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Friday, July 31, 2015
Kids from the City of Lockport Youth & Recreation department take a break today at center ice of the Heinrich rink at Cornerstone CFCU Arena. The kids enjoyed a free skating session and lunch at the arena. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

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Over 60 kids from the City of Lockport Youth & Recreation Department attended a free skate today at Cornerstone CFCU Arena.

Attendees ate lunch following the skating session, served by members of the Lockport Ice Arena & Sports Center.

Bob Filighera, general manager of Cornerstone CFCU Arena, said "It was great to see kids that don't get a chance to skate come out on a hot summer day. We hope to see them back soon."

For public skating times at Cornerstone Arena, visit www.cornerstoneicearena.com/publicskating.



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Sandra Bobzien passed away July 31, 2015 in Absolut of Gasport.

Born in Lockport on January 25, 1952 she was the daughter of the late Philip W. and Maria J. (Roef) Jones. Sandra enjoyed gardening. Sandra is survived by her husband Robert Bobzien of Lockport; mother of Darcy Schafer and Joseph Schafer; grandmother of seven; sister of Edward (Cheryl) Jones of Sanborn, Maria (Nancy) Jones of Getzville, Linda (Douglas) Vincent of Lockport, and Philip (Gerri) Jones, Jr. of Wilson; also several nieces and nephews.

No prior visitation. Relatives and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated Monday, August 3, 2015 at 11 AM in All Saints Parish, 76 Church St., Lockport. Interment will be in Cold Springs Cemetery. Memorial donations to the American Lung Association of WNY, 210 John Glenn Dr., Suite #3, Buffalo, NY 14228 would be appreciated.

Visit www.pruddenandkandt.com.



Ruby Lee Johnson passed away July 29, 2015.

Born in Lowndesboro, AL on July 15, 1924 she was the daughter of Willie Spicer, Jr. and Lucille (Reese) Robinson. Ruby was a self-employed housekeeper. She enjoyed watching wrestling, western movies, listening to old school jazz and blues and playing BINGO.  Ruby was predeceased by her husband Henry Johnson in 1969.

She is survived by her children Charley Carr, Dawn Johnson, Douglas Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Kendrick “Kimmie” Johnson, Deborah Johnson, and Lee Quinn Johnson; also survived by her grandson Lamar Johnson and several other grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; sister of Harry, Josephine, Willie Mae, Ernestine, Mamie, Nadine, and Geraldine; aunt to Jadine Spicer several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends may call Monday, August 3rd from 10 AM-12 Noon in Christ Community Church, 140 Genesee St., Lockport where services will follow at 12 Noon. Interment will be in Cold Springs Cemetery.

Visit www.pruddenandkandt.com.

By +Scott Leffler
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com


Roger Sherrie
Lockport mayoral hopeful Roger Sherrie is hoping for a series of debates between himself and follow Democrat candidate Mike Pillot heading into the Sept. 11 primary.

Sherrie send a letter to the City Democratic Committee asking they sponsor the debates. He said that petitioning results of both mayoral campaigns “represent significant, perhaps historic efforts to engage democrats in the election process and they responded enthusiastically.”

"Even though voters may be familiar with my opponent from his two unsuccessful challenges to Republican Mayor Mike Tucker, circumstances in the city have changed dramatically and voters should be able to see and hear from both Democrat candidates so they can compare qualifications and contrast plans each has for the city,” Sherrie said.

“Ideally it would be nice to have a debate in each of the five wards so voters can attend without great difficulty or sacrifice.” But he said finding a suitable location in each ward “could prove difficult. I trust the city committee can arrange a format, ground rules and location(s) suitable to both of us and I call upon my opponent to support my call for these debates.”

Pillot told East Niagara Post this afternoon that he's agreeable to the idea of having debates, providing they can find a format that is fair and agreeable to the parties involved.

Pillot wondered why the debates would not include incumbent Mayor Anne McCaffrey.

Sherrie said it "makes no sense to include the mayor at this point (pre-primary)."



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — The victim of an accident on South Transit Road this morning is in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center.

According to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, the injured party, a 22-year-old male, was operating a Dodge Durango northbound alongside a semi truck-trailer as he attempted a U-turn directly in front of the semi's path.

At the time of impact, the semi was in the inner northbound lane with the SUV attempting the U-turn from alongside it. A collision resulted near the center of the four-lane highway with both vehicles continuing off the road on the west side.

The driver of the SUV had to be extricated using the "jaws of life" device by Wendelville Vol.Fire Co. under the direction of Chief Joel Maerten. Once removed, the SUV driver was flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC for treatment in critical condition.

The driver of the semi reportedly had approximately ten thousand pounds in the loaded trailer, no injuries were indicated by the semi operator.

NCSO accident reconstruction team was dispatched to scene along with crime scene identification unit. The investigation is continuing.

RELATED LINKS: 





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Christie Kalec
CLARENCE —  A 31-year-old Lockport woman found with nearly three times the legal limit for blood alcohol content was charged Wednesday with Felony DWI.

Christie L. Kalec, who had a previous DWI conviction in the last 10 years, was stopped for speeding on Transit Road.

Troopers detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from Kalec, who was taken to the Clarence Troopers' barracks for processing after failing field sobriety tests. While there, she was found to have a blood alcohol content of .22 percent.

She is to return to Town of Clarence Court on Aug. 13.



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — The road closure on South Transit Road between Tonawanda Creek and Fisk roads has been cleared.

According to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, the roadway was re-opened to traffic at 2:15 p.m.

It had been closed since this morning due to a collision between a car and a beer truck. One person was taken to ECMC via Mercy Flight following the collision.

RELATED LINK: 
NOTE: Story edited at 9:40 p.m. Aug. 2 to fix a spelling error.



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — The 9th green at Gothic Hill Golf Course suffered $3,000 in damages after two males reportedly took a golf cart on a joyride on Saturday.

