| Senior
citizens invited to breakfast
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, May 1, 2008
The Niagara County Central Rotary Club will host
the 25th annual Roger W. Andrews Senior Citizens Breakfast beginning
at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10, in the Niagara-Wheatfield Senior
High School cafeteria.
Senior citizens, ages 50 and above, who are residents
in the Niagara-Wheatfield School District are invited to the free
breakfast.
The annual Senior Breakfast began in 1984 as part
of the 25th anniversary of the opening of Niagara-Wheatfield High
School. The late Fred Barone, a longtime high school administrator
believed that the senior citizens of the Niagara-Wheatfield school
community should be honored for all the contributions they had
made to make the community a great place to live in and for their
excellent support of the district school system, according to William
Ross and Roger Andrews, chairmen of this year’s breakfast.
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Wheatfield
OKs assessment break
by Susan
Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, May 1, 2008
Wheatfield taxpayers can now make home improvements
without seeing an immediate jump in their property assessment.
The Town Board on Monday approved a graduated exemption,
starting with 100 percent the first year, then gradually reducing
over eight years for all projects requiring a permit, whether it
be a shed or the addition of a new room.
Supervisor Tim Demler said the average home improvement
in Wheatfield is $60,000, so the new local law on average will
mean a tax savings of $4,000 to $5,000 to homeowners planning improvements.
He added that the Niagara-Wheatfield School district
is expected to support the program.
Attorney Robert O’Toole said the new law was taken
“virtually verbatim” from the state Real Property Tax Law 421F.
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Summit looks
at economic successes, opportunities
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, May 1, 2008
The third annual Economic Summit for Success will
be held from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 8 at the Knights of
Columbus Hall, 755 Erie Ave., North Tonawanda.
Call 278-8750 for reservations.
Topics to be discussed include prospects for Niagara
Falls International Airport, development challenges and opportunities
in Niagara County, economic development and the Seneca Nation,
economic development groups and resources, low-cost hydropower
programs and brownfields redevelopment.
Speakers include Richard Updegrove and Andrea McNulty
of the Niagara County Economic Development Committee, Henry Sloma
of the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency, Mayor Lawrence
Soos of North Tonawanda, Samuel Ferraro of the Niagara County Department
of Economic Development, Lawrence Meckler of the Niagara Frontier
Transportation Authority, Kenneth Franasiak of Calamar, Phil Pantano
of the Seneca Gaming Corp., Christina Orsi of Empire State Development,
Fred Teeter of Teeter Marketing Services, Michael Huvane of New
York Power Authority, Robert Murray of Harris Beach LLP and Amy
Fisk of the Niagara County Department of Economic Development.
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more
‘Meet the
Builders’
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, May 1, 2008
The Niagara County Builders Association held a Meet
the Builders Night recently to improve communications with local
elected officials and ask them to help promote the home building
industry in Niagara County. Among those attending, from left, were
Bob Minkiewicz, NCBA president; Tim Demler, Wheatfield supervisor;
Larry Soos, North Tonawanda mayor; and Bill Burg, NCBA vice president.
Iroquois
influence on women’s rights discussed
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, May 1, 2008
Scholar and author Sally Roesch Wagner, a pioneer
in the field of women’s studies, will present “The Iroquois (Haudenosaunee)
Influence on Women’s Rights” on Thursday, May 15.
The program begins at 2 p.m. at the History Center,
215 Niagara St., Lockport.
Wagner’s program will look at the matrilineal society
established by the Tuscaroras and their sister tribes to understand
how the strengths, contributions and values of women were esteemed
long before it was “fashionable” in the rest of the country.
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Conrad
to seek school board seat
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, April 17, 2008
William (Bill) Conrad, R.A., has announced his candidacy
for a seat on the Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education.
“Last year I ran with two other gentlemen from the
district whose ideas we all shared. Dan Maerten and Brett Zipp
are not running this year. I have spoken to both Dan and Brett
and will miss the discussions and sharing of ideas. So this year
I will carry those common beliefs forward in my bid for one of
three spots on the Board,” Conrad said. “Primarily, those ideas
centered on better communication with the public, respect for parents,
taxpayers and teachers, responsible spending and ensuring our students
have all the tools they need to successfully compete in tomorrow’s
academic and professional environment.”
Conrad was born and raised in the Niagara-Wheatfield
School District. He and his brother, sister and many cousins graduated
from Niagara-Wheatfield. Much of his family still reside in the
district, and have been very supportive of his candidacy, he said.
He and his wife live in the Town of Lewiston with their adopted,
biological and foster children. One child has graduated, one is
a senior, several are in various grades, one attends special education
classes outside of Niagara-Wheatfield, and two very young Falcons
are waiting in the wings.
