FALLS WOMAN KILLED IN FIRE

A 64 year old Falls woman died this morning as a
result of injuries she suffered during an overnight
fire at 2114 22nd Street. Susan Hurtt was removed
unconscious from a second floor bedroom by
firefighters and taken to the Medical Center where
she passed away. The fire was reported around 10pm.
It did an estimated $25,000 damage to the building and
$6,000 to it's contents. Firefighters cleared the scene
just before 3am. We're told it was caused by the
improper disposal of smoking materials and the
smoke detectors on the second floor were not working.
A second blaze was reported at 5:30am at 2017 22nd.
It was also in a 2 story home and the damage has been
estimated at $35,000 to the building and $10,000 to
it's contents. All the residents got out safely. The cause
has not yet been determined.

STOLEN VEHICLES

Three vehicles that were reported stolen were found
around 8pm last night in a wooded area east of Chew
Road on the Tuscorora Indian Reservation. One of
them was a $35,000 GMC Envoy owned by a Falls
woman who said it had been taken from Fantasy Island.
The Sheriff's department was led to it's location by
OnStar. Deputies said it had been stripped of it's
passenger sliding door, front grill, and tires and there
was damage done to the inside. A 2001 Chevy Silverado
was also found that had been reported stolen out of
Amherst. It was stripped of it's tires and passenger
door and the steering column was damaged. The third
was a 2005 Chevy Silverado that had been stolen from
McCartney Electrical on Linden Avenue in Buffalo. It
was stripped of it's tail gate and the steering column was
also damaged.

FIRST NIAGARA

First Niagara Financial Group reported record
operating earnings yesterday for the sec0nd quarter...
$44.9-million or 22-cents a share. That's up 76% from
$25.5-million or 18-cents a share a year ago. Officials
attribute the increase to it's two Pennsylvania
acquisitions, strong commercial loan and core
deposit growth, and their stable credit quality.

DOMIN CAUGHT

The 37 year old man who allegedly stole a Dodge
Charger Wednesday and led police on a high speed
chase down the Boulevard was caught yesterday
morning after a citizen in North Tonawanda saw
him walking on Ruie Road and called police. John
Domin was arrested a short time later at a nearby Red
Apple convenience store. He's facing multiple charges
including grand larceny, unauthorized use of a
motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, fleeing a police
officer in a vehicle, and two counts of child endangerment.
The last leveled because Domin's girlfriend and her
two children..one 1 1/2 and the other 2 1/2 years of age
were in the Charger for most of the chase. He's also
facing a variety of vehicle and traffic charges. Domin
said he spent Wednesday night in the woods after
avoiding capture. He was arraigned in Wheatfield
Town Court and ordered held without bail until his
next court appearance Tuesday.

OLD HOME WEEK

Lockport's Old Home Week kicks off tomorrow
with two parades and other activities. Chairman
Jay Krull says a kiddee parade starts at 11am at the
Erie Canal Discovery Center and the Grande Parade
is set for 1pm. It'll start at the hospital and go
down East Avenue and Main Street and end at
Ida Fritz Park. Between 110 and 120 units will be
in the March and he expects it will run 2 1/2 hours.
A family concert will be held at 4pm at the Lockport
United Church of Christ. Opening day ceremonies
and more music will begin at 5pm at City Hall. It'll
feature the Jackie Davis band and the group 21. Sunday's
events include a Welcome Back breakfast with former
astronaut Bill Gregory from 8 till 11 at the Holiday Inn.
He will also be at the Lockport Town Hall from 1 till 4.
A complete list of all that's going on can be found at
Lockport Old Home Week.com

PALACE CELEBRATES A BIRTHDAY

Lockport's Palace Theatre will celebrate it's
85th birthday during the Old Home Week celebration.
Free tours will be offered every half hour from 6-9pm.
The movie Casablanca will be shown at 7:30 pm Sunday
and admission will be $5.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The Director of Patient Services for the County
Health Department reported Thursday the
number of people visiting the sexually transmitted
disease clinic has been steadily rising...but Wanda
smiley said the number of actual cases has been falling.
She said more than 1,500 men and women visited the
free clinic in the Trott Access Center last year. The
number of confirmed cases was generally down except
for chlamydia and syphilis. There were 173 confirmed
cases of chlamydia compared to 103 in 2007. Ten
cases of syphilis were confirmed. There were four in 2008
and none the year before that. Three cases of HIV were
also confirmed out of 767 tests that were adminstered.

