While at The Peddler flea market on Elmwood last Saturday I ran into the compost team from Farmer Pirates, Mike and Terra. I couldn't help but notice that Terra was wearing a Farmer Pirates t-shirt and complimented her on her fashion statement choice. Terra told me that they were on a mission to spread the good word of the organization's composting program. I was surprised to hear that they were offering composting for residences as well as commercial entities - there has been interest from a number of businesses such as Wegmans, Merge and Nardin High School. The more that I learned about

Chelsea Green, owner of Pole Play Dance Studio and Eye Candy Burlesque (FB) in North Buffalo is inviting anyone with a love for pit bulls to attend an upcoming fundraiser at the Dnipro Ukrainian Center. All of the proceeds from the event will go towards the rescue group The Silver Lining for Pit Bulls. As for additional reasons to attend the event, Chelsea tells me that "There will be guest appearances from "Flick" from a Christmas Story and MMA fighter Gordon Shotgun Shell; a Chinese auction;

There is an effort underway to establish a street soccer (football) tournament in Buffalo. According to promoter Michael Jackson, unlike traditional field soccer games, the street play incorporates an urban sporting dynamic that ties into cultural significance. "More international refugees are resettled in Buffalo than in any other city in New York state," Michel told me. "Between 40-50 different languages are now spoken in the city, largely concentrated on the West Side. There is one language that we all understand - the language of "the beautiful game" of soccer.
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The Canadian government has been selling seven local residences after deciding to close the local Canadian Consulate office last August.  The largest, on Soldiers Circle, has a new owner.  Stephen and Elizabeth Hays purchased a century-old, 5,000 sq.ft., two-story residence at 196 Soldiers Place for $750,000 today. 

The new owners got quite a deal.  The Canadian government paid $1.39 million for the property in 2009 and reportedly spent an additional $200,000 to upgrade the residence. 

At long last, renovations to one of the city's most underutilized parks is underway (see history). The $1.5 million phase-one construction plan will see a number of new and updated amenities roll out in the park, including new shelter and grills, south parking area and roadway improvements, an amphitheater, new entrance plaza, canal side railings, a great lawn, utilities and lighting. 
For anyone who is familiar with the park, over the years the grounds have fallen into complete

This Saturday you are invited to pay a visit to Mirror Lake and the glorious cherry trees that are blossoming at this time. It's an informal picnic event, and everyone is welcome to come and bring a blanket and a basket of food and drink. The spot is right next to the Japanese Garden, and on the hill adjacent to the Buffalo History Museum. Organizers are hoping to make this a yearly event, drawing visitors to experience the scenic beauty of the gardens and the blooming blossoms. The day will start with a sunrise meditation...
Trudy Stern at Friends of

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council (WNYREDC) will move forward with the reconstruction and reconfiguration of a one mile stretch of the Robert Moses Parkway, south of Niagara Falls.
 
For many years, the expressway has been seen as an obstacle between city neighborhoods and the waterfront. This project will fully restore visual and physical access to the various natural and cultural features along the Niagara River and the Niagara Gorge.
 
"The Robert Moses Parkway is an outdated impediment to the

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 7:00pm, there is a group of people meeting at Burning Books on Connecticut Street to discuss the grassroots start of a "Worker Owned Cooperative that will produce fruit, veggies, fish, beer, edible mushrooms, kombutcha, bakery goods, and many other food stuffs INDOORS & YEAR ROUND." These is the type of initiative that, with the right amount of support from a diverse group with well-rounded interests and assets, can make a giant impact on the way that we produce and think about food. According to the Worker-Owned Vertical Farm Cooperative Facebook

The 21st Annual AIDS Walk Buffalo will be held on Saturday, May 18th, 2013* at Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park, and organizers are hoping to spread the word about this worthy event. The 5K (3.1 mile) fundraising walk aims to raise money for Evergreen Health Services, an organization with a goal to help HIV+ people and their families in Western New York. 
The walk is also a means to raise awareness about the impact that HIV/AIDS has on the community, past, present and future. From prevention education for teens (and other at-risk groups), to medical

Back in November it was announced that a Senior Global Team of IBM Executives would be coming to Buffalo to analyze what this city could be doing to create more job opportunities for young people (learn more here) . The five member team is now in Buffalo for three weeks - the pro bono consulting visit was made possible through an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant. "I am delighted

