January 2016 – The Buffalo Chronicle

Mike Madigan slams Cuomo’s Solar City deal

January 31, 2016

BY A.J. BELL Grand Island Councilman Mike Madigan, a rising star in the local Republican Party, is slamming the Cuomo Administration’s signature economic development project, which is also the subject of an ongoing corruption investigation by United States Attorney Preet Bharara.

Pridgen’s water collection called ‘theatrics’

January 31, 2016

BY T.W. HEWITT Councilman Darius Pridgen’s effort to collect bottled water for residents of Flint, Michigan in the wake of that city’s wide scale lead poisoning, are being called “a self-serving distraction from lead poisoning in his own backyard.” In

Hearing on bar closing time set as Paladino weighs in

January 30, 2016

BY TONY FARINA The public will finally get a chance to weigh in on the Erie County bar closing debate next Tuesday (Feb. 2) at 5:30 p. m. at a public hearing in the legislative chambers in Old County Hall,

Closing bars earlier may impact business, diminish freedom

January 30, 2016

BY FRANK PARLATO The issue of whether to roll back the bar closing time from 4 a. m. to 2 a. m. in Erie County is certainly a hot-button item right now. The idea is a bad one – or,

Elections are rigged

January 29, 2016

BY PAUL WOLF, ESQ. Sadly our election process is a rigged game where an incumbent losing is a rare event. In most years incumbents win 90 plus percent of the time, with one or two losing. Tuesday’s election with few

Dyster plans $435,000 sculpture for traffic circle

January 29, 2016

BY FRANK PARLATO Niagara Falls – It was our own resident genius, James Hufnagel, who wrote us this week, to say, “You know what would be really funny? A picture of Mayor Paul A. Dyster wearing the new traffic circle

DiPizio construction wins major ruling in Canalside dispute

January 28, 2016

BY TONY FARINA The local construction company suing the state over its termination as the Canalside contractor in July of 2013 has won a major victory in the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court. In a unanimous ruling handed down

Flaherty, Flynn to square off in Democratic Primary for DA

January 28, 2016

BY TONY FARINA A spirited Democratic primary fight for the office of Erie County district attorney is now taking shape although it won’t be acting DA Mike Flaherty against headquarters’ favorite Tim Franczyk who shocked political observers last month when

Smith charges politics in Planning Board ouster

January 28, 2016

BY MIKE HUDSON It’s politics as usual at the City Hall of Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster. That’s the charge of Rick Smith, who has served on the city Planning Board for the past nine years, six as its chairman.

Questions raised about Niagara Falls’ tourism office

January 28, 2016

BY MIKE HUDSON At least publicly, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster has sung the praises of the shadowy and secretive Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp., and its’ CEO John Percy. The NTCC benefits from nearly $2 million a year in