November 2016 – The Buffalo Chronicle

Poloncarz should move County Social Services to Broadway Fillmore

November 28, 2016

THE EDITORIAL BOARD County Executive Mark Poloncarz has proposed moving the Social Services Department’s Child Protective Services Unit, with its 420 employees, to the pricey Fountain Plaza property owned by the politically connected Ciminelli family. Carl Paladino, who owns the

Depression, suicide attempts, risky sex response of Falls’ youth to life in State’s “most violent” city

November 27, 2016

BY JAMES HUGNAGEL The recently-released FBI report “Crime in the United States” singled out the city of Niagara Falls as having the highest rate of violent crime in all of New York State. During 2015, residents experienced 555 violent crimes,

Grand Island needs an updated master plan

November 27, 2016

BY NATE MCMURRAY Many developers – eager to sink their teeth into Grand Island – have visited me over the last year asking questions and chatting me up while drooling over maps and blueprints. To some pitching apartments, I

Hamilton renames street, school to tout Tesla, while Niagara Falls neglects Nikola

November 27, 2016

BY JAMES HUGNAGEL This summer the city of Hamilton, a prosperous Canadian city of over a half million inhabitants located just over the border in Ontario, renamed a portion of its heavily-traveled Burlington Street, “Nikola Tesla Boulevard”. According to the

Cuomo pressured to remove parking lots from Niagara Falls State Park

November 22, 2016

Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest in the nation, founded in 1885. It hosts just over nine million visitors annually and is among the most iconic natural monuments in North America. The state park itself is 221 acres and was

As Sweet’s bid for federal bench fails, some look to Judge Montour

November 20, 2016

Donald Trump is unlikely to nominate Kathleen Sweet to fill the federal court vacancy here, left by Judge William Skretny, who has moved on to senior status on March 8, 2015. Skretny was appointed to the bench in 1990 by

Former AG Dennis Vacco likely to be appointed US Attorney

November 19, 2016

Rumors are emerging that former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco is likely to be appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, says a source with knowledge of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team. Vacco served as

Buffalo must expect more from Chuck Schumer

November 19, 2016

New York State’s longtime Senator Chuck Schumer (D-Brooklyn) has been elected Senate Minority Leader, making him the most powerful Democrat in America. Many influential members of the incoming Congress are pushing to amend its rule to bring back the practice of earmark

Will Jacobs keep promise of term limits?

November 19, 2016

Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs made an ambitious promise to voters: that his election to the State Senate would bring term limits to Albany for all state legislators. He won the 60th State Senate District — a pivotal swing district that

Businessmen should comprise much of Trump cabinet

November 12, 2016

BY MATT RICCHIAZZI President-elect Donald Trump’s supporters say that it is time to boldly roll through Congress with a slew of legislation that jump starts the economy: income tax cuts; lower the corporate tax to 10%; eliminate the tax on repatriating

Congressman Higgins contemplating bid for Minority Leader?

November 12, 2016

Rep. Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) is considering a bid to unseat Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) as Minority Leader of the House Democrats, says a source close to the Congressman. Pelosi is weathering a storm of critics following a fourth consecutive loosing election for House