According to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office report, the owner of the course tracked down the two juvenile males on a four-wheeler as they were driving the cart. He "got the males to stop and the cart was brought back to the clubhouse."

When NCSO arrived, they found the damage on the green consisting of tire marks and some grass removal which was caused when the cart drove circles around the flag of the green. Patrol was told that the males were attending a function at the location and that he would get the males so that Patrol would not disturb the function, however, one of the males had fled and was later found on the floor of the backseat of a nearby vehicle.

The male admitted to patrol that he and his brother had taken the carts for a ride around the course after having seen others do the same. He denied, however, that they had done "donuts" on the green, as had been reported.

The golf course owner told patrol that he hadn't specifically seen the two males on the 9th green, but he had spoken with others who had. Patrol told him that if someone else signed a deposition stating they had seen the males damage the course, charges could be brought.

The two males were asked to leave. No charges were filed.



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Mike Pillot, running for City of Lockport Mayor on the Democrat line, has received the endorsement of Laborers' International Union of North America Local 91.

The union informed Pillot via a letter on Monday of the endorsement decision. Pillot forwarded that letter to East Niagara Post. It follows in its entirety:
Laborers' Local #91 strongly supports Michael J. Pillot running for City of Lockport mayor on the Democratic line. Michael holds certain qualities such as honesty, and determination that are crucial for the city to succeed. Michael sincerely cares about the people that live in Lockport. He has good intentions of helping residents to live more comfortably by making improvements in finance departments that affect the everyday working individual. Michael also has previous union affiliations holding a career as a police officer. As a union member you gain certain traits that are apparent to others such as dependability, great communication skills, and also working together collaboratively to achieve a better place. As you can see with his traits listed above and determination I truly believe that Michael will not disappoint as Mayor of Lockport.

Sincerely,

Richard Palladino

Business Manager

Laborers' Local #91


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ONEONTA — Jordan Perry of Lockport graduated Cum Laude from SUNY Oneonta with a BS in Child and Family Studies. After graduation, Perry joined AmeriCorps and will be volunteering in Denver, Colo.

Nearly 1,000 students who completed the requirements for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and certificates of advanced study in the summer or fall of 2014 or the spring of 2015 were honored during the college's 126th commencement in May.

A liberal arts institution with a strong focus on undergraduate research, SUNY Oneonta consistently gains recognition for delivering excellence and value. The college has been named to Kiplinger's list of "100 Best Values in Public Colleges" for nine consecutive years and sits at No. 9 on the 2015 U.S. News and World Report list of the best public institutions in the region. SUNY Oneonta enrolls 6,000 students in its 70 undergraduate majors and 14 graduate programs.



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This week I checked off the most exciting thing, in my opinion. I went to see Shinedown. I suppose a lot of people have not even heard of them, but that is what I appreciate the most. I went to KROCKATHON ’15, in Syracuse. It has been probably eight years since I last attended an event like this one. I wish I could explain my amazement in a more understandable way, but here goes:

The last festival I went to was in 2006 and it was Ozzfest at Darien Lake. I was 16 years old, and it was one of the best days of my life, and the best concert I’ve  attended; until Saturday.

Shinedown was the headliner so they did not come on until last, and there was a storm coming in that delayed them about 45 minutes. Some of the other bands that played were: Trapt, In This Moment, Breaking Benjamin, and a bunch of other bands I had never heard of.

As soon as we got there, there was a man being taken out by about four other male security guards that was cussing up a storm. Then as soon as we began getting situated, a girl was taken away unconscious by the EMT’s… I was perplexed, but still we kept moving forward. I was taken back, mentally to my Ozzfest memories and it felt like the last seven years of my life were replaying in my mind after seeing or smelling everything around. House fire, music, camping, memories flooding in; the absolute feeling of bliss. Concerts like this resonate a feeling of peace that I don’t really feel anywhere else. I am even an antisocial, stay in my own bubble, and semi-claustrophobic kind of person and none of that mattered today. It all just seemed to fall away and be replaced with content.

Shoulder to shoulder, stomach to back, and back to stomach, in a crowd that was dancing, and jumping, and moshing and surfing, and screaming, and laughing, and fainting, and flying. We were singing, and smiling, and holding hands, and pushing and pulling, and everyone was catching the bodies that were literally falling from above to throw them further towards the security guards. I was amazed that I didn’t care how many people were around me. It felt crazy to feel like I was 16 again. It was like I had jumped in a Tardis and traveled back in time to a time where I didn’t have to worry about anything and nothing worried about me.

Standing in a crowd, united by love of music. 9 p.m. came around and it began to pour. My eyeliner was running into my eyes and I was temporarily blinded but I was still smiling. It was pouring and people were booing that Shinedown wasn’t playing yet. There is really nothing like it. It was almost 10 p.m. when Shinedown finally came out. And they came out strong. They played old music and new music. I refrained from socking the men right in the eye, that were growing far too comfortable with touching the strangers (i.e. ME) anywhere they pleased that were around them. It was far past flattered to annoying.

The rain started up again in the middle, and I found myself separated from my best friend Caroline, and standing with a group of guys that were all connected with me, arms around our shoulders standing in a half circle singing along with Shinedown and swaying to the song “Simple Man.” The guy standing to my right told me he lost his mother two years ago, and I told him that my one year anniversary of losing my father was in two days. It was a really nice moment ruined by the guy to my left asking me in a creepy way if I was here alone. When he started talking to someone else and I unlocked my arms and disappeared safely into the crowd.

I finished the song Simple Man singing, screaming and crying to the sky for my dad. It was a perfect moment.

The entire night was amazing. One of the best nights of my life.

During the trip, we visited a new restaurant. If you are in the Syracuse area, I recommend trying the Empire Brewing Co., located at: 120 Walton Street in Armory Square. They are lovely little restaurant located in the basement and definitely try the Cajun Mary Cocktail. This is a spicy bloody mary, with old bay seasonings, and house-made pickled green beans on top. It was pretty great.

