Community

For every mother who feels unseen inside a courtroom, this is for you. By: Michelle Pelletier Owner of Resolve WNY (www.resolvewny.com) Family court has a way of making mothers feel invisible. The system is busy, overworked, and often too focused on procedure to recognize the human being standing before it. If you are a mother in the thick of a custody battle, I want you to hear what no one inside that courtroom will say out loud: you are stronger than you think. I wish I could sit across from you at your kitchen table, hands wrapped around a warm

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. This past Wednesday, Niagara Falls City Council majority voted against awarding the operating contract for the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion to Legacy Hospitality & Entertainment Group. For the past 13+ years, local vendor Mike Carella’s company Niagara Sports Tournaments (NST) has held the contract rights to operate the rink; but for the past four years, there has not been an actual operating contract for the ice pavilion due to gross incompetence exhibited by the City Administration. Christopher McKendrick, the general manager of the Sheraton Hotel on Third Street, spoke in favor of

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. The contested Hyde Park Ice Pavilion operator contract was not on the City Council agenda last Wednesday. According to the current operator of the pavilion, the agenda item is presumed (though not confirmed) to have been moved to the council meeting on Wednesday, September 17th. If passed, the council resolution will award the operating contract to Legacy Hospitality & Entertainment Group, Mayor Restaino’s choice for operating vendor; according to its terms therein. Local vendor Mike Carella’s company Niagara Sports Tournaments (NST) has held the contract for the past 14 years. Among

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino (once again) publicly embarrassed himself in the media last month after he ordered the locks changed at the Hyde Park ice pavilion, just to stop a youth hockey camp from practicing. Around 75 people (including the youth athletes, their parents and their coaches); were met by DPW Director Ken Tompkins and two police officers. Despite the fact that the athletes had already paid for hockey camp, they were told that they could not enter the facility. The news flurry sent City Administrator Anthony Restaino into damage

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. THE (LATEST) INCIDENT The Restaino Brothers have once again shown their asses to our entire community. On Monday morning, dozens of youth hockey players ages 11 to 14 (along with their parents and coaches) arrived at the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion for the start of hockey camp. The athletes (who had already registered and paid for camp) were intercepted by DPW Director Ken Tompkins and four armed Niagara Falls police officers who would not allow them into the building. Mayor Restaino ordered Tompkins and co. to change the locks on the

By Frank Parlato The City of Niagara Falls, New York, retained the consulting firm Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA) of Clearwater, Florida, to produce a “feasibility report” for a proposed indoor arena called Centennial Park. The word “feasibility” was used, though its meaning had been altered. As admitted by SFA in its own “feasibility report,” Mayor Robert Restaino told them what success looked like. And they studied how to agree with him. A feasibility report used to mean: Can we afford this? Is it a good idea? What’s the upside—and the risk? It weighs the benefits against the costs, considering the

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Niagara Falls native Gabriel Porto was a proud Italian-American. His book, aptly titled “Memoirs of an Italian American”, was self published in 2023 on Amazon. As one might suspect, “Memoirs of an Italian American” is Gabriel Porto’s autobiography. Porto was a first generation Italian-American whose parents migrated to the United States in the early twentieth century. Born in 1934, Porto shares with us his memories as an Italian kid growing up in Niagara Falls during a completely different era. My own Sicilian grandfather Anthony Cosentino was born in Niagara Falls in

The following is Part Four of an ongoing series by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One, Two and Three recap: Niagara Falls Department of Public Works (DPW) invaded a privately owned home sensory garden, which occupied both public and private property; and removed just about everything. The family whose garden was destroyed were fined $2,300 by the City for expenses incurred during the clean up. Some of the sensory garden was on public property which violated Ordinance 738, but it is unclear as to whether or not any health hazards which may have been discovered on private property prompted the

The following is Part Three of an ongoing series by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One recap: Niagara Falls DPW removed a sensory garden owned by a family whose 15 year old son has autism. The sensory garden occupied both public and private property. Local journalist Mark Scheer first reported the story on Friday, April 25th, three days after the incident. Scheer’s Niagara Gazette article and a social media uproar prompted a media frenzy, and the news was covered by WGRZ, WIVB and WKBW. As a direct response to the media coverage, the executive office of the City of Niagara Falls

