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Originally Posted by Chan
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Nice but you left out some very interesting fact your paper included. I have to include the good with the bad, right Chan? Again thanks for the addition. And as you have noticed I have put the bear facts to my city so this isn't in any way meant to be a make against your city.
Local 17 Members Arrested On Extortion & Racketeering
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Posted by: Claudine Ewing, Reporter
Created: 4/8/2008 5:56:16 PM
Updated: 4/9/2008 7:17:14 PM
WGRZ News - Local 17 Members Arrested On Extortion & Racketeering
A dozen members of Operating Engineers Local 17, based in Hamburg, are charged in a violent scheme to extort jobs. Mark Kirsch, 48, serves as President and Business Manager. He was among the 12 arrested.
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, union members tapped into the Department of Motor Vehicle's system to gain personal information.
Related Story: Feds Say Union Thugs Used Readily Available Personal Info to Intimidate Targets
The Federal Indictment alleges that the defendants threatened to commit and did commit acts of bodily harm, destruction of property and workplace sabotage.
And it seems this is what I want to see the situation in your city relating to the situation in my city. Not just in crime but mainly in the way the city is run and how the GOP & DNC affect it. That is why I started this thread to show th epower of th e2 parties in ways others never thought about....... Still hoping others join in with any relating news from their cities.
Teens Facing Felony Arson Charges
Posted by: Addie Bradshaw, News Reporter
Posted by: Matt Pitts, Producer
Created: 4/7/2008 10:28:55 PM
Updated: 4/9/2008 11:23:30 AM
And your selection home page as I left a lot out didn't I. lol
WGRZ News - Teens Facing Felony Arson Charges
Two teens have been charged with felony arson after police say they intentionally set fires at Walden Galleria Mall Monday evening.
And the number one top story of the day. Your paper made my News Folder.
Chris Collins: First 100 Days In Office
WGRZ 2 On Your Side Buffalo Home page.
Posted by: Lynne Dixon, Reporter
Created: 4/9/2008 5:44:01 PM
Updated: 4/9/2008 7:17:32 PM
Erie County Executive Chris Collins has now been in office 100 days. Two-On-Your-Side sat down with him to find out what he sees as his greatest accomplishments and disappointments. And we asked some tough questions on where he goes from here.
Collins says the most pleasant surprise has been the professionalism and dedication of county workers. He said the reason it surprised him is because of the benefits they get, he had a more negative perception of their work ethic.
The County Executive says his greatest disappointment so far are some battles he has had with the Erie County Legislature. Among them, the delay in the approval of Cheryl Green as county attorney, what he calls the AFSCME "six hundred dollar giveaway," and the battle over the apprenticeship law, which he opposes. "I would now call the Mark Kirsch Local 17 apprenticeship law," he said, referring to Local 17's President and Business Manager who is now behind bars on federal charges of violent threats to extort jobs. "It was Mark Kirsch who sat right where you're sitting and told me how good the apprenticeship program is."
Collins added that it will be interesting to see how county lawmakers defend the local apprenticeship law now. He said many of the lawmakers likely received campaign donations from Local 17 and/or Kirsch, and therefore the legislators have to be asked some pretty serious questions. If, he says, the union drove up costs, then he wants to know of lawmakers, "where do they really stand relative to what's best for the taxpayer."
Collins was asked if he has at times been too antagonistic when it comes to dealing with county workers and the unions. "Not at all," he said, adding that he is willing to negotiate, but that the unions have to start from scratch. He says he'd like to bring in a public accoutning firm to calculate how much money the county taxpayer could save if some of the benefits are cut. Still, Collins acknowledges the workers need "real raises." "And they'll get that by negotiating new contracts that deal with the public sector benefits that are unaffordable and unsustainable. And then we can give raises equal to or greater than the rate of inflation."
He says in the next one-hundred days he hopes to deal with the ECMC/Kaleida merger. But he questioned where the subsidy from SUNY is. He said if UB's Med School figures into the picture, then they should bring something to the table, too.
Collins says he's surprised at the level of interest in how he is doing. At the end of the day, he said he still feels like he is a private citizen.