UNEMPLOYMENT

The Governor said yesterday about 190,000 New
Yorkers will benefit from the extension of
unemployment benefits signed yesterday by the
president. Paterson said state lawmakers can
help the unemployed by passing his bill that
would increase maximum benefits for the first
time in a decade and restore the state's unemployment
system to solvency. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter
said the bill signed by Obama will retroactively restore
payments to recipients who started losing their
benefits as early as the end of May. She said 12,000
people in Western New York will benefit from the
extension.

ONE NIAGARA

State Supreme Court Judge Frank Caruso Thursday
ordered one of the owners of One Niagara in the Falls
to post a $500,000 bond to protect the building on
Rainbow Boulevard from tax foreclosure. Frank
Parloto Jr and his company...Whitestar Development..
were told to post the bond in light of more than
$476,000 in back property taxes owed on the building
from 2006 & 2007. The co-owners, Incredible
Investments Limited..sued Parloto and Whitestar
in June in an attempt to force them to pay the back
taxes. The $476,000 is just a portion of the $1.57-million
in property taxes owed on the structure. They could
put the property on the tax foreclosure list due out
later this year.

FLOOD PLAIN

The Lockport Common Council o-k'd a federally
mandated flood control law Wednesday that
includes the revised flood plain maps drawn up
by FEMA. The only people in the city left in the
flood plain are the residents of the Common on
Davison Road. The new law imposes a $50 fee
for anyone wanting to build in a flood plain to
apply for approval by the Building Inspection
Department.

DOMIN CAUGHT

Sheriff James Voutour announced today that John
Domin ...who was wanted for questioning in
connection with a stolen vehicle and high speed
chase yesterday....has been taken into custody.
An anonymous citizen contacted the North Tonawanda
police deparyment and advised them that an individual
matching Domin's description was walking on Ruie Road
near a Red Apple Store. Upon North Tonawanda patrols
arrival Domin was located and detained at the store.
Sheriff's deputies responded and Domin was taken into
custody without incident. He's currently at the Sheriff's
office and the investigation is continuing.

FIRE TRUCK

Lockport lawmakers decided last night to give
Fire Chief Tom Passuite one more chance next week
to convince them they need to buy a new custom made
pumper truck. Passuite had told them a bid for truck
that cost $80,000 less should be rejected because it did
not include features he thought were important. He
wants to buy a $529,000 model that includes a foam
sprayer that he says works better than the one on the
lower priced truck. Alderman Andrew Chapman had
questioned the purchase but he told the Buffalo News
he would give Passuite a chance to show why he needs
the more expensive one. Former alderwoman Diane
Tuohey questioned Chapman during last night's public
comment section. He admitted he had never toured
the Fire Department and that he did not know Lockport
businesses have lower fire insurance premiums due to the
city's large number of hydrants and it's pumper capacity.

NYSEG

NYSEG has cut the size of the rate increase they
requested last September from the State Public
Service Commission. The company now wants the
o-k to hike electric rates by 2.2 per cent next year,
1.2 per cent in 2012, and 1.5 per cent in 2013. They
also want permission to increase natural gas charges
by 13 per cent over three years. The proposal must be
approved by the five member PSC board. The company
had originally submitted a plan last year that would
have boosted a typical residential electric bill by
almost 19 per cent a month and natural gas by 17 per
cent. Public hearings have been scheduled in Rochester
and Bnghamton, but none locally.

