INLIGHTEN SAYS NO

The Depew company that was interested in buying
those three re-habbed buildings on Canal Street
backed out of the deal Monday. The news came in
an e-mail sent to City Hall. In Lighten said they
would announce a new location next month but had
decided to eliminate Lockport as a potential candidate
for the future home of their headquarters. Company
President & CEO Dan Synder said restrictions on
development and use of the property made it
insufficient to meet their needs. Mayor Mike Tucker
said they had just put some basic things in the
potential agreement that any municipality would do
to make sure they were covered. He said Synder had
never given any indictaion in the past that they were
deal breakers. He said they were very open with the
company and did some things for them they would not
do for anybody else. He said he was disappointed to
get the news in an e-mail, that a phone call would have
been appreciated. The company would have also
leased 20,000 square feet at Harrison Place if the deal
had gone through.

A GRAND JURY TO DECIDE

The case against a 17 year old Lockport boy
who allegedly struck and killed 17 year old
Adam Mottorn last November is being sent to
a Grand Jury. Anthony Cescon was charged
with leaving the scene of an accident on Poter
Street. He told police it was an accident but
officials believe it may have been intentional.
Captain Richard Podgers told the Union Sun
& Journal Cescon admitted to meeting Mottorn
to get some marijuana but he did not intend to
pay for it. He said homicide and any additional
charges are in the hands of the District Attorney.
Cescon is free on $25,000 bail.

MAKING A TERRORIST THREAT

The Falls man who held police at bay for five
hours Saturday night is being held in the mental
health unit at the Medical Center. Forty-nine
year old Nelson Ramos was arraigned there
yesterday on felony charges of making a
terrorist threat and falsely reporting an
incident. His next court date will be on April
26. Ramos allegedly threatened his neighbors
on Hyde Park Boulevard, telling them he was a
suicide bomber and he planned to blow up his
house on D Street. He jumped into the trunk of
a car as police approached and a State Police
robot was used to get him out. No explosives
were found.

NO SMOKING

The County Legislature's Public Works Committee
voted last night to place "No Smoking" signs in
County Parks but does not plan on enforcing the
ban. The signs are being donated by the Erie-
Niagara Tobacco Free Coalition. They tried to get
the committee to agree to enforcing the
restriction, but Public Works Commissioner
Kevin O'Brien said it would be more or less a
public relations effort, encouraging people
rather than hitting them over the head. The
resolution calls for the signs to be posted near
beaches, splash parks, playgrounds, restrooms,
warming houses and athletic fields. It says
enforcement will be through voluntary
compliance. The ban must still get
through another committee before it'll be
voted on by the Legilsature next Tuesday.
The coordinator of the Erie-Niagara Tobacco
Free Coalition is slated to address lawmakers
the same night. The Committee also voted to
use a bit more of the stimulus money to cover
cost over-runs on the reconstruction of
Wheatfield-Pendleton Townline Road. It's
about a third complete.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Catholic Charities announced Monday they had
raised $8,095,433.47 in cash and pledges, or 77.1
percent of their $10.5-million goal. Bishop Edward
Kmiec said the appeal will continue through the end
of their fiscal year on June 30. Saint Peters in
Lewiston led the county in donations with $98,164.00
in cash and pledges. Parishoners at Lockport's
Saint John The Baptist contributed $77,998.70.
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph parish in
the Falls reported in with $82,028.55. The total at
All Saints in Lockport was $36,056. Saint Mary's
was $29,077.95. Some others, Pendleton's Good
Shepherd parish $28,913....Saint Brendan's in
Newfane $30,329....and Our Lady of the Lake in
Barker, $5,166. The other parishes in the Falls
reported the following amounts. Saint John de
LaSalle $35,8312.....Saint Mary of the Cataract
$43,820.97....Divine Mercy $7,594....Saint Raphael
$27, 514...and Saint Vincent de Paul, $60,040.

STATE BUDGET

The State budget will be late. The Senate passed an
emergency spending bill yesterday that'll keep the
government running till April 15...and then left for their
Passover-Easter vacation. They are not expected back
till April 7. The State's new fiscal year begins Thursday.

$25,000

A Lockport woman has won $25,000 in the Lottery's
"Money" scratch off game. Thedora Kromer bought
her winning ticket at Bailey's Food Mart at 3821
Lockport Road in Sanborn.

FOUR POSSIBLE LAWMAKERS

Four people will be interviewed tonight after they
expressed an interest in the 14th district county
legislature seat vacated by Kyle Andrews. Republican
David Godfrey of Burt is an information technology
specialist and the current president of Wilson Fire
Company No 1. David Moyer of Wilson is a former
Republican who changed his affiliation to the
Conservative party after an unsuccessful run for
Town office. He's the owner and operator of Wilson
Hardware and a past member of the Town Zoning
Board. Kathy O'Keefe lives in the Village of Wilson
and owns the Noah's Ark toy store in Lockport. She's
currently an elected ward representative for the
Independence Committee in Wilson. Christopher
Srock is the Chairman of the Village of Wilson
Democratic committee. He's a worker at Wilson
Tuscorora State Park, a member of the fire company,
and a soccer youth coach. The four will be interviewed
by Legislature Chairman Bill Ross and lawmakers
Gerry Farnham and Dennis Virtuoso. The session is
open to the public. It starts at 6 tonight at the County's
Economic Development Center on Inducon Road in
Sanborn. The person chosen is expected to be sworn
in next Tuesday night, Andrews quit the Legislature
after he was chosen by the Governor to fill out the term
of former County Treasurer Dave Broderick.

DAIRY PROBLEMS

About 25 dairy farmers spoke about the problems
they are facing Monday during a lengthy session
at Genesee Community College in Batavia. The
meeting was organized by Senator Chuck Schumer
who said processors are making record profits at a
time when farmers are on the brink of going under.
He brought the Assistant US Attorney General in
charge of the anti-trust division along with him.
Christine Varney said the government is aware of
the dairy crisis and the reasons behind it. Schumer,
and the farmers who spoke, blamed part of the
problem on a lack of competition in the milk
processing market. Dean Foods of Texas controls
about 70% locally. Schumer said the Justice
Department must use every tool it has to address the
problem, He also suggested the government needs
to increase the help it provides under the MILC program.

FRAUD

A 64 year old Gasport woman says she got a
letter from the IRS after filing her taxes. It
said her return had already been filed. The
West Avenue resident contacted the Sheriff's
Department. They gave her an identity theft
victims packet.