City & Region

Kulpa proposes zoning law requiring solar panels atop big-box stores

Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa is planning to propose a zoning law later this month that will require ‘big-box’ retail stores and plazas larger than 50,000 square feet, like Walmart and Home Depot, to install solar panels atop their roofs.

City & Region

State dormitory authority dished out $152 million in pork last year

New York’s governor and state lawmakers dished out $152 million for local projects favored by state lawmakers through the state Dormitory Authority during the state’s 2020 fiscal year, according to data posted today on SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s government transparency website. The

Erie County

County waste program makes hazardous waste disposal easy

The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning (“ECDEP”) is offering a new voucher program for residents to dispose of their household hazardous waste (“HHW”) six days a week throughout the year.  Residents can now schedule a drop-off of up to

Town

West Falls man sentenced for forcible touching

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 54-year-old Andrew Amato of West Falls has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to 6 years of probation. The defendant admitted that during the late evening of November

Erie County

Erie County announces pandemic EBT benefit

The Erie County Department of Social Services (“ECDSS) has announced that the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (“ODTA”)will be issuing a Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) food benefit to all New York State households with school-aged

County Executive

Poloncarz announces budget deficit plan to address fiscal challenges

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz today announced his 2020 COVID-19 Budget Deficit Remediation Plan, identifying budgetary gap-closing measures to address a projected $137.8 million pandemic-related deficit in the county’s FY2020 budget. The Plan identifies seven key measures, including usage of

Town

Wanted: Better neighborhoods

New research shows the importance of high-amenity districts for a healthy civil society. BY RYAN STREETER One of the most influential ideas to shape public policy at the end of the twentieth century was the concept of “mediating structures.” While

Town

Chestnut Ridge Park ski hill tow rope completed

The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry has announced the completion of a new tow rope installed on the ski hill at Chestnut Ridge Park and now ready (when sufficient snow arrives) to provide downhill skiers with a

Cheektowaga

The Club 747

BY NORBERT RUG In the 60’s and 70’s, the drinking age was 18 in New York, which meant I was sneaking into bars when I was 16, and I was not the exception. Live music was everywhere. I learned a

NY Senate

Rus Thompson slams Chris Jacobs on Grand Island tolls

Grand Island’s high profile anti-tax activist Rus Thompson is slamming freshman State Senator Chris Jacobs.  Not only does Jacobs want to keep the New York State Thruway tolls at both the North and South Grand Island Bridges, but he also

Town

Rizzo to depart NT Council as Republicans laud his record

Alderman Phillip R. “Russ” Rizzo will retire from public service next month, and released the following statement: “Serving my neighbors in North Tonawanda has been the greatest privilege of my life. I have always strived to deliver effective representation for