PROPERTY TAX CAP

The Governor told legislative leaders Sunday he
wants them to consider his property tax cap
proposal in their budget negotiations. Paterson
wants to limit the amount of real property tax
growth that school districts, counties, cities, towns,
villages, special districts, and fire districts can levy.
His proposal calls for it t0 be limited to four percent,
or 120 per cent of the annual increase in the
Consumer Price index, whichever is less. The bill
is based on the reccomendations of the Commission on
Property Tax Relief. The Senate is already behind the
idea but it's stalled in the Assembly. This year's budget
will surely be late as it's due at midnight Wednesday.
The Senate was expected to pass an emergency
appropriations bill this morning to keep the State
running through April 14. The Assembly passed it
Friday night.

DAIRY FARMERS

Senator Chuck Schumer and the nation's top
anti-trust investigator are in Batavia today.
They're meeting with upstate dairy farmers and
consumers at Genesee Community College to
explore potential anti-competitive practices in
the dairy industry. The Assistant Attorney General
in charge of the Justice Department's anti-trust
division, Christine Varney, is there at Schumer's
request. He wants her to look into price disparities,
excessive market concentration, and marketplace
transparency. About 25 farmers from all over the
State will have a chance to speak.

TELETHON

Sunday's 48th annual Variety Kids Telethon on
channel 7 raised $1,251,331. Nine year old Sara
Kopasz of Lewiston was this year's Celebrity Child.
She was presented with a bicycle for special needs
kids during the 12-hour broadcast. The show
originated from the Adams Mark Hotel in downtown
Buffalo. The proceeds go to Womens and Childrens
Hospital. Variety Club Chair Ed DeVantier is also from
Lewiston. The entire cast joined together for the show's
traditional ending of "God Bless America." "Help 0ur
Kids Smike" was the theme of this year's appeal.

SABRES IN PLAY-OFF'S

The Sabres say individual game tickets for the
four potential first round home games in the
Stanley Cup play-offs will go on sale a week from
today. Dates and opponents have yet to be
determined. There will be about two-thousand
tickets available for each game. Buffalo earned a
spot Saturday night with a convincing 7-1 win over
Tampa Bay. Derek Roy scored a hat trick and
Patrick Lalime won his 200th career game with
the win.

NO WORLD RECORD FOR HEINRICH

An attempt by Heinrich Chevrolet to earn a spot
in the Guinness Book of World Records for the
largest Chevy truck parade fell short yesterday.
At least 220 Chevy pick-up's showed up but they
needed 250. Charley Heinrich said some of the
vehicles that took part did not register. The oldest
that signed up was built in 1940. The parade started
at 1pm at Outwater Park and made it's way to Transit
Road. Proceeds from a basket raffle, 50-50 split, and
hot dog sale were donated to Niagara Hospice, as was
a $10 entry fee for each truck which was provided by
Heinrich.

ALBANY SCHOOLTEACHER KILLED IN AMHERST

Amherst Police are investigating the death of
an Albany area schoolteacher. Thirty-one year
old David Park was fatally shot by a homeowner
around 1am Sunday after he claimed the teacher
had broken into his home on Millbrook Court.
Police said Park was visiting friends. His sister
said he was attending a diaper party for a close
friend whose wife was expecting. Detectives are
investigating reports Park left the party for awhile
and then entered the wrong home when he returned.
No charges had been filed against the homeowner as
of last night. Park passed away at Millard Fillmore
Suburban Hospital.

TERRORIST THREATS

A 49 year old Falls man who held police at bay
for five hours Saturday night will be arraigned
today on charges he made a terrorist threat and
falsely reported an incident. Nelson Ramos of
271 Hyde Park Boulevard allegedly confronted a
neighbor around 7:15 pm and said he was going
to hurt people. He told him to get his kids out
of there and that he had a bomb. As police
approached, Ramos jumped into the trunk of a
nearby car on D Street and slammed down the
lid. Police evacuated about five residents from
nearby homes and called the State Police, the
Sheriff's Department and the NFTA Police to
help and negotiations began. Around 11:30,
Ramos told them he wanted to give up but he
couldn't open the trunk. A State Police bomb
robot opened the drivers side door and
found a trunk release under the dash. The
robot was equipped with a rod to open it.
No bombs were found.

WAL MART SHOPLIFTERS

A 25 year old Lockport woman was charged
Saturday night with shoplifting about $272
worth of merchandise from the Transit Road
Wal-Mart. Jennifer Jarvis if 35 West High Street
was taken to the County Jail on $500 bail. The
store manager said Jarvis and a friend bought a
small plastic garbage can and two reusable
Wal Mart bags and then went through the store
and placed numerous items inside them. The
friend was not charged.

CHIMNEY FIRE

The Adams and Saint Johnsburg Fire Companies were
called around 7:30 pm Saturday to put out a chimney
fire in a home at 7138 Nash Road in Wheatfield. The
51 year old homeowner tried to put it out himself
using dry chemicals before calling for help. Officials
said there appeared to be very little fire damage to the
two-story Cape cod style home but they did have to
ventitlate it to clear the smoke.

MARIJUANA CHARGES

Two Lockport men were charged with possession of
marijuana during a traffic stop by police around 4am
Saturday on LaGrange Street. Thirty-eight year old
Rodriquez Bembo of 5777 Sweetwood Drive was
charged with an equipment violation, aggravated
unlicensed operation, and possession of the drug. His
passenger, 22 year old Lamont Candy Jr of 25 Harvey
with possession. Bembo was pulled over for a
malfunctioning brake light. He said he had some pot
in his sock. Candy told officers he had some in his
underwear. Some more was allegedly found in the
glove compartment.