December 2018 – The Buffalo Chronicle

Dyster likely to sell city parking lots to State to raise needed cash

December 31, 2018

Sources say that Mayor Paul Dyster is looking to sell the lucrative City-owned parking lots that operate in downtown Niagara Falls. The Dyster administration is desperate to secure cash — hoping to avoid massive layoffs in an election year during which

With DOI approving off-Rez casinos, will Cuomo deal with the Cayugas?

December 31, 2018

President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of the Interior is issuing approvals for new off-reservation casino projects. Despite an increasingly competitive gaming industry, some Tribes are advancing new projects — but not here in New York State, where Governor Andrew Cuomo‘s

Mark Hill responds to The Chronicle’s early reports of Chief candidacy

December 30, 2018

Dear Buffalo Chronicle News, For starters I’d like to wish you and your team a Merry Christmas and Happy Nu;ya! May your year be filled with much prosperity, transparency and accountability. I find it very unfair and disturbing that you

A year of great shows…

December 29, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A Short Take on Today’s News: I lost track of how many shows we saw in 2018, but here’s my Top 10: Godspeed! You Black Emperor. Babeville. Cathartic, raw, instrumental. Life changing power. Steve Miller, Artpark. How

Mark Hill plans to run for Six Nations’ Chief, with powerful backing

December 27, 2018

Six Nations’ Councilman Mark Hill is planning to run for Chief of the Grand River Reserve in Ohsweken, ON, the largest First Nations community in Canada. Hill is the nephew of businessman Kenny Hill, a co-founder of Grand River Enterprises,

Larry Quinn should broker a Bass Pro deal with Seneca Gaming

December 27, 2018

Buffalo developer Larry Quinn has, at times, been a catalytic force for change in Western New York — whether in real estate, major league sports, or education policy. He is universally respected across the political spectrum, perhaps aside from small

Tim Kennedy may be willing to fight for a wider expansion of the light rail system

December 27, 2018

Senator Tim Kennedy — the newly appointed chairman of the Transportation Committee — will be overseeing the architecture of a massive omnibus spending bill designed to address New York City’s mass transit crisis. Modernizing the New York City subway system

I don’t like calling names, but…

December 26, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A short take on today’s news: Back to our great America edition. I don’t like calling names, but who are you if you ever thought for a moment our America stopped being great? Praise Jesus: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Our house, and other holiday reflections

December 26, 2018

BY NORBERT RUG Our house is a very, very, very fine house. (Crosby, Stills and Nash & Young, 1970) Ours was always the place to go. All the kids in the neighborhood would assemble at our house to play. My

Peoples-Stokes will shape housing legislation this session

December 24, 2018

The newly ascendant Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes is expected to play a key role in housing legislation that is expected early this session. Agencies like the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, have

Treat women like you treat your mother

December 23, 2018

BY NORBERT RUG Since the beginning of the #MeToo movement, policies have been devised to keep men out of possible trouble. Men are learning the importance of respecting every woman and valuing them as human beings. I have written about

A very merry shutdown…

December 22, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A short take on today’s news: As 2017 ended, I made a list of the best live music shows Beth and I saw all year. At No. 2, just behind Sir Paul, was the Robert“Freighttrain” Parker Allman Brother’s tribute, featuring Pat

Things I got for my wife that she didn’t want

December 22, 2018

BY NORBERT RUG Years ago I owned a small handyman business. I had installed a microwave in to a wall for a customer and she was telling me just how useful a microwave was to her. I had been thinking

House Democrats are expected to bring back earmarks — what will Higgins get?

December 22, 2018

It’s widely expected among Capitol Hill staffers that once the Democrats retake the House of Representatives in January, the caucus will promptly begin constructing an omnibus spending bill that will agglomerate Democrat members’ spending items, once derided as ‘pork barrel

Franczyk unlikely to seek re-election to Fillmore seat held for 32 years

December 22, 2018

Common Council Member David Franczyk is widely expected to retire at the end of his current term, forgoing a re-election effort for the Fillmore District seat that he’s held for the last 32 years. In his most recent re-election effort,

At least we laugh

December 21, 2018

BY NORBERT RUG For 10 years of my life, I worked at Milkbone in Buffalo where I was a maintenance man on the packing floor. A large part of my day was spent sitting around waiting for a breakdown. I

Nickel City Sessions inaugural season finale edition…

December 21, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A short take on today’s news: Nickel City Sessions Inaugural Season Finale edition — Season 1 went out with a flourish, from Davey O dusting off the first song he wrote on his Gibson and being comfortable in

UNYTS needs your blood donations

December 20, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A short take on today’s news: Please donate blood on Saturday. UNYTS needs you. Native plants are trending for 2019 in Western New York, according to Connie Oswald Stofko. You should subscribe to her gardening newsletter. Please come

The best college basketball team in New York

December 19, 2018

BY JOE GENCO A short take on today’s news: Down go the Orange. The UB Bulls are, easily, the best college basketball team in New York, defeating SU for the first time since 1963. Marquette next. Attended the Investigative Post-happy

Harig to decide on school board run after the holidays

December 19, 2018

Austin Harig, the young candidate who nearly ousted Buffalo developer Carl Paladino from office at the ballot box — despite being underfunded and receiving no support from establishment organizations — is considering another run for the Board of Education’s Park