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Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS —
CHEERS
• LEW-PORT LUNCHES: Thanks to a year-long effort between the Lewiston-Porter School District, Parent Teachers Association and Sodexo — the school’s food contractor — students have better food options, including fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as lower calorie and reduced sodium foods. They even have a salad bar! As School Superintendent R. Christopher Roser says: “The whole idea of healthy choices, the whole idea of making good decisions in every facet of your life is an important lesson for students.”
• EARTHQUAKE: Yeah, we know, most of you out there didn’t even feel it. Even so, it’s not everyday a 5.0 magnitude earthquake rumbles through the region. The quake occurred at 1:44 p.m. Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which reported the epicenter was 35 miles north of Ottawa and the depth 12 miles underground. Thankfully the tremors weren’t powerful enough to do any damage but it was a pretty cool thing for those that did feel the earth move beneath their feet — and it gave everyone something to talk about for the rest of the day.
• SPLISH SPLASH: Summer officially arrives on Monday when more than 25 public parks, pools and play areas officially open citywide. Be sure to check them out. For a complete list of parks, playgrounds, pools and spray areas, call the city’s recreation department at 286-4940 or visit www.niagarafallsusa.org/parks.cfm.
JEERS
• STATE BUDGET: You didn't really think state lawmakers would make some tough choices in dealing with the latest fiasco in Albany. As expected, state legislators are taking the cowardly way out and enacting more fees and taxes to deal with a very late state budget and a $9.2 billion deficit. To make things easy on themselves, state lawmakers added $1.60 in tax to a pack of cigarettes and kill tax-free shopping days. There is some good news in all this — a recent statewide poll found that eight in 10 New Yorkers are dissatisfied with state government. It's an election year — maybe voters can start making some real change in state government.
