NIAGARA FALLS — Good afternoon and TGIF!



While you’re day dreaming about the weekend, or are out buying a chic orange outfit for tonight’s Syracuse game, here are a few news stories happening now that we are working on for tomorrow’s paper:



GANGING UP AGAINST VIOLENCE

Flanked by various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, Niagara Falls Police Superintendent John Chella and Mayor Paul Dyster announced a plan Friday morning to join together and combat the growing amount of violence connected to gang activity in the city.

Along with combining resources with outside agencies, Chella said his department will increase the number of Roving Anti-Crime officers patrolling city streets. Meanwhile, Dyster made a plea to community leaders and parents to step up efforts and control what youths are doing.

Attending this morning’s press conference at the new police station with Chella and Dyster were Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour, New York State Police, New York State Parole, Niagara County Probation Department, the U.S. Attorneys Office and Niagara County District Attorney Michael Violante.

One collaboration effort will see gang-related arrests being charged under federal guidelines, when applicable, which would result in greater prison time.

Read Rick Pfeiffer’s complete article in Saturday’s Niagara Gazette.



DO YOU COUNT?

- By now, you should have already received your U.S. Census Form (and are probably a little sick of hearing how important it is that you fill it out).

But it IS IMPORTANT, and you can find out exactly why by reading Mark Scheer’s story running Saturday. That piece will be accompanied by an alert on U.S. Census mail scams going around. Just because we like you, here’s a preview of that story



GET OUT YOUR PLANNER

If you need a break from the March Madness (not to mention the madness on city streets), here are a couple of things to do for today and this weekend:

- ORGAN RECITAL: Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston, will hold a Lenten organ recital from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. today. Featured will be Soloist Irene Frosolone and organist Frank G. Giancola. Free. Call 754-7489.

- STEP BACK INTO THE 18TH CENTURY: Interested in learning some skills from Ye Olden Days? The American Long Rifle Association is holding an 18th Century Skills Weekend on Saturday and Sunday at Old Fort Niagara to showcase how common colonists survived in the rugged Niagara frontier during the 18th century.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, skilled demonstrators will show visitors a variety of interactive frontier skills used by those people who lived outside of the walls of Old Fort Niagara. Demonstrations include building a wilderness shelter, starting a camp fire with flint and steel, making 18th century tools and equipment and learning how the early voyageurs portaged trade goods over the Niagara Portage.

Admission to Old Fort Niagara is $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12. For more information, call 745-7611 or click here

- GEEKS UNITE — AND HEAD TO THE MUSEUM: The Niagara Science Museum, 3625 Highland Ave., is hosting an open house with experiments on antique equipment from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. What, you didn’t know there was a Niagara Science Museum on Highland Avenue? Well read more about this unique site, which recently made the list of “Top Ten Museums for Geeks” on listverse.com, by clicking here



Check back throughout the afternoon for a preview of more headlines coming in Saturday’s Gazette.