NIAGARA FALLS SPORTS FESTIVAL

Applications are out in the Falls for a Sports
Festival that'll be held on Saturday July 31 at
Sal Maglie Stadium. Associate Youth Director
Patricia Travis says the idea originated with the
City Council. They hope it will become an annual
event. It will include soccer for those between the
ages of 8 & 12 and basketball for those between 12
& 18. Registration and sign in will start at 8am and
the games will be played from 9 till 6:30. Forms can
be picked up at City Hall or at the DPW Department
on New Road and at the Weed & Seed office on
Highland Avenue. They're also available at the Boys
Club and at city parks and pools. Everyone that
participates will get a t-shirt, a free lunch, and a dog
tag medal. Everything is free, the City Council is
picking up the tab. She invites the community to come
and watch.

CANDIDATE NEEDED

The democrat who was going to challenge State Senator
George Maziarz in the November election has dropped
out of the race. That's Christopher Scrock of Wilson.
The Board of Elections says he signed a letter declining
the nomination. The Democrats have till tomorrow to
find another candidate or Maziarz will run unopposed.

BAIL SET FOR WALLESHAUSER

County Judge Matt Murphy agreed Wednesday to
set bail for a Town of Lockport man accused of
sexually abusing two boys after he learned the man's
father is ill and could die within days. Fifty year old
Michael Walleshauser of Parkwood Drive had been
held without bail in the County Jail since he was
arrested last Friday. He's charged with felony counts
of predatory sexual assault of a child and of committing
a first degree criminal sex act and with a misdeameanor
count of attempted sex abuse. One of the alleged victims
is under 11 and the other is between 11 & 13. Murphy set
bail at $20,000 and Walleshauser was given till Friday
to post additional security consisting of all of the equity
in his home. He will also be subject to probation and
pre-trial supervision including unannounced home visits.
He was ordered to stay away from the two boys. Walleshauser
had worked with the Scouts but the victims were not members
of his troop.

ALBANY

The governor made plans yesterday to force lawmakers
to come back to Albany in the coming weeks to finish the
state budget. It's nearly four months overdue. The
democratic majorities in both houses insisted Paterson
can't do it because they never formally ended a session he
had called months ago. Paterson rescinded those previous
sessions yesterday and said it restores his constitutional
authority to call them back. He called it a "silly charade"
that they've been in extraordinary sessions for the last
185 days. The budget was due April 1.

EMPIRE STATE GAMES

Opening ceremonies were held last night at UB Stadium
for the 32nd annual Empire State games. First Niagara
donated $500,000 to help bring them back after they
were suspended last year due to the state's financial crisis.
A coalition of other businesses and individuals raised
another $600,000 to support the competition and opening
ceremonies. About 6,000 athletes are taking part in 27
Olympic style events and another 20,000 are expected to
watch. The competition will be going on primarily at
UB, Erie County Community College, Niagara University,
and Canisus College. This is the fifth time the games have
been held in Buffalo. They'll be in Rochester next year.

OVERCHARGE

Lockport is among five local school districts that'll
be getting some money back as part of a $20-million
settlement announced Wednesday by State Attorney
General Andrew Cuomo. Food services provider Sodexo
admitted they failed to pass along savings they realized
bu cutting sweetheart deals with suppliers. Lockport
will get about $7,500, Lew Port about $2,100, Roy
Hart a bit more than $2,400, Medina $2,000, and
North Tonawanda a little over $12,000. The settlement
covers 20 school districts, a child care association, and
SUNY. The State will get $15-million, the whistleblowers
$3.6-million, and the remainder goes to the victims. Cuomo
said the company failed to pass along the savings between
September 2004 and the end of last August.

NEWFANE

In news from Newfane, a worker at the Tim Horton's
on Lockport-Olcott Road told the sheriff's department
yesterday someone had passed a counterfeit $20 bill
sometime between 6am & 2pm. Meantime, a 20 year
old Main Street man said a $520 aluminum canoe had
been stolen from the embankment behind his home. He
said it had been locked up to a tree, the chain was
missing but the lock was left behind, still locked. The
last time he used it was two to three weeks ago.

