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.

House approves $7.8M for air base

The US House of Representatives approved $7.8 million to be earmarked for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. The money will be used to build quarters for visiting airmen. The current facilities are 50 years old and do not meet ADA standards. The funding must now be approved by the senate before it becomes law.

Delphi to hire temporary workers

Delphi will be hiring a number of temporary workers this summer at it's Lockport plant to replace current employees that plan to take the company's proposed retirement incentive plan. Under the terms of the labor deal, Delphi can hire these workers at $14 per hour, significantly less than the $27 per hour that the union workers now recieve. Applications for the temporary jobs will be available at Mayor Michael Tucker's office. People with skilled trades credentials are encouraged to apply.

Tanker closes route 93

A section of Route 93 was closed for a good part of the day yesterday after an 18-wheel tanker truck rolled over on its side spilling liquid asphalt and diesel. The accident happened just after 7:30 Friday morning closing the bypass between Robinson Road and State Street. The driver, 69-year-old James Hagen of Hamburg, crawled out of the wreckage. He was treated at the scene by Rural Metro, then taken to Lockport Memorial Hospital with a head injury. The Sheriff's Department says the truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of liquid asphalt when he lost control. The truck skidded about 80 feet into a ditch and landed on its right side. About 200 gallons of asphalt and 30 gallons of diesel spilled and were cleaned up by hazmat crews.

Schools lag behind taxes

New York schools are 48th in the nation for graduation rates, while property taxes are the highest in the country according to a report issued today by the Alliance for Quality Education. Spokesman Mike Davoli blames the state's school funding formula. He says the 12 year study of districts across the state shows the need for improved state funding. Davoli says dropout rates of 1 in 3 are all too common. He says the study found a direct correlation between per-student spending and graduation rates. The new state budget includes and increase to account for inflation, but he says it just preserves the status quo. He says the system needs an overhaul with more funding coming directly from the state.