The following is Part Two of an ongoing series written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Part One recap: Niagara Falls DPW removed a sensory garden owned by a family whose 15 year old son has come a long way since he was originally diagnosed with low functioning, nonverbal autism. The sensory garden occupied both public property (sidewalk/easement) and private property; its removal was conducted during Autism Awareness Month. The City then slapped the family with a $2,300 fine. Local journalist Mark Scheer first reported the story on Friday, April 25th; three days after the incident occurred. The Niagara Gazette article

The following is Part One of an ongoing series written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. THE INCIDENT Monday, April 21st – just one day after Easter, a Niagara Falls family’s sensory garden was confiscated and unintentionally trampled by Niagara Falls Department of Public Works (DPW) employees. The sensory garden occupied space on both public and private property. Adding insult to injury, they were then slapped with a $2,300 removal/clean up fee.  An uproar on social media led to two Niagara Gazette articles written by local investigative journalist Mark Scheer, who was then publicly dressed down by Council Chairman Jim Perry.

By Tony Farina This may come as no surprise to local residents, but the average salary in Niagara Falls, N. Y., is roughly $41,430 per year or less than $20 per hour, placing the city in the lower half of U. S. cities when ranked by average salary. Local government workers make much more but things could change for the less fortunate if the leadership of the strong mayoral-form of government decides to move forward by embracing data center technology and all that it can bring to boost the local economy and help workers earn more. For now, with eight

This is Part 2 of our investigative series on the battle between the Town of Tonawanda Police Chief and the Union. Part 1 Chief Stauffiger vs. The Police Union: Inside Tonawanda’s Fight for Control A Broken Window on Irene Street The fight in Tonawanda between the Chief of Police and the Police Union seems to have started over the conduct of officer Bikramjit Singh and what Chief James Stauffiger did about it. It began with a call on Nov. 1, 2024 to the Town of Tonawanda police. It was a broken window on Irene Street. Criminal mischief. Officer Bikramjit ‘ Bik’

The Ten-Acre Battlefield This is a story about ten acres in Niagara Falls, New York. Ten acres of grass and trees called Parcel 0. Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC—NFR for short—owns Parcel 0, along with 130 other acres it bought over 25 years. Billionaire brothers, Howard and Edward Milstein, own NFR. NFR has  a plan. A $1.5 billion data center called the Niagara Digital Campus. Nine buildings. All steel and fiberboard. No windows. And inside machines. Not machines like the old days — wheels, levers, and pulleys. These were new machines to store the memory of other machines. Why would anybody want

The Conflict “Parcel 0” is a 10-acre parcel of land on the south side of downtown Niagara Falls, NY. Two projects want it for development. Only one project, at best, will be developed. Because of the fight, no one might develop at all. Parcel 0 might end up as it is now – just trees, grass, and brush. The Owner Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC (NFR), owned by billionaire brothers Howard and Edward Milstein of Manhattan, has owned Parcel 0 and 130 contiguous acres for more than 20 years. The company has plans for a $1.5 billion data center on 53

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park has always been more than just green space—it’s a cultural crossroads, a weekend escape, a playground for generations of New Yorkers. It was built for the World’s Fair, became a stage for the U.S. Open’s brightest stars, and has long served as an unofficial backyard for Queens’ immigrant communities. But the park is changing. Developers eye its edges, community groups clash over preservation, and a new class of visitors is arriving, phone cameras in hand, eager to transform the park’s faded glamour into TikTok gold. “There’s always been tension between keeping it a people’s park and turning

By Frank Parlato For years, the land sat empty. Now, it’s a battleground. Ten acres at Falls Street and 10th. A few blocks from the falls, just off the Niagara Scenic Parkway. He wants a stadium. Seven thousand seats. A $150 million taxpayer-funded arena. The land belongs to Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR), which has plans for the land. Nine buildings. A million square feet of data center space for tech companies – 140 megawatts of computing power. AI processing. Cloud storage. NFR, owned by billionaires Howard and Edward Milstein, partnered with Urbacon, offers the start of a digital economy: an