WALLESHAUSER

A prosecutor said last night the case against a
50 year old Town of Lockport man will go to
a grand jury within 45 days after he plead not
guilty in Town Court to sexually abusing two
boys. Michael Walleshauser of Parkwood
Drive was charged last Friday with committing
a felony first degree sex act, predatory sexual
assault of a child, and attempted sex abuse. He
was fired Monday from his position as a Cub
Scout leader but the sheriff's department said the
victims were not associated with the scouts.
Assistant DA Robert Zucco told the Union Sun
& Journal one crime allegedly happened within
the past two weeks and the other sometime last
Summer or Fall. He said it was an ongoing
investigation. Walleshauser is currently being
held without bail but Zucco said it could be set
once the case is sent to County Court. Walleshauser
is married and has children.

TEMPORARY SUPERINTENDENT

The Newfane School Board last night appointed
Christine Tibbetts to be the district's interim
superintendent when Gary Pogorzelski retires
in about two weeks. Tibbetts previously served
as interim superintendent for three months when
Pogorzelski was out for health reasons. She'll
be paid $500 a day until a permanent superintendent
is named in the Fall. Tibbetts worked in the district
for 29 years as a teacher and principal at the Early
Childhood Center. She finished her time there as
the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and
Assessment. She also served as school superintendent
at Lyndonville for five years starting in 2000.

PALADINO MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT

The Paladino campaign announced yesterday they
had collected nearly twice as many signatures as
they needed to challenge Ri ck Lazio in the Republican
primary in September. He had to get 15,000 signatures
including 5 per cent from voters in each of at least
15 of the state's 29 Congressional districts. Paladino
is also ciculating petitions to create an additional line
on the November ballot called the Taxpayers line. It
would assure him a spot on the ballot if he loses the
primary to Lazio. Both he and Paladino trail Democrat
Andrew Cuomo in the polls.

LOCKPORT MAN CHARGED WITH DWI

A 27 year old Lockport man is charged with DWI
following an accident at 10:30 last night on Plank
Road. Police said they were notified by Onstar an
accident had taken place and the driver was not
responding. They said no one was in the heavily
damaged vehicle when they arrived but they found
Gordon Chapman of 59 Weld Street hiding in the
bushes near the creek. He exhibited all the signs of
intoxication and failed field sobriety tests. A 22 ounce
can of LaBatt Blue was in his pocket. A check showed
his license had been suspended for a previous DWI.
He allegedly tried to pull away as officers attempted
to take him into custody and was said to be
uncooperative at headquarters. Chapman was also
charged with resisting arrest and obstructing
governmental administration.

HOLLOWAY

County Judge Matt Murphy sentenced 22 year old
Phillip Holloway yesterday to 35 years to life for
shooting Deion Wood to death last June in the
Falls. Holloway did not speak in court on the
advice of his attornies. They feared that anything he
might say could hurt his chances of overturning his
conviction on appeal. His accomplice, 27 year old
Darrius Molson, was sentenced to 22 years to life
on June 29.

BURGLARY

A sony playstation and eight games were stolen Tuesday
from a home on Evergreen Village Drive in the town of
Lockport. The victim told Sheriff's deputies he left his
residence for about 20 minutes and came back and the
stuff was gone. There was no sign of forced entry but
the victim insisted he had locked the door when he left.

NEWFANE PRO AM PAR 3

About $500 worth of items were reported missing
yesterday morning from the Newfane Pro Am Par 3
golf course. Three coolers, one worth $315, were
taken from an area near holes 5 & 6. Two flag sticks
and flags and a plastic cup dispenser were also missing.
A 72 year old employee said he followed ATV tracks into
the woods with negative results. He said this is not the
first time property has been taken from the course this
month, but it is the most costly.

GEISE SENTENCED

Newfane dentist Scott Geise was sentenced to 15
months in federal prison Monday after pleading
guilty to filing a false health care claim and a false
tax return. The trial of the 48 year old had already
begun in March with witnesses being called when
he decided to take a plea. Judge Richard Arcara
also ordered Geise to pay $125,000 restitution to
insurance companies and the federal government.
He sentenced him to three years of post release
supervision as well. Prosecutors said the Army
veteran of the Persian Gulf War devised a scheme to
defraud insurance companies by submitting false
claims. He also admitted to employing an additional
scheme to defraud General Motors and Delphi's
self-insured dental plan and to assisting another
person with the submission of a fraudulent claim for
health care benefits to the Laborers Local 91 Welfare
Fund. He also admitted he failed to record cash
receipts for his business, Newfane Family Dentistry,
as income.

