Fire closes Denny's, expects to reopen

An early-morning fire at Denny's in Auburn resulted in a day-long closure Wednesday. The Auburn Fire Department received a call at 5:34 a.m. for a fire in the kitchen of the restaurant, located at 176 Grant Ave. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they extinguished a large grease fire that had started behind the grill area, according to the department.

Officials said that the fire was able to grow larger than normal because restaurant employees did not immediately dial 911. The restaurant was closed for cleanup throughout the day and was expected to reopen by 9 a.m. today.

County Legislature forums to air on TV

The first in a series of local televised political debates starts tonight.

County Legislature District 8 candidates Francis Mitchell and Sjana McClure-Berry will answer questions from a panel of media representatives at 7 p.m. A second forum for District 7 candidates George Fearon and Lon Fricano will be broadcast at 7:45 p.m. The debates will be taped at Cayuga Community College and aired on Channel 12.

The forums also will be available for viewing at www.auburnpub.com starting on Friday.

Throughout October, Time Warner will broadcast forums for four other Legislature races and feature candidates for county district attorney, Auburn City Council and mayor.

- From staff reports