Buffalo man accused of murdering two women whose remains were found in Chautauqua County faces new murder charges in Niagara County...
A Buffalo man who has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the discovery of human remains in the Town of Portland in 2021... has now been identified as a person of interest in a separate case involving a set of remains that was discovered in Niagara Falls. The city of Niagara Falls released a statement on Tuesday, saying 62-year-old Richard Fox resided at a property on Orleans Avenue in the city, where police found remains boarded up under the basement stairs on Mar. 28. The identity of the remains and the cause of death are still under investigation due to the condition of the remains. Fox is currently being held in the Erie County Holding Center for the deaths of Marquita Mull and Cassandra Watson, whose remains were discovered in a wooded area off Woleben Road near the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails. Anyone with information on Fox or any of his acquaintances is asked to contact the Niagara Falls Police Department at (716) 286-4553 or (716) 286-4711.
Lakewood Village Board approves, $5.67-million, 2025-26 budget...
Lawmakers in the village of Lakewood have approved a new, 2025-26 budget that lowers the tax rate from the original spending plan by more than 70-cents per $1,000. The village board recently approved the $5.67-million budget... which is down from the original plan of $5.76-million. Mayor Randy Holcomb says the adjusted, original budget included a $10.68 cent per $1,000 assessed value tax rate... but, was pared down by the board to $9.92. He says following a public hearing and a special meeting, the board was able to reduce several line items, and that reduced the tax rate. In addition... he says the tax levy was reduced from $2.58-million to $2.4-million. Holcomb says... while the biggest cut was to the police department... all village departments had some kind of reduction. He says, with a new police chief in place, they're hoping to get the department back to full staffing. The budget was adopted unanimously. Holcomb had said previously that the entire board is charged with creating the most equitable budget possible. The board also approved a law to override the state's 2% property tax cap.
Demolition work at former Silver Creek HS underway today to make room for new, senior housing project...
Demolition work has begun on the former Silver Creek High School property to clear the way for construction of a 54-unit Senior Housing Project. Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency Chief Executive Officer Mark Geise says the much anticipated demolition work at 60 Main St. comes more than 45 years after the building had been abandoned. Geise says the Silver Creek Apartments project is being developed by Southern Tier Environments for Living -- also known as STEL -- in conjunction with Park Grove Development, LLC. He adds the building attracted several efforts to redevelop the property -- including as recently as 2022 -- but each was ultimately unsuccessful. This effort began in October of 2023. Geise says the demolition of the existing building involves long-needed environmental remediation, including the careful removal and disposal of hazards including asbestos, PCBs, and lead paint.
Iglesias to be on hand for "free day" unveiling of new exhibit at National Comedy Center...
The National Comedy Center will open it's newest exhibit featuring Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias’ iconic 1959 VW Bus from his record-breaking Stadium Fluffy special with a ribbon-cutting this Thurs., May 8. Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson says Iglesias himself will be on hand to officially unveil the display. Gunderson says this vintage VW Bus from Iglesias’ personal collection, is a fan-favorite centerpiece of Iglesias’ historic Dodger Stadium performance, and is now on display for the first time as part of the Comedy Center’s museum experience in a new exhibit gallery. In addition... she says on that day... admission will be free to the Comedy Center all day... and, fans will be welcome to explore the museum throughout the day and attend the event. Gundeson says a special fan photo-op to take place immediately following the 4:30 p.m. ribbon cutting. Attendees can RSVP to comedycenter.org/fluffy/. For more information... call the center at (716)-484-2222.
First Presbyterian Church in Jamestown among the 20 nominations by Governor Kathy Hochul to be in National Historic Registries...
A long-standing church in Jamestown is among the 20 recent nominations recently announced as the latest nominees by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The nominations also include a Jewish cemetery in Buffalo. Governor Kathy Hochul says "New York’s historic places tell the stories of where people have authored the enduring legacy we cherish,” Governor Hochul said. “With these nominations, we commit ourselves to protecting that legacy and to sharing these wondrous monuments of human achievement with future generations. By recognizing these sites, we honor the diverse communities and rich history that make New York extraordinary." First Presbyterian Church in Jamestown is one of only three of this a master architect’s churches completed in the Neo-Byzantine-Romanesque style. It was erected in 1926... and, is considered "an outstanding example of traditional building techniques and craftsmanship."