ONLY ONE

The Republican running against Assemblywoman
Francine del Monte this Fall says most of her campaign
money is coming from outside the district. John Ceretto
says he found 49 seperate donations totalling $21,185 in
her latest filings, but he says only one came from within
the district and it came from a company that subsequently
went out of business. Ceretto says the vast majority came
from Albany and New York City based organizations.
Twenty-eight came from political action committees that
often are very influential in advancing or blocking legislation
in Albany.

SHAWNEE VOLUNTEER FIRE CO

The Shawnee Volunteer Fire Company will host the
111th annual convention of the Western New York
Volunteer Firemens Association tomorrow thru
Saturday. It'll bring firefighters from the 11 Western
New York counties to their grounds on Lockport Road
in Wheatfield. The events include an EMT competition
at 7pm Thursday in the Starpoint gym. A memorial
service honoring WNY firefighters who passed away over
the past year is set for 9am Friday at St. Paul's United
Church of Christ on Mapleton Road. A grand fireman's
parade will be held at 7pm Friday. It'll start on Lockport
Road between Shawnee and Townline Roads and continue
to the fire company grounds.

CANAL FEST

North Tonawanda won the annual tug of war yesterday
between NT and the City of Tonawanda at this year's
Canal Fest. It only took about 30 seconds. Crowds are
expected to the line the streets tonight for the annual
parade. More than a hundred units will be in the march
which starts at 6:30 at Main & Minerva in Tonawanda.
The route goes down Main, across the Renasissance
Bridge and onto Webster Street in NT. The theme is
Sports Spectacular.

EARLY MORNING ACCIDENT

An Amherst man was charged early Monday with DWI
and leaving the scene of an injury accident after Lockport
police found his Ford Ranger had struck a telephone pole
on Ohio Street around 2:30am. Thirty-seven year old
Michael Lewis of Millersport Highway was also charged
with unreasonable speed. Police found him hiding under a
bush in the woods near the scene. His passenger, 41 year old
Daniel Fry of Tonawanda Creek Road in Pendleton was found
bleeding from his right arm and stuck in the vehicle. He and
Lewis were treated at ENH-Lockport.

BILLS SHUTTLE

The NFTA holds a public hearing at 6 tonight in the
Falls on the future of the Buffalo Bills shuttle bus
program. It'll be held at the Authority's Transportation
Center on Factory Outlet Boulevard. Only one person
showed up last night at a similiar hearing in Buffalo.
The program will either continue as is if costs can be
reduced, shrink from seven routes to four, or be
discontinued entirely.

THOMPSON PICNIC

State Senator Antoine Thompson holds his fourth
annual free outdoor cook-out from 5 till 7 tonight
at the Oasis at Hyde Park in the Falls. We're told
there'll be music and food for everyone and you should
bring your own lawn chair for comfortable seating.
Thompson also announced he will hold his monthly
free public breakfast Saturday from 8:30 till 10 at the
John Duke Senior Center. Mayor Paul Dyster, Deputy
DPW Director John Caso, and North Star Project
Director Kevin Cottrell are slated to speak. There'll be
a representative from the police department there as
well.

FIELD TRIPS

The Lockport Department of Youth and
Recreation is offering a Thursday afternoon
field trip to a Bisons game this week. It's only
$8 including the cost of transportation. The
bus will leave at 11:45am and return about an
hour after the game. Children under 12 must be
accompanied by an adult and those under 18 need
a parental permission slip. The department will also
sponsor field trips to the Aquarium of Niagara and
the Fort Niagara pool on July 29, the Buffalo Zoo
on August 5, and Fantasy Island August 12. They won't
take reservations over the phone, but you can call them
for information at 434-3071.