I wasn’t going to count this trip as a road trip until my Sunday fender bender on the way to try a new café. This had me going back to Buffalo that night, coming back to Syracuse the next day, to drive my car home, and on to Allegany to spend the rest of the day with my family for the one year anniversary since my father passed away. In total having drove 1200 miles Saturday and Sunday, but it was still an amazing trip, and a much needed vacation. It had its up’s and down’s but the positive outweighed the negative.

On Sunday, we still had enough time to dress up in clown costumes and hide in our best friend Andy’s hotel room. He was coming back from Brazil. He walked in and we jumped out and he screamed pretty high pitched and almost cried. It was a fantastic way to lift my spirits again after the day we had had.

Of course you can’t have an amazing day without following it by a crappy one.

+Jessica Cassick enjoys long walks on a crowd of people, and singing with strangers. Email her at jessica.cassick@eastniagarapost.com.



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — Transit Road is closed from Tonawanda Creek Road to Fisk Road due to an accident this morning between a truck and a car.

Mercy Flight was called to transport one of the people hurt in the accident, who had to be extricated from the vehicle.

It was expected that the main route would be closed until about noon, but police now say it will likely be closed until about 1:45 p.m.

UPDATE: Transit Road re-opened to traffic



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The National Weather Service calls for increasing clouds today with a high near 83. Tonight, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low around 64.

Saturday offers a chance of showers with a high near 80 and a low around 63. Sunday, there's a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 82 and a low around 65. Monday will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms with a high near 83 and a low around 61.

Tuesday: A chance of showers, partly sunny with a high near 76 and low around 59. Wednesday will be mostly sunny with a high near 75 and a low around 60. Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high near 76.



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Thursday, July 30, 2015

Thomas H. Morgan of the Town of Tonawanda, husband of the late, Eva Mollosky Morgan, passed away on Wednesday July 29, 2015 at the age of 93.

A Veteran of World War II, he served in the Army Air Corp, during that conflict. After his discharge from service, he was employed by Western Electric. He traveled around New York State, installing central office telephone equipment, and updating and expanding older telephone offices. He left Western Electric in 1951 and was employed by Bell Aerospace for 26 years, where he worked on many projects including Minuteman. He left Bell Aerospace in 1977, and was employed by Atlantic Research Corp., as a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer. He was assigned to many projects including, Stinger, Tomahawk and MLRS. Retiring from that facility in 1986, he then returned to the Buffalo area. He was a charter member of the World War II Memorial Society, dedicated to help build the World War II Memorial on the mall in Washington DC. He was also a charter member of the effort to establish the Niagara Aerospace Museum, which is now a reality in Niagara Falls, NY. He was also a Life Member of the American Legion Post 1678.

Uncle of Diane (late Lester) Miller, William (Jeanine) Mollosky, Cheryl (Frank) Andrews, Robert (Gina) Mollosky, Susan (Martin) Segarra, Edward (Terry) Halstead and Gayle Halstead.

Calling hours will be held Saturday August 1st, 11-1 PM in Prudden and Kandt Funeral Home, Inc., 242 Genesee Street, Lockport. Interment will immediately follow in North Ridge Cemetery, Lockport. Memorials to the Charity of one’s choice, would be appreciated by the family.

Online Condolences at www.pruddenandkandt.com.
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The National Weather Service calls for mostly cloudy skies early, then gradually becoming sunny with a high near 84. Overnight will be mostly clear with a high near 64.

Friday, there's a slight chance of showers with a high near 82 and a low of around 65. Saturday, there's a chance for more showers and thunderstorms with a high near 80 and a low around 61. Sunday, more showers and thunderstorms are possible with a high near 80 and a low around 62.

Monday offers a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 82 and a low of around 62. Tuesday will be mostly sunny with a high near 79 and a low around 60. Wednesday: A chance of showers with a high near 79.



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Queen Anne's Lace dominates pastures on the Niagara
Frontier. (PHOTOS BY BOB CONFER / CONTRIBUTOR)
Wildflowers of the summer and fall get a bad rap. Too often, people classify them as weeds which is a really unfortunate title for these plants, many of which are extremely beautiful and should be a welcome addition to any lawn or hedge.

One of those “weeds” – Queen Anne’s Lace -- is in full bloom now and adding a little bit of life and color to our landscape.

Identifying Queen Anne’s Lace

Everyone has seen Queen Anne’s Lace. It is a ubiquitous white wildflower, up to 3 feet tall, that is found in dry soils throughout the Niagara Frontier. You will see impressive stands of them on roadsides, along rail lines, in pastures, or in hedgerows.

If you look closely, you will see that what you thought was a large white, circular flower is really an umbel, or a collection of dozens of small flowers coming from a single stem. Collectively, they make for a lace-like appearance (hence the name) which I’ve always thought was best compared to a doily.

Some of them, but not all, will have a lone purple flower near the center of the umbel.

A close look will show you that the "flower" of Queen
Anne's Lace is really a collection of small flowers.
No one knows why that loner exists – some botanists blame a genetic flaw, while others say that it makes insects assume that there is a bug on the umbel, which in turn attracts predatory wasps to the plant, which in turn become incidental pollinators.

The myth behind that random flower is that Queen Anne, when she was sewing the lace, pricked herself with her needle and it’s a drop of her blood that darkened that flower (by the way, no one knows for sure if it was named after Queen Anne of Great Britain or Queen Anne of Denmark).

The stem of the plant has many fine hairs. That stem is very solid and strong as anyone who has ever attempted to pick Queen Anne’s Lace can attest. It takes a really good pull to snap them stem, and you are apt to uproot the whole plant in the process.

As the summer progresses and the flowers have done their deed, they wilt and curl up, becoming brown and cup-like; hence another common name: bird’s nest.      