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more
State aid
as expected in NW
by Susan
Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, April 17, 2008
Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education President Maureen
Kaus’ budget wish earlier this month – “I hope the state does their
part” – has come true.
According to Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, the
recently enacted state budget provides Niagara-Wheatfield with
a 14.2 percent or $2.4 million increase in state Foundation Aid.
The percentage increase is the highest in Niagara County.
Niagara-Wheatfield’s proposed 2008-09 $68 million
budget is about $4 million higher than the current year, but officials
are confident that it will not mean a tax increase.
A public hearing on the budget will be held at 7
p.m., Wednesday, May 7, at the high school’s Adult Learning Center.
Kerin Dumphrey, district business manager, said the
state Foundation Aid was a little less than expected and the BOCES
aid a little more, but the total amount of $33 million was almost
identical to what was in the state’s executive budget proposal,
on which the NW budget was built.
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more
Calamar expands
to Midwest
Niagara
Wheatfield Tribune, April 17, 2008
Calamar President and C.E.O. Kenneth M. Franasiak
has announced the expansion of operations to the Midwest, with
the opening of an office in Omaha, Neb.
Calamar, a full service real estate organization
comprised of construction, development, property management and
finance and investment divisions, will begin operating out of the
Omaha office immediately.
“The Omaha region shows great potential for growth
and opportunities that exhibit solid promise. Our market studies
for Omaha indicate an attractive and lucrative future, and this
venture is an example of our continued vision and strategy to become
a global provider,” said Franasiak. “While many companies from
Western New York seek the sunshine, we went to Omaha to seek opportunities.
Our Nebraska location will mirror all the facets of our organization
by providing the same complement of services and vertically integrated
platform we have implemented since 1990.”
“As the economy slows, operations in the nation’s
heartland present great geographical diversity while providing
a launching point for further expansion,” he added.
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WBA
continues health insurance cost fight
by Susan
Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, April 3, 2008
Wheatfield Business Association President Tom Stevenson
is determined to give big health insurance companies a run for
his money.
He’s scheduled another open public forum on what
he deems out-of-control health insurance premiums at 7:30 p.m.
today, April 3, at the Wheatfield Community Center, 2800 Church
Road.
“This is intended as an open exchange of ideas and
solutions. Come and make your voice heard,” he said.
A WBA meeting on the same issue in February only
attracted about 30 people. Stevenson is expecting this meeting
to be a bit larger. He’s been hitting the road speaking on the
issue and recruiting supporters around the county.
He’s expecting state Sen. George Maziarz, Assemblywoman
Francine DelMonte, municipal representatives from as far away as
Lockport, the Niagara USA Chamber, the Twin Cities Chamber and
more to attend tonight. There also will be information presented
on alternative health plans.
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Wheatfield
considers tax break
by Susan
Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, April 3, 2008
If the Town Board approves at its April 14 meeting,
Wheatfield residents will be able to make home improvements without
facing an immediate increase in their assessments and taxes.
Build a new garage, shed, pool, addition, deck or
make any home improvement up to a value of $80,000, and it would
be exempt from assessment increase for eight years on a graduated
program beginning retroactively from March 1.
“This program will save our homeowners on average
of $4,600 in taxes, and hopefully spark the local business community
with new sales, and through these new sales, protect Niagara County
and Wheatfield jobs,” said Wheatfield Supervisor Tim Delmer in
announcing the plan last week at Town Hall.
Article 421-F of state property tax law allows the
town to make the change. The exemption percentage would range from
100 percent the first year to 12.5 percent the eighth year.
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more
Knot a lot
of tatting
by Susan
Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, April 3, 2008
Tatting is a kind of knotted lace, used primarily
for trimming that young women used to learn at their mother’s or
grandmother’s knee.
Mention tatting in this day of high speed Internet
and fast food, and the reaction is usually a blank look and a “What?”
Twenty-two women from all over Niagara County were
interested enough in this old-time handiwork to come to the Wheatfield
Community Center on Saturdays this month to learn how to do tatting
from Judy Bongiovanni of Niagara Falls.
I figured, if grandma used to do it, how hard could
it be? Grandma, apparently, didn’t have fingers that turned into
all thumbs, but the three-session course even for the digitally
challenged, has turned out to be a light-hearted, chatty affair.
Elaine Timm of the Historical Society of North German
Settlements (Das Haus Museum) organized the current classes and
already has eight people on a waiting list for a class she hopes
to hold in the fall. Interest has been so strong among those already
in the course, she’s also considering forming a tatting group,
which would meet regularly to practice tatting and share ideas.
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