GLYNN: Obama inaugural tickets allocated by lottery

<!--Don Glynn--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Don Glynn</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:don.glynn@niagara-gazette.com">don.glynn@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>

As you might imagine, the hottest ticket in Washington these days is for Barack Obama’s inauguration as the nation’s 44th president.

“We’ve had thousands of requests from constituents,” said a spokesperson for Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport. Her congressional district includes part of Niagara County.

Each House of Representatives member had been allocated 198 tickets with a lottery in place to assure a fair distribution.

The deadline for requesting tickets to the Jan. 22 ceremony was Nov. 26, 2008, with the designees to be notified by Dec. 10.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” the congresswoman said, “I’m very pleased that Western New Yorkers are so excited to celebrate the start of his presidency.”

While every effort was pledged to allocate the tickets as fairly as possible, Slaughter said that “No matter where you are on Inauguration Day, it will be a momentous occasion for all Americans.”

As usual, there are dire warnings about what people can expect when they venture into the nation’s capital that day.

One observer there speculating about that massive influx suggested that anyone with hotel accommodations within three miles of the inaugural site might consider walking because of the virtually impossible demands on the public transit systems.

As for lodging, that could be a nightmare for anyone at this point who doesn’t have reservations.

A Holiday Inn official said the chain had no rooms available within 100 miles of the capital.

Meanwhile, the Days Inn chain said rooms could still be booked in Laurel, Md., some 20 miles away, but they’re available only for a five-night stay at $349 per night, plus taxes.

According to the latest account, the president-elect has raised more than $24 million for his inauguration, about half of the $45 million goal for what is envisioned as the most expensive such event in history.

In 2005, President Bush’s inaugural tab was $42.3 million.

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NEW DUTIES: The Rev. James J. Kasinski, former pastor of Sacred Heart Church, 11th Street and South Avenue, has been assigned to full-time hospital and nursing home ministry in the Niagara Falls area.

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MEDIA NOTE: It’s well documented that many newspapers in the U.S. are facing a financial crisis as evidenced by the soaring popularity of the Internet and a sharp decline in advertising revenues.

On Monday, the New York Times started selling display ads on its front page, a move considered intruding on the most important news space in the paper.

The CBS Television Network was the first advertiser to take advantage of that prime spot, a strip across the bottom of the page.

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IN THE PARK: The regional parks interpretive office plans to offer a free “Nature in Winter” program Jan. 17 in DeVeaux Woods State Park, Niagara Falls.

Two outings are scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For additional information and registration, call 282-5154.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Suzanne Dietz, Porter historian and author, will be the speaker at the Jan. 22 meeting of the Niagara County Historical Society, 215 Niagara St., Lockport. The program is set for 2 p.m.

Dietz will discuss her new book, “Honor They Fathers and Mothers — Niagara Frontier’s Legacy of Patriotism and Survival.”

She also will sign copies of the book published in December.

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OUT OF THE PAST: The current issue of Western New York Heritage, the illustrated history magazine, includes a splendid feature about the 150th anniversary of St. Bonaventure University.