By Frank Parlato NIAGARA FALLS, NY – Mayor Robert Restaino’s fight to seize private property for his unfunded arena project has taken a bizarre new turn. After spending two years—and untold taxpayer dollars—pushing to take 10 acres of land from Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR) through eminent domain, Restaino now claims that half the land was public parkland all along—although the city sold it to NFR in 2004 and admitted in court that NFR legally owns it. This last-minute maneuver has raised significant concerns about the legitimacy of the mayor’s land grab and the financial burden his legal actions are imposing

By Frank Parlato The land fight between Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino and Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC (NFR), a privately owned corporation headed by Manhattan developer Howard Milstein, is an extraordinary matter and deserves consideration by all Americans interested in government reach or overreach, property rights, and taxation. Mayor Restaino’s Ambitions Mayor Restaino, elected mayor of a small city – some 47,000 people, down from 102,000 sixty-five years ago – wants ten acres of land owned by the aforementioned NFR. He claims he wants the land – 10 acres with a street address of 907 Falls Street, for the good

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. A.I. IS A-OK For a long time, many of us have held out hope that the City of Niagara Falls, NY could once again become a “City of the Future.” Niagara Falls provides power to roughly half of the East Coast, including New York City. Genius inventor and “Father of Electricity” Nikola Tesla gave the world alternating current; born from the hydropower generated by the mighty Niagara River. Once dubbed the “Power City”, Niagara Falls is positioned to become a global leader in a new era of technology… if elected officials

by John S. Szalasny Town of Amherst Recycling and Waste Committee Chair Editor’s note: This is a follow-up to Mr. Szalasny’s March, 2024 article. Sometimes I wonder why our State Government set up regulatory agencies, tasking them with planning for the future of the state within their expertise, only to allow their plans to die due to inaction within the State Legislature.   Worse still, bills are passed every year and new tasks added to agencies like the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) even though their budgets haven’t even kept with inflation compared to the lesser workloads they had in the

By Tony Farina Bill Yuhnke, an entrepreneur who is always looking for new talent for his many enterprises, has struck again, this time is bringing in Buffalo radio veteran Brad Riter who has held numerous important jobs in the local radio market and on Monday, Jan. 27, will begin his new gig as the live local talk show host on WLVL 1340 AM from 10 a.m. through noon weekdays. Yuhnke, the president and CEO of Liberty Yellow Cab who owns WLVL and WEBR Radio 1440 AM and 105,3 FM, is excited about the new addition to his radio entertainment staff

By Tony Farina “We need to educate voters and help them hold their city leaders accountable,” says Donta Myles who is seeking a second four-year term on the Niagara Falls City Council which in his view has become pretty much a rubber stamp in its current state to Mayor Robert Restaino and that his one-man rule is costing the city big time in many ways, especially in development where the chosen few are prospering. “The council is not balanced at all,” says Myles who holds one of the three seats up for election on the Niagara Falls Council.  Myles recently

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. [Author’s Note: Several days after this article was originally published, this reporter was contacted by Michael Bagley who said that the emails containing my requests for an interview were lost in his spam folder. Mr. Bagley suggested edits regarding company roles. This article has been edited and corrected accordingly. Ultimately, the omitted information does not impact the overall story.]. MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS A new technology firm called “9 Lives Digital Group” appears to be busy at work in the old Globe Metallurgical factory, located at 3807 Highland Avenue. Locals are saying

By Tony Farina Like just about all of us, Ross Cellino has had his share of ups and downs but the personal injury law firm he oversees with a staff of 100 including 29 lawyers is still thriving, returning big numbers to clients, and Cellino Law has rebounded from the Covid-19 slowdown and, as Ross puts it, “is going well now,” with offices across the state and in Connecticut. Ross Cellino is slowly maturing into senior citizen status but he is still youthful and fit as he welcomes this interviewer into Cellino Law headquarters located in the more than 100-year-old

