor...where he began banging her
head on it. Police said Siuda was booked and held. The wife
refused to sign a statement.

SHOPLIFTING AT TWO STORES

A 43 year old Lockport woman was charged with
petit larceny around 6:15 last night after she
allegedly shoplifted items frrom the Rite Aid at
125 South Transit and the Wilson Farms at
95 South Transit. Crystal Knowles of 80 Cottage
was arrested in the parking lot of the Wilson Farms
after she could not provide police with a receipt for
the items. Workers at both stores said Knowles
put stuff into her bag...and then went to the
checkout and asked to return them for a refund.
When she was told she had to have a receipt, she
allegedly walked out of both stores without paying
for the merchandise.

LOCKPORT WOMAN ACCUSED OF HITTING JOGGER

A 19 year old Lockport woman was charged with DWI
and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident
after she allegedly struck a jogger Sunday morning at
Tonawanda Creek and Minnick Roads. Kirsten Ritchie
of Rogers Avenue was charged at 9:30 am near her home
by the State Police. The jogger suffered minor injuries
and was treated and released at Millard Fillmore
Suburban Hospital in Amherst.

CUOMO SUPPORT FALLS A BIT IN NEW POLL

Andrew Cuomo's favorability rating has fallen
eight points in the new Siena Research Institute
poll released today. His lead against Rick Lazio and
Carl Paladino also fell by six points. Cuomo leads
Lazio 60-24 per cent, down from 66-24 on May 24.
Cuomo's lead over Paladino fell to 60 to 23 per cent,
down from 65-22. In a Republican party primary,
Lazio leads Paladino 45-18 percent. The same survey
also showed a six point drop in the favorability rating
for Senator Kirtsen Gillibrand. Senator Chuck
Schumer also saw his favorability rating falling below
60 percent for the first time ever. It's now down to
54 per cent with 32 per cent saying they don't have a
good view of him.

STATE SHUTDOWN

Senate Democrats expect to have the 32 votes
they'll need today to pass an emergency
appropriations bill that'll keep the state running
for another week. One of those votes may have to
come from a Republican. Bronx Democrat Ruben
Diaz continued to insist Sunday that he will not
vote for the bill that contains $300-million in cuts
to mental health and human service programs in
the coming year. The State Government will have
to shut down at midnight tonight if it fails to pass.

ZOOM

The Niagara Falls Inspections department will be
involved tomorrow as the ZOOM team conducts a
blitz of the area between Main and Whirlpool Streets,
beginning at Chilton Avenue and working along Ashland
Avenue and Spruce Streets to Cedar Avenue. Acting
Director of Code Enforcement Dennis Virtuoso says
every two weeks they go into a neighborhood. He said
it's a combined effort by the DPW, the police and fire
departments, and inspections and they look for
housing and zoning violations or anything that would
be covered by the property maintenance code. They
go from house to house and from property to
property. For example, those with high grass will be given three
days to cut it or it'll be done for them and they'll get
a bill. The Inspecttions Department found about
50 violations Saturday during it's own blitz on Falls
Street.

LEWISTON VILLAGE ELECTIONS

Seven candidates wil l be competing tomorrow for
four seats on the Village of Lewiston board. Two of them
are incumbents who were appointed to fill seats
after their occupants resigned to take seats on the
Town Board, and another replaced Bill Geiben when
he became mayor last Fall. Longtime Board member
Terry Collesano received both the Republican and
Democratic endorsements for Mayor and is running
unopposed. Voting will be from noon till 9 at the Village
Hall.

INLIGHTEN

The company that considered buying the three
stone buildings on Canal Street in Lockport
has bought a facility in Clarence. In Lighten
paid $2.15-million for a 45,000 square foot
facility at 9465 Wherle Drive. It closed Friday.
The Clarence Development Agency offered them
a special pilot plan including a ten year freeze on
property taxes and five years of sales tax relief.

PERSON OF INTEREST

A 45 year old man arrested Friday in Pennsylvania and
charged with two murders there...may be linked to an
unsolved slaying in Orleans County in 2007. Steven Patrick
Robert of Emporium, Pa. is being held without bail in the
murders of a man and a woman on April 12. Orleans County
officials say he's a "person of interest" in the shooting death
of 47 year old Kevin Smith in the Town of Shelby on Feb 9, 2007.

ON LINE BOOKINGS

A report cited by Niagara USA says more than half of the
tourists who visited the Falls during the last year booked
their reservations on the internet. The study was done by
Longwoods International. It said 58 per cent of travellers
booked their vacations to the region on-line, a figure that
is 17 per cent above the national average. Niagara Tourism
& Convention Corporation president & CEO John Percy
says they expanded their marketing on the web in
May of last year and their on-line reservation system
generated $750,000 in sales between then and May of
this year. Visitors can go to their site and get all their
work done in one spot rather than visiting multiple
sites to book rooms or to buy tickets for attractions.

OUTDOOR SERVICES & PICNIC

Lockport's Second Presbyterian Church will kick off
a summer of outdoor workship services Saturday night
that'll be followed by a picnic and special programming.
Commissioned lay pastor Barbara Cattrall Wallace says
the outdoor service will be at 5pm and the picnic begins
at 6. The Wrights Corners Presbyterians and the First Presbyterian
Church are joining them in contributing to the event. A special
program at 7 will feature guests from the network of biblical
storytellers and a bicycling group will talk about their
mission to travel from the Falls to New Orleans to raise
money for housing projects. The program on the following
Saturday, June 26, includes music from the McKenzie
Highlanders Pipes and Drums and there'll be free roast
beef sandwiches provided by Little Robbins Restaurant.
The outdoor services, picnic, and entertainment will
continue on Saturdays through September. There are
still opportunities for local musicians to perform and for
local restaurants to provide meals. Call 550-3607. The
chuch is at 71 Van Buren Street in Lockport.

ARTPARK

One of the most popular funk groups of the 70's
kicks off the 2010 free concert series tomorrow night
at Artpark in Lewiston. It'll be the second appearance
for War. They wrapped up the 2008 series with an
unforgettable jam session. Tomorrow night's opening
act will be "Then & Now." The show's free but it will
cost you $10 to park. It's also against the rules to carry
any food or beverages into the park. The opening act
starts the show at 6:30, but the venue opens at 4 for
children's activities.

FIFTIES NIGHT

It's 50's Night tonight at the Lockport Monday Night
cruise. President Pat Schrader says they try to get
more 50's vehicles and hope the attendees dress
in the style of the era. DJ Hank Nevins will play a
lot more 50's tunes than usual. Schrader says the
crowds have been good so far this year, some vendors
are reporting long lines and Schrader says they may
have to get some more picnic tables. It runs from 6 till 9
at Ida Fritz Park.