We've got another gorgeous summer day ahead of us, the National Weather Service says. High should be in the mid- to upper 80s with a light to moderate breeze to relieve the heat. Tonight is expected to be clear and warmer than recent nights, with a low in the mid- to upper 60s. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday should be much the same, forecasters predict, with temperatures edging up a degree or two higher each day. Currently, it looks as if this warm spell won't break until Thursday night or Friday.

     * * *

The saga of the Statler Towers reaches another milestone today as the court-appointed bankruptcy trustee and his attorney conduct a sale of the crumbling 18-story Niagara Square landmark in the offices of the U.S. trustee in the Olympic Towers nearby. There are just two bidders -- an unnamed California investor and a partnership between local businessmen Mark D. Croce and James J. Eagan. A sale hearing will follow, and Judge Carl L. Bucki will decide between them. Then the purchaser has 60 days to decide whether to go ahead with the deal. A local broker representing the California investor says he would spend up to $100 million turning it into a mixed-use facility with offices, apartments and hotel rooms.

     * * *

As the days dwindle down to a precious few before the September primaries, two political challengers say they will make important announcements today. Buffalo Common Council Member Joseph Golombek, who is challenging incumbent Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, will appear on the steps of the Mahoney State Office Building at 11 a.m. to announce his plans to reform Albany.  Then County Legislator Timothy Kennedy, who is running against incumbent State Sen. William Stachowski, D-Lake View, will team with anti-texting advocate Kelly Cline for an announcement at 2 p.m. in his West Seneca campaign headquarters.

     * * *

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Erie County Executive Chris Collins and Niagara County Legislature Chairman William Ross all will be on hand to help kick off the seventh annual National Preparedness Month at 10 a.m. at Red Cross headquarters, 786 Delaware Ave. Sponsored by FEMA, the month will have activities to encourage people to take simple steps that will prepare them to deal with emergencies in their homes, workplaces and communities. Also on hand for the ceremonies will be Ready Rex, the FEMA mascot, and children from the nearby Jewish Community Center's Early Childhood Center.

     * * *

Something you won't see on TV tonight is the debate that had been proposed between Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino. A spokesman for Lazio's campaign says their guy just doesn't have the time in his busy schedule, but "we look forward to debating Andrew Cuomo many times before Nov. 2." To which Paladino says, "If he can't debate me, how can he debate Andrew Cuomo?"

     * * *

Readers of the Batavia Daily News probably won't notice a difference, but starting today, their paper is being printed by the same presses that print The Buffalo News. Under a five-year agreement with Batavia Newspapers Corp., The Buffalo News will print the Daily News, which publishes Monday through Saturday, plus its two weekly publications -- the Drummer Pennysaver and the Livingston County News.

The Batavia paper decided to shut down its printing operation -- laying off six full-time and 14 part-time workers -- after it lost its contract to print local copies of USA Today. The Daily News has a daily circulation of about 11,000 and Saturday circulation of about 13,000, serving Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans counties. The Daily News comes off the press in midmorning, except on Saturdays, when it is published early for morning delivery. The Drummer Pennysaver has circulation of 18,000, while the Livingston County News has circulation of about 6,000.

     * * *

Winding up for the summer is Gardening Mondays, the free lunchtime lecture series on the main floor of the Buffalo & Erie County Central Library in Lafayette Square. Speaking at noon is expert gardener Sally Cunningham, who will talk about "Native Plants and Eco-friendly Landscapes."

     * * *

Buffalo State College's Philharmonia Orchestra starts holding auditions for new students and community members at 6 p.m. in Rockwell Hall, Room 106, at the college. One short solo piece of not more than three minutes and one orchestral excerpt from the 2010 Audition Excerpt List should be prepared. The list is at www.buffalostate.edu/music. For an appointment, e-mail Ellen Barnum at bscphil@gmail.com. Other auditions will be held on Wednesday and again Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, same time, same place.

     * * *

Depending on how you look at it, the Treasure Hunters Roadshow, which opens for a weeklong stay today in the Hilton Garden Inn, 4201 Genesee St., Cheektowaga, could be a bonanza. After all, they are offering to pay money for those antiques and collectibles that otherwise would continue gathering dust around the house. But sellers should do their research, too. They might begin by checking the monthlong investigation earlier this year by a newspaper in Beaumont, Texas, which found that Treasure Hunters Roadshow was "paying only a small fraction of the actual value of precious metals and other items."

     * * *

The Jackson Browne show with David Lindley tonight in Shea's Performing Arts Center is sold out, unless you want to try your luck with the ticket scalpers. You might find consolation by giving the Browne-Lindley live "Love Is Strange" CD another spin, but only about half the songs from those 2006 dates in Spain show up on the current set list.

In Baltimore last week, the concert -- which begins with Browne playing a few acoustic numbers, then a couple Lindley solo songs -- included such biggies from Browne's early years as "Fountain of Sorrow," "The Pretender" and "Rock Me on the Water." In the band are longtime Browne sidekicks Mark Goldenberg on guitar and Jeff Young on keyboards, along with relatively new arrivals Chavonne Stewart and Alethea Mills on harmony vocals. Browne met them when he was mentoring in a South Los Angeles high school about 10 years ago.

     * * *

The Bisons return to Coca-Cola Field at 7:05 p.m. to open up their final homestand of the season. Opponents for the first two of those games are their Thruway series rivals, the Syracuse Chiefs. The Herd still has a chance to make the playoffs, hot young pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia will be on the mound and it's Ollie's Bargain Night, with $7 admission, $1 popcorn and ice cream, and discounts in the gift shop. If you can't be there, listen on WWKB 1520 AM or watch on Time Warner SportsNet.

     * * *

Major tennis tournaments always arrive with more than their share of dramatic possibilities, and the U.S. Open, which begins today in Forest Hills, may be the most dramatic of them all. Will Rafael Nadal finally get his career Grand Slam? Can Andy Murray win his first major title? Will Andy Roddick end the American drought? And let's not overlook Roger Federer, who has reached every final since 2004. As for the women, it's anyone's Open. Serena Williams is out for foot surgery, and Justine Henin is done for the year, thanks to an elbow injury. Watch on ESPN2 at 1 and 7 p.m.

danderson@buffnews.comnull