MICHAEL S. GAWEL, CPA, JD NIAGARA BOOKKEEPING & ACCOUNTING FILING STATUS Get ready for Taxes! It is January and Tax time is here. Niagara Bookkeeping & Accounting is open and ready to prepare your 2024 tax returns. New clients can call Michael at (716)-622-0700 for an appointment and existing clients can email their tax information to [email protected]. Filing 2024 returns are for everyone, even if you are not required to file a 2024 return there are key reasons you may want to. This includes Star Credit, Stimulus Checks, Financial Aid, Child Support, upcoming New York State Tax Credits, loan applications

By Tony Farina The Niagara Falls City Council continues to squabble with Jim Perry winning a second consecutive term as chairman in a 3 – 2 vote at the annual reorganizational meeting while defeated challenger Donta Myles vowed to continue his fight for a return to “checks and balances” between the council and Mayor Robert Restaino. The city has become a “dictatorship” under the mayor with the council failing to be a co-equal branch of government, said Myles who was brazenly mislead by Perry, who later conceded as much, on a key capital projects vote on $9 million worth of

By Tony Farina Will the Buffalo Bills finally bring home a Super Bowl title to their diehard fans who have loyally supported the team for generations, win or lose?  Well, many believe they will and to add a little musical magic to the dream the rock group SoleTurn has delivered the music video “This Is Our Year,” another of their creative endeavors featuring a tail gate party and many local familiar faces proclaiming this will be the year the dream comes true (let’s hope it does). The group’s song with music written by lead vocalist Vik Bhargava with lyrics by

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Picking Up Where We Left Off: Another Round of Smokescreens Last Thursday the Niagara Falls City Council voted in approval of Mayor Restaino’s $9 million+ budget items during a special meeting. After city council originally tabled these items several weeks ago due to a lack of information from the administration, Mayor Restaino released an unsettling video boasting about how he tricked the council members into voting against an RFP for the scandalous dog kennel contract. Three days before the special meeting, the Reporter exposed the smokescreen tactics Mayor Restaino was using to

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Last Wednesday’s Council Meeting In a surprising turn of events last Wednesday night, the majority of Niagara Falls City Council voted against several of the mayor’s budget line items. Local activists including City Councilman Donta Myles, Arlene Doss, Tanya Barone and others have worked hard to amplify those voices, which until now have been suppressed by the current administration. Just yesterday the Niagara Gazette reported that Council Chairman Jim Perry followed in Mayor Restaino’s footsteps when the New York Coalition for Open Government added him to the naughty list. Perry violated

Open Government Coalition Cites Perry for Bad Behavior By Tony Farina “All too often, government wants to conduct business behind closed doors, which is wrong, and despite New York’s Freedom of Information Law, that’s what happens all too often across the state,” says Paul Wolf, the president and founder of the New York Coalition for Open Government. I sat down with Wolf, a Buffalo attorney and head of the non-profit, non-partisan Open Government group, after the recent decision by the Niagara Falls Council not to conduct a special meeting to possibly consider overriding Mayor Robert Restaino’s six amendments to their

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. MAYOR RESTAINO FIDDLES WHILE ROME IS BURNING As 2024 dwindles down we find ourselves staring into the abyss that is Niagara Falls politics. On a grand scale, I have hope that 2025 will rank better than all four years of Joe Biden’s disastrous presidency. Speaking of disastrous administrations; we still have three more years of Mayor Robert Restaino’s unhinged antics, lies and unchecked wanton spending. Here’s a look back on some of this year’s most notable local issues and where Mayor Restaino stands with each one. The first major local issue

By Tony Farina Now that Mayor Robert Restaino has moved to have Niagara Falls go fully into the development of north Main St. and the Rapids Theater with the purchase of 38 Blue Cardinal properties and the theater, what’s next? No one really knows and it is unlikely Restaino knows because there is no real plan in place and much of what is going on is being done pretty much in the dark as transparency is not a hallmark of the mayor’s administration. But one is left to wonder how will the city get anything done with no sign of

By Tony Farina The popular rock band SoleTurn made their musical contribution to the Buffalo Bills tailgate partying last Sunday before the game against the San Francisco Forty-Niners as the Bills fans were gearing up for another big NFL contest on the home turf.  The Bills rewarded their fans with another exciting win in a field covered in snow to push their record to 10 – 2. As the fans warmed up for the game, SoleTurn took to the stage to infuse their magical music creativity to all with their cover version enormously popular songs, Mr. Brightside, a tune that

