LEGISLATURE CALLS ON STATE FOR HELP FOR FALLS MEMORIAL!!

The Niagara County Legislature Tuesday called on Albany to help bail out Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center's psychiatric units with a $5 million cash payment and other aid. "We have to demand more of our state officials to help us wtih this health care crisis," said the lead sponser of the resolution, Legislator Renae Kimble, D-Niagara Falls. The measures were passed after Memorial President and CEO Joseph Ruffolo blamed the county for the psychiatric unit's woes, and county Social Services Commissioner Anthony Restaino called that "a categorical misrepresentation of the truth." The units, unique in the county, employ 175 people. Some layoff notices have alreaqdy gone out.

SUPER TUESDAY IS UPON US!!

New York State offers one of the big prizes in today's Super Tuesday primaries, as Republicans and Democratsalike look to clarify the most competitive presidential contest in generations. Most observers believe Sen. John Mccain will carry New York's winner take all for the Republicans, as well as solidify his lead in the national contest that features 24 primaries and caucuses across the nation. But the real New York contest will pit favorite daughter Sen. Hillary Clinton against Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. And although Clinton is heavily favored throughout the state, the primary's proportional nature in all 29 congressional districts means Obama could very well pick off a significant number of delegates in New York City, and maybe even Western New York. We shall see!!

LOCKPORT MAN STILL MISSING!!

The search for a missing Town of Lockport man continues, with the whereabouts of 57 year old Arnold Barnett still a mystery. The Locust Street man hasn't been seen since early lsat Thursday morning, when security cameras caught him leaving the Seneca Niagara Casino, where he had been gambling along that evening. A check of the casino's parking areas and nearby city streets failed to turn up anything. His wife called police after not hearing from him in 24 hours. State Police investigator John DiPasquale said yesterday that troopers are looking into the possibility that he drove off a road somewhere in the county. Barnett's wife told state troopers he did not appear despondent when he left on Wednesday, and that he does not have a cell phone.

DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET COMING TO LOCKPORT!!

The owners of Niagara County Produce are opening a new farmer's market in downtown Lockport come the fall. Niagara Produce Lockport completed its purchase of the former Brewhaus Coffee and Cafe at 112 Chestnut St. on Monday, and will establish a market there, according to co-owner Jody Chesko. She says she is thrilled with the idea of being a part of downtown revitalization.The Lockport Market will offer all of the same goods offered at Niagara County Produce, the thriving enclosed market at South Transit and MillersportHighway. It's owned by Chesko and her parents, who have run that market for the last 47 years. Mayor Mike Tucker lauded the purchase, and said the city will assist them by selling a portion of Washburn Street to the company fo conversion into a parking lot. And the cost for that effort: Tucker say his one dollar bill, is now in the mail!!

BILLS GET THE GO-AHEAD FOR HOME GAMES IN TORONTO!!

The Buffalo Bills have finalized a deal to play one regular season in Toronto over each of the next 5 years. The agreement also includes 3 pre-season games over that 5 year span. The deal has been in the works for almost a year, and was first made public in October. It will start with the 2008 season, and run through 2012. It is likely to be formally announced in Toronto sometime in the next week. The Bills believe the deal will help strengthen the viability of the franchise by expanding the team's geographic market and expanding revenue at a time when there is great pressure on the NFL's small market teams to find new revenue sources. It's expected the game in Toronto will be played in December, when games at the Ralph are harder to sell out, because of the weather.

WAL-MART SUPERCENTER FACING 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR DELAY!!

Town of Lockport Supervisor Marc Smith says he thinks lawsuits against the town and Wal-Mart may drag on from 6 months to a year. Smith, a guest of the Lockport Rotary Club at their weekly meeting Tuesday, took an audience question about the lawsuits and when a town-approved supercenter is likely to be built. "My best guess is it'll be 6 months before the suits are settled, maybe a year. I hope it's not that long." Late last year, Wal-Mart received town approvals for construction of a supercenter where the Lockport Mall stands. Within a month of that approval by the planning and zoning boards, Lockport Smart Growth and individual homeowners near the mall filed 2 suits alleging the boards broke town and state laws in granting the approvals. Smith said he does not foresee the company abandoning the project now. "After all the money they've spent, that wouldn't make any sense."

STANDOFF SUSPECT WON'T FACE ADDITIONAL CHARGE!!

The man involved in a police standoff on Olcott Street will not face charges in connection with another incident in Gasport earlier that day. Michael Huntington held police at bay with a shotgun for over 2 hours on January 14th, before finally surrendering. Before the standoff, Huntington reportedly drove a stolen car to the home of a friend on Quaker Road in Gasport, where he allegedly fired a gunshot. At the time of his arrest, the Sheriff's Department was looking into the Quaker Road incident, to determine if Huntington would face reckless endangerment charges. The decision has now been made not to press those charges against him, for the incident in Gasport. Officials say witnesses there didn't want to testify against him, and that they were more concerned about his mental health.

POWER OUTAGES CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS IN WNY!!

More than 50,000 Western New York residents are without power as high winds continue to slam into the region.The power outages represent both National Grid and NYSEG customers currently without power, but spokesmen with both companies say that number is constantly growing. The High Wind Warning will remain in effect for all of Western New York until 6pm tonight. A cold front is producing winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour, with gusts up to 60mph. That front moved into the region shortly after 3am this morning. Temperatures dropped rapidly and possible thunderstorms can be expected in the area as well. As the temperture dropped, some areas of rain turned to snow. Gusty winds have been kicking the snow around, causing poor visibility during the morning rush hour, power outages and some downed trees. To report power outages: for National Grid call 1-800-867-5222. For NYSEG call 1-800-867-1131.

HARTLAND SHOOTING PROMPTS MANHUNT THAT ENDS IN NEWFANE!!

A shooting suspect is in custody after a Tuesday morning manhunt that led police on a search through Hartland and Newfane. The suspect, 38 year old Karl Heigl, is accused of shooting 24 year old John Walsh outside 3100 Bishop Road, where both men were living. A 911 call reporting a domestic disturbance at the hame came in to the sheriff's department dispatch about 11am. Both men were reportedly intoxicated, and arguments had been going on in the house all morning long. The fight escalated, and Walsh and Heigl ended up outside, where Heigl allegedly shot Walsh once in the ankle with a shotgun. Heigl fled the scene on foot, apparently leaving the gun inside the house. Walsh was transported by Wright's Corner Fire Company to the company's fire hall on Route 78, where he was flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC. He underwent surgury Tuesday night, and his condition has not been released. Officers from the Lockport Police Department and the State Police assisted sheriff's deputies with the search for Heigl, which lasted an hour and a half. He was eventually found in his mother's home on Transit Road in Newfane. The search involved bloodhounds and k-9 units as well as a sheriff's department helicopter. Heigl eventually surrendered peacefully, and officers took a gun from inside the home for evidence. He's expected to be arraigned in county court sometime this week.

ERIE CANAL TO CLOSE EARLY THIS YEAR, BECAUSE OF DROUGHT!!

The Erie Canal will close to recreational and commercial traffic a bit earlier this year. Because of persistent drought conditions in the Mohawk Valley. The New York State CanalCorporation will close the state's canalsystem to recreational traffic on Nov. 1st, and to commercial traffic on Nov. 7th. That's a week ahead of the originally schedule closing date of Nov. 15th. The change in scheduling is one of many ways the corporation is working to conserve water. The Canal has closed before nov. 15th before, but never as early as Nov. 1st, according to the corporation's website.