Wild carrot 

The Queen Anne’s Lace is a non-native species. It was brought here from Europe because early settlers needed a foodstock and the prolific wildflower provided it. The Queen Anne’s Lace is a precursor of the cultivated carrot. It produces a root that smells and tastes just like the carrots you know and love. Unlike farmed carrots, the roots are very small (1 to 3 inches) and it takes quite a few to make a meal. The roots need to be picked when young. As they age, they become starchy, even woody and do not taste good at all.  
Health hazards  

I strongly suggest against eating any wild carrots unless you are extremely familiar with it. Queen Anne’s Lace can be easily confused with its cousin, the poison hemlock, the same plant that infamously killed the Greek philosopher Socrates.

Death by consumption of poison hemlock is painful and labored – it causes muscular paralysis which ultimately prevents respiration from occurring, so the poisoned individual slowly, not quickly, suffocates. As few as a half dozen hemlock leaves will lead to death.

You also need to be careful when picking Queen Anne’s Lace if you are looking to make a centerpiece of the flowers.

The plant juices can cause phytophotodermatitis. If you’ve seen the scary local TV news reports about giant hogweed every summer for the past half dozen years, then you are familiar with what that is. The juices get on the person’s hands, which leads to hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light for approximately 24 hours; the skin, being unable to protect itself from the sun, blisters badly.

So, if you’re going to pick these flowers, wear gloves. And, encourage your kids to not touch the plants.   But, Queen Anne’s Lace is a beautiful plant that’s probably better left alone, admired and appreciated for the color (and interesting stories) that it brings to the Niagara Frontier.

+Bob Confer lives in rural Gasport where Queen Anne’s Lace sometimes fills vases in his home. Follow him on Twitter @bobconfer or email him at bobconfer@juno.com.



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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
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Kathleen Kunkel
GASPORT — A 71-year-old Lockport woman was charged Monday with DWI after New York State Troopers were alerted by a local dentist's office of an intoxicated patient.

Kathleen M. Kunkel was charged with the Class E felony for having a previous DWI conviction in the past 10 years.

NYSP says Kunkel was showing signs of intoxication as she arrived operating her car. When Troopers arrived, she failed standardized field sobriety tests and was determined to be intoxicated. She was transported to Eastern Niagara Hospital-Lockport where blood was drawn.

She was arraigned in the Town of Lockport Court before being remanded to Niagara County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail.



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A West Avenue resident watches as LPD secures the scene Tuesday morning at the site of a box overflowing with an unknown substance. It turned out the substance wasn't hazardous. (PHOTOS BY STEPHEN M. WALLACE / CONTRIBUTOR)

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Shredded plastic or fiberglass caused unwarranted concern.
The Lockport Streets Department and an LPD officer responded with caution Tuesday morning to a strange report of a box that fell off a truck and was spilling a white substance onto the roadway on West Avenue.

As the responders arrived around 10:48 a.m., it was difficult to make out if the overflowing contents were soap bubbles or some sort of hazardous material.

Fortunately, they learned that the box was filled with a shredded fiberglass/plastic type of material and there was no public threat.



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The National Weather Service says today will be sunny and hot with a high near 91. Overnight, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low around 70.

Thursday looks to be sunny, with a high near 84 and a low around 66. Friday, there's a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 84 and a low around 66. Saturday offers a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 81 and a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday will be mostly sunny with a high near 81 and a low around 63. Monday, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 81 and a low around 61. Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 80.



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Donald Trump is falling prey to his own habits and it is costing him his presidential candidacy. In the 1990s, Ivana Trump accused Donald of improper behavior during their divorce proceedings. They were accusations that helped Ivana to take Donald to the financial cleaners in a divorce that anyone who is my age probably remembers. Since there was no Internet back then, the details were never really released and most people forgot about it over time.

Fast forward to last week and now the Democratic Party (I am assuming it is the Democratic Party, it could be the Republicans just to get rid of Trump and his big mouth) roll out Ivana again and ask her to be more explicit in her accusations against her husband. Ivana uses the word rape and Trump’s attorney immediately makes a statement that a husband cannot rape a wife. Bye, bye Donald. It was fun while it lasted.

Sure, Trump is threatening to sue the Daily Beast (the newspaper that printed the quote from his lawyer) and now he is trying to put some distance between himself and his lawyer, but the damage is done. If an energetic scream can derail a Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign, then completely insensitive comments about rape can do the same to a Republican candidate’s campaign. Trump is done and now the bouncing ball moves to the next one in line to get destroyed by the political machine.

This sort of shenanigans happen every presidential campaign and I watch as, one by one, candidates get picked off by the political machine like metal ducks in a shooting gallery. It shouldn’t bother me, but the next metal duck on the conveyor belt is Bernie Sanders and I really like Bernie Sanders.

When Donald Trump fell from grace so quickly and so hard, Bernie Sanders rocketed to the forefront of the field. Notice that you are not even hearing the names Bush and Clinton yet. That is because the real contenders always lay back until the riff raff is weeded out after Christmas. Once the New Year starts, you will see Hillary and good ol’ Jeb out there campaigning and talking about how they are the only answer to our problems. In the meantime, Bernie will be squashed and the Donald will probably have lawsuits pending against a whole bunch of people. Lawsuits are just the way that Trump does business.

The other problem I have with this typical political move is that it has absolutely nothing to do with Trump’s policies or his politics. The fact that Donald Trump was prepared to take a very hardline approach to China and trade should have been enough to derail his campaign before it started. But people were actually into his politics, which should tell you how uninformed the American people really are. People are so wrapped up in what they think are Trump’s answers that it took a personal scandal to bring Trump down. I guess I am grateful that we don’t have to worry about Trump anymore, but I really wish it had been his crazy politics that had brought him down.

So what will it be for Bernie Sanders? It could be another personal scandal as Bernie wrote some extremely offensive and controversial things when he was in college. I guess what bothers me about that is that no one is the same person now that they were in college. Your views change and, as you learn things about people, you start to understand the real issues much better. The things that Bernie was saying while he was in college may not even come close to representing the person he is today. But the political machine will probably use those past writings to chew Sanders up and spit him out.