By Frank Parlato I saw Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino in one of his out-of-control states. Restaino appeared at a fundraising event for Glenn Choolokian between when the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct kicked Restaino off the bench in 2007 and when he was elected mayor in 2019. I attended the Choolokian fundraising event at Chick D’Agostino’s old Nifty Fifty restaurant on Buffalo Avenue. Sam Fruscione was there, Bob Anderson and a lot of old timers. It was a good turnout. I remember it was the last time I saw my old friend Babe Rotella. When Restaino saw

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. It’s been two years since the former director of the Niagara University’s Global Tourism Institute, Pat Whalen, warned us about the looming tax burden Mayor Restaino’s Centennial Park and event center will inevitably create for us. Despite these warnings, our mayor is forging ahead with his plans which are founded upon loose and lofty sentiments.  In 2022, Niagara Gazette’s Mark Scheer reported, “Restaino, representatives of his administration and members of the city council who have agreed to pursue eminent domain for the purposes of acquiring land for Centennial Park, all acknowledge

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Rats! It’s like a scene from a horror movie, except it’s all too real for hundreds of residents living in the LaSalle area where giant hungry rats have invaded homes, cars and trash cans. In September, City of Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino held a public meeting at the LaSalle branch library. Also in attendance were County Legislators Chris McKimmie and Chris Voccio. None of the five members of City Council were able to attend because the meeting was scheduled for the exact date and time as the council meeting; a

By Frank Parlato Escalating Costs of the Bills Stadium On November 15, 2024, the Buffalo Bills management confirmed the new Bills stadium will cost more than $2.1 billion, 50% higher than the original estimates in 2020 of $1.35 billion. The $560 million increase is primarily due to inflation, which has driven up labor costs and prices of materials, including structural steel. Additionally, expenses related to the Bills stadium may rise, as only about 35% of the stadium is complete. Construction is expected to continue until June 2026. Just north of Buffalo, a mayor of a city with 48,000 residents faces

By Tony Farina Even if you believe Mayor Robert Restaino’s heart is in the right place when it comes to rebuilding Niagara Falls, his vision on how to get it done is unfortunately an old, worn path that has not delivered in the past and is not likely to prove successful today. There may be a better path available today that wasn’t there in the past that doesn’t rely on hit-or-miss developers counting on taxpayer money no matter the source, city or state.  The money just isn’t there, and that includes for the mayor’s legacy events center project in the

By Tony Farina New York State has a structural budget deficit with a three-year budget gap of $13.9 billion projected and it is expected to increase further as stop-gap tax measures phase out and public education and health care costs continue to grow. Many experts see the problem as state spending which they say continues to spiral out of control and the heavy reliance on federal aid may be cause for concern with Donald Trump in the White House come next year. In short, given the budget gaps and a new president, it is unlikely the state will be in

By Tony Farina The real measure of the economic benefits that would accrue to the city of Niagara Falls across the board with the development of a nine-building, $1.5 billion South End digital campus as proposed by Niagara Falls Redevelopment is now becoming much clearer and even beyond the wildest expectations one could imagine.  The numbers are staggering and the benefits mind boggling. According to a former National Grid expert, as reported in the Niagara Gazette, the tax gains for the hard-pressed taxpayers of Niagara Falls, and that includes the school district, are just almost overwhelming in every respect.  We’ll

By Jacob Tierney  The developer, which owns more than 140 acres in downtown Niagara Falls, plans to construct nine buildings – totaling 1.2 million square feet – over five phases on 53 acres of undeveloped or underdeveloped land between Falls Street and Rainbow Boulevard. “We’re talking right now about undeveloped downtown land,” said John Horn, partner with the law firm Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, who represents Niagara Falls Redevelopment. The developer recently submitted a Planned Unit Development application to the city, seeking zoning changes that would allow the project to move forward. Niagara Falls Redevelopment has partnered with Urbacon,

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. The Amtrak Train Station located at 825 Depot Avenue is an early polling location for voters in and around Niagara Falls, NY. Early voting began on Saturday, October 26th and “since then, every single day, at least one, and sometimes several elderly voters have violently tripped and fallen in front of the Train Station” an election machine operator at this location told the Reporter. The cause of these falls is a huge bump and sudden drop-off in the street in front of the entrance to the City-owned Train Station which runs