COCAINE

A 21 year old Falls man plead guilty in federal
court Monday to conspiracy to possess with
intent to distribute 50 grams or more of crack
cocaine. Aarmon Askew jr of Packard Court
promised to cooperate with authorities in
prosecuting other drug and gun cases. He
has been identified by prosecutors as a leader
of the local chapter of the Bloods. He faces a
minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum of
life in prison when he's sentenced November 9.
Askew was among 24 people arrested in a joint
federal, state, and local crackdown on narcotics
trafficking in the Falls on March 11 of last year.
It's leader, Sean McIver, plead guilty June 25 to
engaging in a criminal enterprise.

NEWFANE POOL TO BE CLOSED TUESDAY

Newfane Athletic Director Doug Ames says the
high school pool will be closed Tuesday for
repairs. He said they would be replacing a
pipe that acted up last week. All the
swimming activites that take place at the pool
starting at 7am will be cancelled Tuesday. The
pool is open today.

NEW POLICE OFFICERS

Falls City Administrator Donna Owens says the
16 new officers that'll be joining the police
department soon will reduce overtime costs and
increase police prescence. The recruits are
currently in the Police Academy where they'r
learning how to be patrol officers by riding with
experienced officers during their work hours.
Superintendent John Chella said they would be
assigned to accompany the veterans for ten weeks
before they're sent out alone. He hopes they will
produce a more visible police presscence in the
downtown tourist area making visitors feel safer
and cutting down on the recent rash of car break-in's.

CANAL FEST

County lawmaker Pete Smolinski was among those
attending Sunday's opening festivities for the 28th
annual Canal Fest in the Tonawanda's. He started by
warning Tonawanda Mayor Ron Pilozzi they won't
have an easy time of it in the annual Tug of War between
the two cities. He said NT Mayor Rob Ortt has a bad
back and urged the rest of the team to take up the slack.
Canal Fest President Larry Denoff said more than 500
people donated 20,000 hours of work to make the yearly
event a reality. The opening featured remarks from the
mayors of the two cities, the introduction of the Canal
Fest queens, the raising of the flag, and a ceremonial
cannon shot from the Rennaisance Bridge, where the
ceremony was held. The theme of this year's parade is
Sports Spectacular. It starts at 6:30 Tuesday night at Main
and Minerva in Tonawanda. It'll go down Main Street and
pass over the bridge onto Webster Street in NT.

WYNDHAM LAWN

A female resident of Lockport's Wnydham Lawn Home
allegedly punched, kicked, and bit another girl Saturday
night after they argued about the use of a bathroom. The
Sheriff's Department said the two had been seperated by
personnel, but one broke lose and found the other. One of
the girls was treated at ENH-Lockport. The alleged
assaliant is due in Family Court Friday for previous
incidents that recently happened at the facility.

FIGHT AT ALDI'S

Lockport police arrested a 41 year old man around
7:15pm Saturday following a disturbance in the
parking lot of the Aldi's store at 601 South Transit.
Phillip Dearborn of 144 Grant was arrested at his
home after he left the scene. He was charged with
assault and menacing. Police said the victim told
them he was loading his car with groceries when
Dearborn struck up a conversation with his son.
He said he was concerned for the boy's safety and
asked Dearborn to leave. He said at that point Dearborn
began to swear at him and allegedly came at
him in a threatening manner. Police reports said
the victim suffered scrapes on his leg and he said he
had been kicked below the waist. Dearborn could not
tell police why he left the scene. He said he was on
anxiety medication.

LOCKPORT MAN CHARGED WITH DWI

A 23 year old Lockport man was charged with driving
while intoxicated last night after he allegedly sideswiped
a car parked in front of 178 Erie Street. Raul DeSantiago
of 326 South Street was also charged with improper lane
use in the accident that happened at 10pm. Both vehicles
suffered minor damage.

APARTMENT BURGLARIZED

Two pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $3,500
were taken from an apartment on Sweetwood Drive
in the Town of Lockport overnight Saturday. The
29 year old victim said a white gold ring and a
white gold tennis bracelet were taken in the break-in
that happened between 6pm Saturday and 4:15am
Sunday. Sheriff's deputies reported two bedrooms
were entered and clothing and other items were thrown
about. Entry was made by breaking the molding on a
window on the front door.