Face it folks – you and I will have to choose between Hillary or Jeb in 2016. We don’t have a choice. We could have a choice if we would just stop responding so negatively to personal scandals, but that is not our nature. These huge political parties know what the people want and they deliver it every time.

I guess it isn’t so bad because we get 11 months of the two parties going after each other and that is always entertaining. The problem is that I am not looking to be entertained. I want to learn more about the presidential candidates so that I can make the best possible choice. Thankfully, the Internet allows me to do research and understand the politics of each candidate. Unfortunately, no one else seems to care about that stuff.

By the way, has anyone seen a website from any of the candidates for mayor of Lockport? Do you all really want to vote for a candidate who is still stuck in the 1970s? I don’t.

+George N Root III  is a Lockport resident and local troublestarter. His column appears every week and is apparently read by a lot of people. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him an email at georgenroot3@gmail.com. Go Bernie!



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Tuesday, July 28, 2015


Rowland "Skip" Cutter passed away July 27, 2015 in Odd Fellow & Rebekah Rehab & Health Care Center.  Born on September 10, 1936 in Lockport was the son of the late Morris and Ruth (Mosure) Cutter.  Rowland worked in production for Harrison Radiator for 30 years retiring in 1992 upon retirement he was the greeter at Wal-Mart until 2012.

Rowland is survived by his wife Janet (Mottorn) Cutter of Newfane; father of the late Rowland Cutter and two infant daughters; survived by many grandchildren and three great grandchildren; brother of Donald (Mary Ann) Cutter, Ruth (Victor) Trombitas, Joan (late Joe) Humbert, and the late Norman (Cheryl) Cutter, Robert Cutter, Neoma (Bill) Chandler; also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends may call Friday, July 31st from 2-4 and 7-9 PM in Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home, 242 Genesee St., Lockport.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, August 1st at 10 AM in St. Brendan-on-the-Lake, 3455 Ewings Rd, Newfane, NY 14108.  Interment will be in Acacia Park Cemetery.

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ROCHESTER — Randy Cunneyworth has been named Head Coach of the Rochester Americans, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Sabres.

“We are happy to have Randy Cunneyworth move into the role of head coach of the Rochester Americans,” said Buffalo Sabres General Manager Tim Murray. “Randy has already established himself as a valuable member of our hockey department in his previous role as development coach, and his track record for winning in the AHL and developing young players make him the ideal candidate to lead the Amerks.”

Cunneyworth returns for his second stint as head coach of the Amerks after guiding the team to a 306-273-61 record, as well as playoff appearances in six of eight seasons, from 2000-01 to 2007-08. His 306 wins are second-most in team history. In 2004-05, Cunneyworth led Rochester to the AHL’s best regular-season record, going 51-19-6-4 to capture the MacGregor Kilpatrick Trophy. That season, Cunneyworth also earned the Louis A. R. Pieri Award as the AHL Coach of the Year.

Most recently, Cunneyworth served as Development Coach for the Sabres organization. Before re-joining the team during the 2013-14 season, Cunneyworth served as interim head coach for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens during the 2011-12 campaign. After starting the season as an assistant coach, Cunneyworth was promoted to interim head coach on Dec. 17, 2011 and guided the Canadiens to an 18-23-9 record in 50 games. His tenure in the Montreal organization also featured a one-year stint as head coach of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, whom he guided to a first-place finish in the AHL’s North Division followed by a trip to the Western Conference Final during the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs.

In nine seasons as an AHL head coach with Rochester and Hamilton, Cunneyworth has compiled a record of 350-302-68 in 720 games, which ranks him eighth all-time in wins and games coached among AHL head coaches. He also ranks second among active coaches in games coached and third among active coaches in wins.

Prior to his time with the Canadiens organization, Cunneyworth spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Thrashers (2008-09 and 2009-10). He began his coaching career as a player-assistant coach with the Amerks under former head coach Brian McCutcheon during the 1999-00 AHL season and helped the team to an appearance in the Calder Cup Final. Upon his retirement as a player, he was hired by the Amerks to serve as head coach the following season and retained that post for eight seasons, the longest consecutive tenure of any coach in team history.

During the 2006-07 season, Cunneyworth became only the second coach in team history to work 500 career games. He also passed legendary coach Joe Crozier for second place on Rochester’s all-time wins list.

Cunneyworth’s most successful season at the helm of the Amerks came during the 2004-05 campaign, when he guided Rochester to an AHL-best 51-19-6-4 record (112 points). In addition to earning the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s Coach of the Year, the Amerks set several single-season franchise records, including most points (112) and the longest home winning streak which saw Rochester win 17 consecutive home games between Dec. 17 and Mar. 4.

As a player, Cunneyworth had an NHL career that spanned parts of 16 seasons, including three as team captain of the Ottawa Senators. He began his NHL career with the Sabres in 1980-81 after the team selected him in the eighth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft and returned to Buffalo in the 1998-99 season for what would be his final NHL season. In 866 career NHL games with Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg, Hartford, Chicago and Ottawa, the Etobicoke, Ontario, native registered 414 points on 189 goals and 225 assists along with 1,280 penalty minutes.

Aside from two games with the Springfield Indians, Cunneyworth spent his entire American Hockey League career in Rochester. He began his career with the Amerks as a rookie in 1980-81 and went on to record 239 points (101+138) in 377 games over parts of seven seasons, highlighted by a Calder Cup championship in 1982-83. Cunneyworth would spend two more seasons with the Amerks before departing for the NHL in 1985-86, where he would remain for the next 13 seasons. He would ultimately find his way back to the Sabres in 1998-99, helping Buffalo to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final while also taking the Amerks to the Calder Cup Final that same year and again in 2000 as a player-coach for Rochester.