This is Part Two of a series on the eminent domain fight between Mayor Restaino and NFR. Read the first article here. Niagara Falls’ mayor Robert Restaino is a lawyer and formerly a city court judge who famously was removed from the bench for an unfortunate episode where he locked up 30 plus innocent citizens present in his court because a cell phone purportedly went off when he was talking. Though he has never developed any projects in his life, there is a tradition in this city of mayors building a legacy project that invariably is overbuilt and costs taxpayers

An incredible battle is underway in Niagara Falls, NY. The battleground is a 10-acre piece of vacant land. The fight is over what the 10 acres will be used for – the entranceway to a sprawling AI digital data center built without taxpayer funding, a project that will contribute millions of dollars per year to the city’s budget, or a taxpayer-funded municipal arena that supposedly will boost the tourism industry by a larger amount than it will cost taxpayers annually to run. Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR), a private development company, owns the 10 acres. NFR has the funding to develop

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. “We have been deceived on the North End of Niagara Falls. We have been defrauded,” Arlene (Jackson) Doss told WKBW earlier this month while referring to Mayor Robert Restaino’s refusal to write a letter of support for the Beech Avenue project; so that Arlene and her nonprofit Niagara United Vision can submit for grant funding from the Niagara River Greenway Commission. Mayor Restaino shook hundreds of hands, took countless photos and made all kinds of promises during his campaign trail. He showed support for the Beech Avenue project which includes plans

By Tony Farina There are no takers so far to invest in Restaino’s dream project, including New York State, leaving Niagara Falls taxpayers the most likely borrower in a project that most economic experts predict won’t deliver much in the way of jobs or anything else, especially given the competition in the area for entertainment and sporting events already in place. A federal bond floated on the backs of taxpayers is among the possible financing options on the table for Centennial Park, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino’s $150-million plus events center arena that he wants the city to build on

Michael S. Gawel, JD, CPA Beneficial Ownership Information In 2021 Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act. As of 2024 the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) requires most domestic and foreign businesses that are registered to do business in the US to report their Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) to more effectively reduce fraud and financial crimes. If you own a business that is a LLC, S Corporation or a C Corporation you are required to file a BOI report on beneficial owners. A beneficial owner is anyone who has a stake of 25% or more in

By Tony Farina After nearly 20 years as mayor of Buffalo, Byron Brown is getting acquainted with his new environs, Western Regional Off-Track Betting at Batavia Downs. In a bright and classy news conference in City Hall last week, Brown said he was looking forward to the next chapter of his life and thanked the people and his staff for their support during his years as the city’s leader. The longest serving mayor in Buffalo’s history will now head WROTB, taking over for longtime President and CEO Henry Wojtaszek who officially leaves at the end of the year. Brown will

By Tony Farina Entertainment begins at 4:30 this afternoon (Monday, Oct.14) at Wilbur’s Bar on Cayuga Dr., Niagara Falls, where former councilmember Michael Gawel will formally announce his candidacy for city council next year. Gawel, a CPA, pledges to run hard for a seat on the council to help bring a better financial mind to the table in city hall with many irons in the fire at this time on numerous development projects. Today’s announcement will feature Don Anderson and his Fusion Guitar followed by Elvis and The Tailgaters and then the Bills game against the Jets. Beer, hot dogs,

By Tony Farina Well paying high tech jobs or low tourism industry bottom-feeder pay? High tech vs. more of the same for poor Niagara Falls.  The contrast is stark and the time to step into the future with hope for a better tomorrow is now. We’ll take a look here at the road ahead and nudge the city to embrace a more forward looking agenda. The pieces appear to be in place to make something happen after years and millions of taxpayer money going over the falls to nowhere. Niagara Falls Redevelopment is still anxious to build a $1.5 billion

