H-1 N-1

A resident of the Eastern end of the County passed
away earlier this week from a suspected case of the
H1 N1 flu. County Health Director Dan Stapleton
said it was a middle aged adult who had underlying
medical conditions. It's the first death in the County
linked to the flu since the outbreak began in April.
Stapleton said it did not mean the virsus has
changed ane become more severe and that most
people get well at home in in two to seven days.
The Health Department will have a community meeting
at 7 tonight in the Newfane Middle School auditorium
about the clinic they will hold on December 11.
Stapleton told WLVL plans have changed and they
don't have enough vaccine for every member of
the household, only the children will receive the shots.

LOCKPORT CARES

Ribbon cutting ceremonies were held yesterday
for Lockport's new emergency shelter at 192
Genesee Street. It's called Lockport Cares and
UCC Pastor Steve Hall welcomed all the
volunteers who helped in the 2 1/2 year effort
to open the facility. "Lockport Cares" is a
broad coalition of a number of agencies,
individuals, businesses, social service
organizations and churches. The shelter is
designed to help men, women,and children
who have no place else to go. They'll be given
food and shelter for up to ten days and be
provided with counseling to get their lives
on track. The festivities were attended by
Sheriff Jim Voutour, Town of Lockport Supervisor
Marc Smith, Mayor Mike Tucker and State Senator
George Maziarz. The director of the Outreach
Ministry at Saint John The Baptist Church, Jim
Haid, recognized the growing need for the shelter
back in 2007.

NEW COUNTY GOP PARTY CHAIRMAN

Mike Norris was named the new Chairman of
the County Republican Party yesterday during
a meeting at the Wheatfield Community Center.
He immediately resigned as a prosecutor for the
Town of Lockport. He also handles traffic court
for the City and Corporation Counsel John
Ottaviano said the matter needs to be discussed.

NIAGARA FALLS LIBRARY

Members of the Niagara Falls Library Board
decided Thursday to hire an interim director
while they search for a replacement for
Betty Babanoury. The former executive
director quit November 4. The five trustees
also hope to improve their relationship with
the city in a meeting with the Mayor later this
month. The Board also announced, after a
45 minute closed door session, that they plan
to ask the director of the NIOGA Library System
for reccomendations on former librarians
who might be interested in the interim posiiton.
They said it might take several months to find
a permanent executive director.

FLASHING SIGN

State Supreme Court Judge Richard Klock said
yesterday he is not willing to bar Town of Lockport
businessman Dave Mongielo from using his flashing
video sign unless a Town Justice finds he violated
the Town's Zoning ordinance. Klock said he would
dismiss lawsuits filed by the Town and Mongielo if
Mongielo is found not guilty by Town Justice
Raymond Schilling next Tuesday night. Mongielo is
charged with four counts of alleged code violations,
each carries a maximum fine of $250.

TENTATIVE SETTLEMENT

The six members of the Niagara Falls Public Works
Department who filed suit over alleged racial
discrimination could be paid $33,000 each under a
tentative settlement announced Thursday. The City
Council will vote on the proposal Monday. Emmet
Cox, Joe Paulk, Richard Hill, Bruce Palmer, Bill
Wilson, and Hugh Leftwich had wanted as much
as $16-million. City Corporation Counsel Craig
Johnson said the deal was reached with the help of
State Supreme Court Judge Ralph Boneillo. The
suit was filed six years ago.

BIG DOINGS IN WHEATFIELD

Big doings in Wheatfield this morning as
ceremonies were held welcoming the Viatran
company to the Woodlands Corporate Center.
It'll be their new headquarters for their
operations in Western New York. They've
signed a lease for about 18,000 square feet of
space at 3829 Forest Parkway. Viatran was
formed in 1965 by three people inside an old
garage on the West side of Buffalo. They now
have offices on Grand Island, in Franklin, Ma,
and Malaysia. They currently employ about 50
people and plan to add another 25 workers
within the next three years. Viatran makes
pressure and level sensors used by oil and
gas services, steel producers, and food and
medical producers. The Dynisco Company
is their parent and they will receive low cost
electricity from the Empower Niagara program.

SCAM

A Lockport man telling police yesterday he had
gotten several phone calls saying he had won
cash and a Mercedes and he needed to send
money to claim them. The caller's name was
Peter White and the calls originated from the
876 area code. Police found the calls were
coming from Jamaica and say charges could
be applied to your phone bill if you call them
back. They are advising you to ignore the calls
should you get one.

BUSTED AT THE LAUNDROMAT

Falls police say they found nine ounces of crack
cocaine ona 19 year old woman last night at a
laundromat at Hyde Park & Ontario. Chiaka
Gabby of Hyde Park Boulevard was busted around
6pm after police allegedly found the drugs in a
laundry bag. Narcotics Captain Morris Shamrock
said the laundry was targeted as a pick-up and
drop off site. The cocaine was said to have a street
value of more than $15,000.

DRUG CHARGES AFTER TRAFFIC STOP

Two Lockport residents are facing drug charges
following a traffic stop just after 2am today on
Cottage Street. Forty-one year old Anthony
Luke of 178 Green allegedly had crack cocaine
hidden in a body cavity and police said they found
more on the passenger side where he was sitting.
Twenty-nine year old Josephine Brooks of 355
Pine allegedly had four tizandine pills in her front
pocket. She was charged with not having them in
their original container and Luke with possession
of a controlled substance.