Cunneyworth retired from hockey following the 1999-00 season, ending his career in Rochester ranked 13th on the franchise’s all-time games played list (377) and 19th in goals (101) while finishing 22nd among all-time forwards in points (239).



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Participants in Kenan Center's theater enrichment program will present a free performance at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Taylor Theater.

Participants ranging in age from 6-11 will demonstrate some of the performing skills they learned during the week under instructor Peter D’Angelo.

This is the first year this program has been offered under the Kenan Center’s new summer youth programming with sessions taking place now from 9:30 a.m. -1 p.m.

For more information, call Emily Pellicano at 433-2617, ext. 105.



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Joshua D. Michel, 24, 8984 Ridge Road, Gasport, was charged around 8:18 p.m. Monday with third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree menacing and obstruction of breathing. According to the LPD report, on July 18, Michel had been in an argument on with a woman over money, which turned physical, including Michel choking the woman. When he fled, he took with him some items including an iPhone 6, which he then smashed on the concrete sidewalk, according to the report. Michel turned himself in Monday and is slated to appear in City Court on Wednesday.

Justin M. Arndt, 31, 9780 Seaman Road, Middleport, was charged around 7:21 a.m. Monday with third-degree menacing and second-degree harassment. According to the arrest report, on July 20, Arndt had a physical altercation with a woman. He turned himself in Monday morning and was arraigned in City Court.

Anne M. Leturgey, 30, 350 Chapel St., was charged around 11:52 p.m. Sunday with seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance. According to the LPD report, on June 18, patrol had been called to a Jackson Street address for a trespassing complaint. When they arrived, they found Leturgey. She left while they were interviewing witnesses. Police say she left behind a bag containing a pipe used to smoke crack cocaine. Police found her on Sunday and charged her. She was due in City Court on Monday.

Jamie L. Taylor, 36, 243 Chapel St., was charged around 11:10 p.m. Sunday with third-degree assault. According to the arrest report, Taylor punched a woman in the face. She also punched and kicked her. She was to be in City Court on Monday.

Garrett J. Oliver, 34, 43 Elmwood Ave., Upper Apt., was charged around 3:40 p.m. Sunday with second-degree obstruction of government administration and resisting arrest. According to the LPD report, police went to Oliver’s address for a warrant arrest and found him hiding in a bedroom closet. He was to be arraigned on the new charge on Monday.

Keith R. Blackwell, 38, 80 Corinthia St., was charged around 10:10 p.m. Saturday with a traffic device violation and use of a non-approved vehicle. According to the arrest report, Blackwell was stopped for a traffic stop and found to be driving a vehicle without an interlock device, a requirement of his driving. He was due in City Court on Monday.

Christopher L. Holmes, 22, 268 Chapel St., was charged around 1:04 a.m. Saturday with DWI and having an unattended vehicle. According to the LPD report, Holmes had a verbal argument with a woman in the parking lot of a South Transit Road restaurant. When the woman left, Holmes followed her and continued the argument with her on Lincoln Drive. When police arrived, they found Holmes to be intoxicated. He was due in City Court Monday morning.



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Given a break by Lockport Police, a 41-year-old Gasport man told them he would rather have breakfast.

According to the LPD report, police were called to the 7-Eleven on Park Avenue around 11:50 p.m. Thursday for a complaint of an intoxicated man causing a distrubance in the store. When they arrived, Stefan E. Belliveau, 41, 7947 Chestnut Ridge Road, Gasport, was offered the opportunity to take a cab home and call it a night.

When the cab arrived, however, Belliveau changed his mind, telling patrol, “take me to jail or Denny’s.” He then became belligerent with patrol and was charged with disorderly conduct.

He was due in City Court on Monday.



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Lockport Fire Department trucks will be on hand for tours Sunday at the 
department's second-annual community appreciation picnic at Altro Park.
(ENP FILE PHOTO)
Lockport firefighters will host their second-annual community appreciation picnic from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Altro Park.

Activities for the day will include tours of the fire safety trailer and fire truck, firefighter obstacle course and an inflatable slide. Complimentary food and drink will be provided.

All members of the community are welcome to attend. Donations for Operation Warm will be accepted.



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Colonel Joseph "Joe" Sansone died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on July 20, 2015 in Polson, Montana at the age of 74.

Joe was born on October 9, 1940 in Lockport, NY. He graduated from Lockport High School in 1958, and from Niagara University with a Bachelor and Master degree in 1963.  He immediately enlisted in the United States Air Force, and attended Officer Training School. In his first assignment to Jacksonville Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas he met the love of his life, Sharon Pollett. Over the next 30 years they travelled the World with the US Air Force including tours in Viet Nam, Iran, England, Germany, the Pentagon and various locations throughout the US. During this time the couple welcomed 2 children Joe and Rob. Joe retired from the Air Force in 1990.

After retiring as a full Colonel from the Air Force Joe began a teaching career, as a teacher of ROTC at the high school level.  He taught in Texas, California and 14 years at Aviano Air Force Base in Aviano, Italy. He recently retired to Polson, Montana.

Joe was an accomplished teacher, coach and avid golfer. He had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and to make others laugh, but he was especially passionate about his family, faith and country. He commanded his troops with compassion and humor and taught his students in the same manner. He was an active and dedicated member of the Catholic Church. Joe is remembered as a kind, funny, person who loved life and was loved by everyone. One friend summed up Joe's life this way "he was the most wonderful man, with one of the largest hearts ever"!

Joe is survived by his wife Sharon Sansone, his children, Joe (Lisa) Sansone of Polson Montana and Robert (Shannon) Sansone of Hawthorne, CA; 6 grandchildren Jackson, Gwendolyn, Weston, Ashley, Sage and Finley; his brothers Sam (Diane) Sansone of Lockport, NY and Jim (Rosemary) Sansone of Olcott, NY; brother-in-law, Al Wilson of Wilson, NY; mother-in-law, Faith Pollett, and brother-in-law John Pollett (Carolyn) of Sherwood , AK. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He is preceded in death by his father Joseph V. Sansone and mother Sophia Sansone of Lockport, NY and his sister Rosalind Wilson of Newfane, NY.

