Zeitgeist

Ambitious picture of Pridgen, or did he not go far enough?

BY FRANK PARLATO Buffalo Councilman and Pastor of the True Bethel Baptist Church, Reverend Darius G. Pridgen has evidently created and had posted on Facebook a photo-shopped, Mount Rushmore-esque image where he appears alongside Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and

Zeitgeist

Dogfighting: evil blood sport all around us

BY TONY FARINA According to the Humane Society of the United States, dog fighting is a sadistic “contest” in which two dogs—specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight—-are placed in a pit (generally a small arena enclosed by plywood walls)

Zeitgeist

The conspiracy to destroy Joe Mascia unfolds

On Monday, the Buffalo Common Council met at their regularly scheduled caucus, where members review agenda items ahead of their Tuesday committee meetings. The meeting discussed the BMHA’s pending request for a $250,000 grant to cover its ongoing operating deficit

Niagara Falls

Dyster’s follies cost taxpayers

BY MIKE HUDSON For Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, it’s not about the destination but the journey. Which is why, since taking office in January 2008, the city has been subjected to numerous and lengthy forays into the unknowable unknown,

Civil Rights

Something demonic is happening in Buffalo’s County jail

BY CHRIS STEVENSON Early last week Edward Berezowski , 54, was reported as found hanging in his cell by his jail-issued pants. According to the Buffalo News he died on Friday, August 17. He was said to have told deputies he was going

Erie County Sheriff

India Cummings was beaten to death by Holding Center deputies

BY MATTHEW ALBERT, ESQ. A tragic and horrific case: My client India Cummings, in the throes of mental illness, clearly incapacitated and incapable of taking care of herself, was put in custody at the Erie County Holding Center on February 1st,

Niagara Falls

Parlato: Plan to dewater Falls is bad for business

BY FRANK PARLATO  There has been a lot reported in local media about a recent New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPR) proposal to dewater Niagara Falls.  “Dewatering is necessary for two reasons,” a report from

Education

Quinn leads $100k-plus earners at ECC

BY TONY FARINA If there’s a financial crisis at Erie Community College, as certainly appears the case, there’s no sign of it if you take a look at the salaries at the college headed by President Jack Quinn at $192,500

Zeitgeist

Wehrle Diner plans Ash Wednesday fish fry

BY TONY FARINA Ash Wednesday, a mostly Catholic observance where ashes on the forehead are a reminder of our mortality, marks the beginning of Lent and in recognition of the special occasion next Wednesday, Feb. 10, the new owners of

Zeitgeist

Pridgen’s water collection called ‘theatrics’

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

Zeitgeist

Elections are rigged

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

Niagara Falls

Smith charges politics in Planning Board ouster

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.

Zeitgeist

Questions raised about Niagara Falls’ tourism office

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

Education

Confidential report downgrades Quinn’s effectiveness

BY TONY FARINA As we have reported for some time, many at Erie Community College have questioned the commitment and leadership of President Jack Quinn who earns $192,500 to run the school but has several outside assignments not related to

Environment

Toxic legacy of lead smelting at the Ferry Fields

The land affectionately known as the Ferry Fields — now the site of True Bethel Townhomes — was used as a massive dumping ground for toxic ash, a byproduct of lead production and metal processing. Those fields were commonly used by children

Corruption

An inside look at political corruption in New York

BY PAUL WOLF, ESQ.   The recent convictions of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos provide a great inside view of how campaign cash and political corruption meet. A key player in both trials was a 101 year