The past year has absolutely flown by. Now, I know most people measure years from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 — and usually so do I. But not today.

For the purposes of this column, I'm referencing the last 365 days — since I left my job at the Union-Sun & Journal to report the news here for East Niagara Post.

In that time, we've posted nearly 4,000 news stories, been to countless events, responded to literally hundreds of facebook messages and emails — often in the middle of the night. We've tried to be everywhere and know everything. Of course, no one can be everywhere or know everything ... but we sure do try.

In the last 12 months, East Niagara Post has grown exponentially in terms of our reach and readership. We've added columnists, features, and readers. And with the exception of a minor hiccup in February, every single month has been our best month ever in terms of growth.

And we're not done.

In the days to come, you'll read about another staff addition here at ENP. We anticipate more stories about new staff in the future, as well. And Heather and I are constantly talking about adding new features. Well, mostly I think it's me talking and her trying to calm me down like I'm a six-month old chihuahua who just will not shut up.

It took an absolute leap of faith a year ago for me to decide to no longer receive regular paychecks and instead go to work with my partner ... in hopes that it would all work out. A year later, I have no regrets. Not about work, at least.

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It was nice to see the rest of the media finally acknowledge the cancellation of the 55L bus route. The Buffalo News, Union-Sun, Niagara Gazette, Time Warner Cable news, WIVB (channel 4) and WKBW (channel 7) all ran stories about the route's demise either Monday or Tuesday — after it was already done. To be fair, the Buffalo News had written a very small blurb about it on June 5. But only ENP actually treated the route's cancellation like it effected anyone.

One of the great things about publishing online is the ability to benchmark and quantify. Thanks to the power of the Internet, I can tell you that one of the top search queries that brought people to East Niagara Post this month has been "55L."  It's not nearly as high as "East Niagara Post" — "Eastern Niagara Post," for that matter — but it's a lot higher than "Rob Ortt."

Oh, right ... Rob Ortt.

Just so you know, our state senator has yet to return my calls or emails on the topic of the 55L. Based on the two most-likely scenarios being he didn't get the messages or he decided to ignore them, I'm going to lean towards he didn't get them.

I gave (semi) serious consideration towards not allowing his name to grace this website again until I heard from him. I do have the power to do that, of course. But then I remembered I have ethics and whatnot. So instead I'm just going to ask for your help. Yeah, you. If you see Sen. Ortt, tell him to give me a call. And then tell me you told him. Then I'll know for sure that he knows I'm looking for him.

So to be clear, I'm still going to publish news about Sen. Ortt (like the press release I got at 12:26 a.m., which I'll post later today). But I'm not happy with him ... or his staff. Or the rest of the media. Or the weather.

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One last thing this week: If you're one of those people that likes to complain that there's never anything to do around here, check Lockport150.com. For the next nine days, there's a ton to do around here. If you look at that list and don't see anything to do, the problem's on your end.

+Scott Leffler will be partaking in many of the city's birthday events but is particularly looking forward to 7 p.m. Wednesday when Team East Niagara Post takes on Team City Hall in kickball at Outwater Park. Come watch. Also follow Scott on Twitter @scottleffler ... and make sure to email him at scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com when you get ahold of Sen. Ortt.

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The Tonawanda News, sister paper to the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, will cease production on Jan. 31, the newspapers announced on Thursday.

The Tonawanda News has served the Tonawandas for 134 years, the paper's publisher said in a story that appeared online on the Tonawanda News, Niagara Gazette and US&J websites. The decision to close it was made due to "economic conditions," according to the article.

“Revenue from advertising and circulation simply could not sustain the operation,” Publisher Chris Voccio said in the article. “The company tried everything possible to stabilize and grow the paper but it eventually became an impossible goal.”
In addition to the physical paper ceasing production, the paper's website, tonawanda-news.com, will also be shuttered at the end of January.

The Tonawanda News was a six-day-a-week publication until 18 months ago when it stopped publishing on Tuesdays on May 5, 2013, along with the other three papers comprising Greater Niagara News — the Medina Journal-Register, the Niagara Gazette and the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. Earlier this year — on May 30 — the Journal-Register ceased publication and its website went dark.

The identical tonawanda-news.com, niagara-gazette.com and lockportjournal.com news stories both indicate that "the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls and the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal in the north suburban Buffalo market (will both) continue to serve their markets."

The three papers — as well as Greater Niagara News' weekly papers and other periodicals — are printed in the Tonawanda News building on River Road in North Tonawanda. The company did not indicate that that would change.

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