All are welcome to attend and celebrate Colonel Joe Sansone’s life. A viewing is scheduled for Friday, July 31 at Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home in Lockport, NY from 2 - 4 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. A funeral Mass is set for Saturday, August 1 at St. Joseph’s Oratory on Market St. at 10 a.m. Joe will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Joe’s memory may make a donation in Joe’s name to the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, P.O. Box 63, Buffalo, NY 14240 or to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences can be sent to Sharon Sansone on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sharon.sansone.54?fref=ts&ref=br_tf. The family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and especially to all of Joe's caregivers.

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The National Weather Service calls for sunny and hot today with a high near 90. Tonight looks to be clear with a low around 68.

Wednesday will again be sunny and hot with a high near 92. Overnight, there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low around 71. Thursday offers a chance of showers and thunderstorms early, then partly sunny with a high near 83 and a low around 63.

Friday will be sunny with a high near 83 and a low around 64. Saturday will be mostly sunny with a high near 82 and a low around 64. Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high near 83 and a low around 65. Monday offers a chance of showers and thunderstorms with a high near 82.



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It seems lately that there are many novels being written that highlight the United States being threatened by terrorism. Playing on the paranoia that we are all vulnerable, these books have become extremely popular. Imagine terrorists, instead of attacking the country outright, kidnap the loved ones of some of our important political leaders. If that doesn’t grab your attention and scare the heck out of you, I’m not sure what will.

No Fortunate Son by Brad Taylor is the seventh book in the Pike Logan series. Logan and his partner and sometime girlfriend, Jennifer Cahill, lead a black-ops military outfit called the Taskforce. As members of various families are abducted, Logan is thrust into the search despite his relative unpopularity with the administration.

Manager of the Taskforce, Kurt Hale, sends Logan and his team into the fray, looking for the son of the Vice-President, and more importantly, Hale’s niece, Kylie. All signs point to a group of Islamic terrorists as the mastermind behind the dastardly plot. But is it all that simple? In a time where Muslims are the easy suspects in any terror-related activity, is it all simply a cover for another group? Is the kidnapping of the VP’s son and Kylie somehow related? These questions send members of the Taskforce across Europe struggling to find the answers.

All indications are that this is a well-coordinated attack against American interests. The hope by the culprits is that the United States will capitulate in order to save the lives of those so important to them. As the rest of the Taskforce chases threads elsewhere, Logan and Cahill follow their guts even though it appears they are way off base. This causes issues with the administration back in Washington, who already thinks that Logan is too “far off the reservation” and dangerous to himself and the public.

With his act-first and think-later personality, Logan bulls his way past ruse after ruse. He bulls his way closer to the truth. In the end, as always, Logan is vindicated in following his gut. Almost everyone gets out alive, at least on the side of the “good guys.”

I have read the previous six books in this series. While some events that took place in earlier books help to set the stage in No Fortunate Son, it is by means necessary to read the others in order to enjoy this installment in the series. There is action from end to end, and you’re not sure which of the “bad guys” is actually running the show. They don’t even seem to know themselves sometimes.

I like Brad Taylor’s thrillers for the most part. Anytime I see one on the new release shelf at the library, I try to grab it. One thing I’ve noticed in the last book and this book is Pike Logan’s personality. As these books have progressed, Logan becomes more and more of a parody of himself. The character never really seems to grow and asks himself the same questions over and over. He’s just an angry man who lashes out every time something doesn’t go his way.

In this book, most of the supporting cast is shuffled off to some other exotic locale, and we barely see much of them in the story. While Logan is quite definitely the lead, the stories in this series have always required an ensemble cast of characters. Too much time was spent on his brooding to the detriment of the other developed members of the cast. Honestly, these issues with the characters were my biggest disappointment, and it wasn’t really that bad.

The premise of the story is really well done. It is very scary to think about terrorists kidnapping loved ones as a means to promote their political agenda. This story is different enough in its approach to make one stop and think for a moment. In a very realistic scenario, your heart beats wildly in your chest as you pray for the freedom of these kidnapped people.

Brad Taylor is a former Delta-Force member who takes his real-world experiences to weave together heart-racing thrillers. In No Fortunate Son, Taylor takes us on a ride that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. I could not put it down once I started. You can pick up this book at your local library. Hurry, before you get put on the waiting list.

+Craig Bacon thinks “Pike Logan” is an awesome name for a bad-ass mercenary. Then he remembers that Craig means “rock” and that Bacon is awesome. Follow his hard-headed rants of grandeur on Twitter at @hippieboy73.



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — A 57-year-old Akron man was charged with DWI during a sobriety checkpoint held over the weekend on the William Gregory Bypass, one of nine tickets written during the two-day operation.

New York State Troopers say that John D. Cooner III had a blood alcohol content of .09 percent. He was issued tickets returnable to Town of Lockport Court on Aug. 13.



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Lockport-area gas has dropped 7 cents according to AAA East Central’s weekly Fuel Gauge report. The average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline, based on reports from 22 stations in the Lockport area, is 2.738, down from $2.811 last week and $3.765 this time last year. The national average is $2.710.

The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has dropped for 12 days in a row, which is the longest consecutive decline since January. Most drivers are paying the lowest July prices since 2009 and are saving 82 cents per gallon at the pump compared to a year ago. Today’s national average price is $2.71 per gallon.

The slow decline in the national average is in stark contrast to regional price volatility that continues to characterize some markets, as a result of localized refinery issues and tight supplies. The global oil market touched multi-month lows to open the week’s trading session in reaction to signals that the market is likely remain oversupplied in the near term, which is expected to keep downward pressure on prices. Worse than expected economic data out of China showed growth in the country to be more volatile than anticipated, which could further increase the global glut in oil and gasoline. Domestic crude inventories grew by 2.5 million barrels in the most recent weekly report, while the number of U.S. oil rigs grew by 21, which was the largest gain since April 2014.