By Tony Farina No matter where you look in Niagara Falls, there is a failed or under water investment development plan that has come up empty.  Whether sponsored by the city of Niagara Falls or USA Niagara it doesn’t seem to make any difference. Outside of the Welcome Center developed by private investor Frank Parlato on Rainbow Blvd. or the Dicienzo family with their most recent balloon attraction which should be interesting because of its closer proximity to the gorge (both without taxpayer money), there is a string of broken deals and promises that litter the city of Niagara Falls

By Tony Farina The Niagara Reporter wishes to extend all the best in the future to the new souvenir shop opening at 616 Niagara St., Tugby’s, named for Thomas Tugby who opened one of the first souvenir stores back 75 years ago near the Goat Island Bridge and later at Falls and Prospect St. Nico Santangelo and partner Nicholas Hurd, the founder of Explore Niagara and Niagara Adventure Tours, have worked to turn the first floor of the Niagara St. shop into retail space, according to a front page story today in the Niagara Gazette. The building is owned by

By Tony Farina Niagara Falls may not be officially considered one of the seven world wonders but is most commonly listed as an honorary 8th wonder or a natural wonder. Anyone who has seen the mighty falls in person or on film recognize it is truly a wonder of worlds and are in awe of the Great Lakes flowing over the falls into the Niagara River.  A majestic sight indeed, truly a wonder. Located on the border of the U.S. and Canada, it is often described as a unique geological feature formed by ice sheets, melting ice, and island shifts

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. During a Niagara Falls City Council meeting on September 4th, Tanya Barone stepped up to the podium to speak for the good of the community. Once she announced that she was going to discuss a Freedom of Information Act request that she filed regarding a contract between the City of Niagara Falls and the Pit Chic, Council Chairman Jim Perry immediately interrupted her and told her that she was not allowed to speak. Even worse, Perry instructed an officer to escort Barone out of the council chambers. The following was published

By Tony Farina Another incredible political honor has come to the longest serving Erie County political chairman, Ralph Lorigo, who has served as the County Conservative Party chairman since 1994, during which time many other political chairmen have come and gone. Lorigo, who is also legal counsel to the state Conservative Party and heads his own law firm in West Seneca, was elected as executive vice chairman of the state party at the reorganization meeting in Albany over the Sept. 21 weekend.  Never before has an Erie County member of the party been selected to serve as executive vice chairman,

By Tony Farina It may be early, but former Niagara Falls councilmember Michael Gawel is planning another political comeback to bring his legal and accounting experience to the city by running for one of the three open council seats next year and he has already tossed his hat into the ring. In fact, Michael, who heads his own accounting and tax office, is planning a little soiree on Oct. 14 at Wilbur’s at 5 p. m. called the Bills Elvis and the Tailgaters. Gawel, a CPA who also has a law degree, says he pledges to do his best to

Niagara Falls NY – As the city’s eminent domain legal fight to take 10 acres of private property from Niagara Falls Redevelopment continues, Mayor Robert Restaino has two messages for his dwindling supporters. One, above all, the city needs Centennial Park, the mayor’s boondoggle dream – a $250 million plan with a 7,000-seat arena, a 500-car parking ramp and a four acre park crammed with a splash pad, ice-skating rink, zip lines, parking ramp climbing wall, adventure courses, and other amenities. And two: Since the city does not have the money or manpower to maintain its 35 parks. He wants

The following was written by investigative journalist Ken Cosentino. Mayor Restaino’s reckless and wanton misuse of our tax dollars seems to know no boundaries. He now wants to renovate the former DPW building in the middle of Hyde Park into an animal shelter. He’s planning on using $4.5 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to pay for this questionable project.  For our impoverished city, that’s one expensive animal shelter; Niagara Falls is now saturated with homeless people and over 25% of our community lives below the poverty line (which is more than twice the national average). But hey, let’s

By Tony Farina The rock band SoleTurn, featuring the new and re-imagined hits they famously deliver, will be on stage Friday night at Angry Buffalo, 2753 Wehrle Dr., Williamsville, from 7 to 10 p.m., outside if weather permits, inside if not. In addition to their usual menu of crowd-pleasing new and old songs featuring their own special touch, vocal leader Vik Bhargava said SoleTurn will also play a few choice songs from the Oasis album that is currently the buzz in the music crowd everywhere as the famous English rock band has caught fire again. “They are a great group