The Atlantic Cities has picked up on the latest news regarding the plan to light the grain elevators at the waterfront. With renewed imagination and a series of tests last summer (see here) that gave the public a glimpse of the dynamic nature of the project, the $5,000,000 project could soon become a reality with Phase 1 scheduled for funding clearance as early as this week. Check out The Atlantic Cities for more images from the Erie

What is the name of your group?
What Would Mingus Do? (WWMD)
How did the name of the band come about? When did it form?
Charles Mingus was one of the great American composers, and a hero of mine. Mingus was well known for using his bands as laboratories and workshops for his music; I'm trying to emulate that approach.
What Would Mingus Do? started playing around 2005, and had a steady Monday night gig at the Central Park Grill for several years; recently we've wrapped up

This Friday, the works of photographer Joe Cascio are being featured at the Visit Buffalo Niagara Gallery in the Market Arcade. The exhibit grand opening is from 12pm to 2pm, and Joe will be on-hand to show people his photos and answer any questions that they might have. Joe has been capturing Buffalo for years, capturing brilliant images ranging from architectural to sports to concerts. His panoramic photos are stunning, while his passion for his work is second to none. If you're looking for a beautiful work of photographic art to hang on your wall, consider stopping by the gallery and purchasing

Visit Buffalo Niagara (VBN) has released a new video that is geared towards families with kids. The video showcases a number of regional destinations with kids in mind, in order to encourage families to take a second look at the area as a kid-friendly destination. From the Spirit of Buffalo to the Whirlpool Jet ride, there are myriad adventures profiled that should help to give visiting or relocating parents a sense of the diverse range of activities for the youngsters.
After watching the video, I decided that I would add some of my own kid-friendly destinations to the list,

By Matthew Ricchiazzi: The magnitude of what our city is destined to achieve feels unimaginable today - but it will have seemed inevitable in retrospect.  There is an optimism in our attitude, an energy in our spirit, and a freshness in our thinking that is catalyzing a momentous revival of the highest order.  We are on the brink of transformation, and finally - after decades of decline - we have a wind at our back. But a Buffalonian Renaissance won't happen until we take the first step: liberating families from the stranglehold

Preservation Buffalo Niagara is recognizing outstanding preservation projects and those contributing to preservation efforts at its annual awards ceremony May 31, 11:30 AM at Kleinhans Music Hall.  Buffalo Rising will profile this year's winners leading up to the May event.

Kathleen Mecca is receiving an award in individual preservation achievement for her decades of work fighting to protect the cultural and historical assets and environmental quality of the Prospect Park neighborhood and Buffalo's West Side.

Kathy stands at equal height to a podium on a small stage in a public

Meet Aung-Kaung Myat. Aung is originally from Burma, but has lived in Buffalo for five years. I ran into the young entrepreneur this afternoon while grabbing a coffee at Sweet_ness 7 on Grant Street. Aung was going over the final details of a lease that he and building owner Prish Moran has drafted, which would provide him with a business location at 212 Grant Street. "You're going to love his idea," Prish told me. "He will be opening an Information Technology (IT) business servicing computers and cell phones."
After talking with Aung for a while, I warmed up to his concept

The Black Rock Historical Society is preparing for the upcoming event called Stars Along Scajaquada. The event's purpose is to share with visitors the area's steeped history as it pertains to the War of 1812. On that day, visitors will have the chance to sit in on a lecture series, check out exhibits, listen to live period music, rub elbows with re-enactors, and witness the launch of a War of 1812 bateau by the Buffalo Maritime Center (at Scajaquada Creek). There will also be Colonial blacksmithing demonstrations, horse and buggy

The fishing season is upon us, and not only are the local fishing enthusiasts taking to the waters of the Niagara Region, some of the industry's top media personalities are in town to fish and write about the premiere fishing conditions in the area. "May is one of the best times of year for sportfishing in Niagara USA," said Bill Hilts, Jr., outdoor sports specialist, at Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation (NTCC). "With the kick-off of the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby May 3-12, 2013 to sound

The Bills have a new coach. They drafted a quarterback with their first draft pick for the first time in franchise history. Despite the new faces, oddsmakers are not impressed with how the 2013 Bills look. In fact, the Bills are favored to win just 3 games. 
Cantor Gaming, the largest bookmaker in Las Vegas, has released point spreads for every NFL regular season game (except week 17). The Bills aren't favorite to win a game until