Supply continues to outpace domestic demand, and as a result, West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell below $50 per barrel for the first time since April this past week. At the close of Friday’s formal trading on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate settled down 31 cents at $48.14 per barrel. The price of oil generally accounts for more than half the cost of retail gasoline at the pump, so lower crude oil prices typically lead to lower pump prices for motorists, barring other influencing factors like refinery issues, distribution challenges or changes in demand.



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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — New York State Police have charged a 21-year-old North Tonawanda woman with third-degree criminal trespassing, saying she refused to leave her friend's apartment after a party.

The woman, who was reportedly intoxicated, became belligerent when Troopers arrived at the apartment to escort her from the property, according to NYSP.

She was transported to SP Lockport for processing and issued an appearance ticket returnable to Town of Lockport Court on Thursday.



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BUFFALO — The Buffalo Sabres announced Monday night that the team has signed defenseman Brendan Guhle to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Guhle (6'1", 186 lbs., 7/29/1997), the Sabres' second-round (51st overall) selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, has spent the last two seasons playing for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League.

During the 2014-15 season, Guhle ranked second among Prince Albert defensemen in assists (27) and third in points (32) while playing in all of the team's 72 games. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native has 42 points (5+37) in 123 games for the Raiders during the last two seasons.



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Monday, July 27, 2015


Betty "Sarah" Cottle entered into rest July 21, 2015, at Odd Fellow & Rebecka HCF.

Born March 31, 1928 ,she was the daughter of Merial and Mary (Donhaughe) Brown. She worked as a hair dresser for 40 years at Betty's Beauty Salon. She graduated from Doyles Beauty School in 1957 and retired in 1997. Betty married Earl Cottle in 1947.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Earl Cottle. Beloved mother of Linda (Ted) Schmidt. Cherished grandmother of three, Eric (Andrea) Schmidt, Julie (Eldon) Honeycutt and Kevin (Monica) Schmidt; great grandmother of three; dear sister of Francis "Ray" Brown, and the late Michael Brown and Jack Brown. Also survived by nieces and nephews.

There will be no prior visitation. Private Services will be held later. Memorials to Niagara Hospice or the American Cancer Society would be appreciated by the family. Arrangements by Taylor & Reynolds Funeral Home, Transit and Niagara Streets.

Please visit taylorandreynolds.com.



Adeline E,. Kozlowski passed away Tuesday, July 24, 2015 at home.

Born July 8 1929, she was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Dudek. Adeline worked at Gi-Ro Dry Cleaners for over 10 years. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Eugene A. Kozlowski who died June 12, 2001.

She is the beloved mother of of Michael (Christine) Kozlowski of Albany, David (Linda) Kozlowski of Elba, Susan (Paul) Mayer of Tonawanda, Barbara Kozlowski and Christine (Joseph)Krieger; grandmother of Scott (Melissa) and Mary Kozlowski, Elizabeth Mayer and Mark Mayer, Joseph Krieger Jr., Jennifer Krieger and Hal (Grace)McWilliams; great grandmother of 5; sister of Virginia Virginia and the late Ted Dudek, Chester Dudek and Roman Dudek; sister-in-law of Doris Dudek; also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Friends may call from 2-4 and 7-9 pm on Monday at the Taylor & Reynolds Funeral Home,Transit and Niagara Streets, where funeral services will be held at 9:30 am on Tuesday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at All Saint Parrish, 76 Church St. at 10:00 am. Interment in St Patrick's Cemetery. Memorials to Niagara Hospice or the Niagara County Historical Society would be appreciated by the family.

Please visit TaylorandReynolds.com.

A rock sculpture standing about three feet tall appeared on the north embankment of the Erie Canal near the Day Road Bridge. A similar sculpture can be found 100 feet away. Another less-intricate sculpture lies just across the canal. (PHOTOS BY SCOTT LEFFLER / ENP STAFF)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com


This somewhat smaller sculpture is found just 100
feet west of the larger one.
TOWN OF LOCKPORT — Rock sculptures seem to have appeared out of nowhere along the Erie Canal near the Day Road Bridge.

The intricate stack-and-balance art has caught the attention of those going by along the towpath, out for their daily walk, jog or bike ride.

A female jogger this morning stopped to look at the nature art about 100 yards east of the bridge on the north side canal embankment. She said the stone figure wasn't there Sunday. Neither was a smaller sculpture that stands about 100 feet west of the more impressive three-foot-tall one.

Across the canal, along Groff Road, there stands another odd collection of rocks — almost appearing like a bench.

Sally Bisher, who lives near the sculptures, said she had noticed little piles of stones popping up, but had originally thought it was the creation of people fishing — maybe making a stand for their pole. She noted that she has seen some rock formations made to look like footprints, as well. But she hadn't seen anything so intricate as the figures that appeared out of nowhere today.

Kevin Clark of Lockport and Greg Smith of Cleveland were walking along the canal this afternoon when Clark said the figures were brand new. Clark walks the towpath regularly.

Smith said he's seen similar sculptures — which he referred to as Cairns — marking hiking paths in Vermont. The rock art found here is reminiscent of Inuksuit, a specific style of Cairn made by Inuits and found along the coast in Artic North America. An Inuksuk served as the logo for the 2010 Olympics held in Vancouver.  One was also on the cover of the Rush album, "Test for Echo."

The structures are not marked in any way to indicate who created them. Or why.

Bisher, who also serves as director of Market Street Art Studios, said she hopes she sees more of the sculptures pop up. Always interested in art, she said she hopes its a sign of things to come.

This pile of rocks on the south side of the canal near the Day Road Bridge looks almost like a bench. 



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