Published: October 02, 2008 06:40 pm      

CHEERS & JEERS: Oct. 3's best and worst

CHEERS



• TRIBUTE TO WOMEN: Let’s hear it for the girls. Eight women were honored Tuesday for their contributions to the community during the YWCA of Niagara’s Tribute to Women. We salute award winners: Susan Diemert, literacy specialist, Orleans Niagara Board of Cooperative Education; Jody Chesko of Niagara Produce in Lockport; Nora Smith of Niagara County’s Federal Credit Union; Lynda Mahoney, clinical coordinator for Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Health Center; Joanne Stanton of Edward Jones Investments; Sara S. Sperrazza, Niagara County Court and surrogate judge; Carrie Morrison, 2008 graduate of Starpoint High School and freshman at Niagara University; and Dr. Maria Crea Smith, who received a lifetime achievement award.



• GREAT LAKES CLEANUP: Finally, some good news is coming out of Washington. It appears the Great Lakes are getting some help from Congress. On Sunday, the House widely approved a bill that would extend for two years a program to clean up areas of pollution and contaminated sediment. The original five-year bill, passed in 2003, was to expire this year. Now, if only Congress can clean up the economy ...



• OLD FALLS STREET: National Grid is putting its money into downtown Falls development, specifically USA Niagara’s reconstruction of Old Falls Street between Prospect and Falls streets. The $500,000 grant is funded through National Grid’s Urban Center/Commercial District Revitalization Program. “We see the success of this project as a key element in the broader effort to strengthen the city’s economy,” said Dennis Elsenbeck, regional executive director for the company in Western New York. We see any move to bring people downtown as a good thing.



JEERS



• BRIDGE COMMISSION: It’s time for the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission to come clean. Backed by an advisory opinion from the state’s Committee on Open Government, state Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, on Monday renewed his call for details about a personnel contract between the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission and its former General Manager Thomas Garlock. Maziarz delivered a second letter to members of the bridge commission, asking them to release the details of Garlock’s contract and any severance package he may have received when he left the agency in July. Commission members denied a previous request from Maziarz. “This response is unsatisfactory,” Maziarz said of the commission’s contention. “I am requesting the information again under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, which I believe does apply in this case.”