Considering that the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) are located in some incredible architectural structures around the city, it is only fitting that the students learn to understand the importance of their role in our built environment. For the past twelve weeks,  a group of UB architecture students (consisting of architects, designers and planners) has been working with classes to ensure that this is the case - at least for a select number of K-12 students. In order to make this relationship work, the UB students have been working with the BPS faculty to effectively "teach subjects such

Mayor Byron Brown called Governor Cuomo to thank him for the $1 Billion for economic development in the city that the governor announced yesterday. In fact he was so thankful, that apparently Brown called twice. City Hall sent along this picture to prove it.

From City Hall to local media outlets:

Just a quick update to let you know that Mayor Brown spoke with Governor Cuomo twice today. (Photo attached)  Mayor Brown thanked him for the $1 billion

We always like to hear about good stories where small business or architecture are concerned. We especially like it when the two are combined, such as the case with Avalon's snow globe series that we have featured a number of times on Buffalo Rising (mostly when a new snow globe is released). "The coverage and interest created has led to two sellouts," Co-owner Mark Nowak wrote to me. "Our Buffalo City Hall and Richardson Tower snow globes. We hope to continue the series by adding a snow globe each year, and are looking for new manufactures for next year's delivery. The 3rd in our series of

By Kyle Gunn-Taylor:
As all 30 teams skate through the halfway point of the season, the contenders will begin to separate themselves from the pretenders.
This time of year can often be categorized by the struggling teams as a slow start, while the hot teams enjoy the buzz they have generated through the fans and media in their respective cities.
For the teams mapping out their own destiny, winning can often mask deficiencies that resonate later in the season. It is important for the upper echelon to recognize

Did you ever stop to think about how much gay marriage will impact Buffalo? Already we have heard stories involving couples traveling to our city in order to tie the knot. The result is good for our economy, our culture and our collective soul. Here's an article written by Lyndsey D'Arcangelo and published in Curved Magazine (the issue has just been released) that touts Buffalo as a magical destination for lesbians and their quest to fulfill marriage rights as granted

Governor Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address brought big news for not only New York State, but for Buffalo as well. Governor Cuomo announced a $1 Billion economic development package for the city to promote large investments in growth industries to locate or relocate to Buffalo.

"New York State is on the way to coming back stronger than ever before. By working together in a bipartisan manner and putting the people first, we have established the credibility to govern and to lead. Now we must build on what we have already accomplished to begin to

Wegmans, the grocery store we all know and love, has turned itself into something of an Alec Baldwin popularity poll. 
See, Alec Baldwin (and his mom) made Wegmans a national sensation when he went on Letterman and talked about how his mom wouldn't dare move away from her beloved Wegmans. On the heels of that clip, Wegmans enlisted Baldwin to serve as a pitchman in some television commercials. 
The Alec Baldwin Wegmans commercials starting

By Mike Andrei @ Daemen College:
While animation as a communication and art form is not new, with computers now at the center of much of life today, animation has become ever present. With that in mind, I would like to inform you about the grand opening of the Daemen International Center for Excellence in Animation, which is this Saturday, January 7, 6-9 p.m., in Buffalo's Tri-Main Center on Main Street. The Center is equipped with five studios; 3 editing rooms; a library and video library; and a screening room seating 80. Daemen

On December 30, the citizens group challenging the Seneca Buffalo Casino filed papers in federal court calling for further scrutiny into the possible connection between the marriage of a high-ranking Interior Department attorney to a powerful Washington, D.C. lobbyist and the Interior Department's approval of the Seneca Nation of Indian's casino in downtown Buffalo.  The Plaintiff group also questioned the Interior Department's use of private email accounts to conduct official business that led to the approval of gambling on the Seneca Buffalo casino.

In late August, federal Judge

By Caesandra N Seawell:
When temperatures in Buffalo are finally low enough to freeze your facial muscles, the best remedy is a steamy bowl of broth and noodles you have to slurp!
I spent my early twenties stationed in Misawa, Japan. One of my best memories from that time is going off-base to the nearby noodle shop. There was a fiberglass sculpture of a bowl of soup with some sort of dry ice making puffs of steam escaping the bowl at regular intervals; that was always a comforting sight. Together, with my friends and

By Jamie Nash:
Although their businesses are different in name, Michael Gainer of ReUse Action and Megan McNally of Rusted Grain are partners. Both are focused on sustainability and achieve this goal through making new creations from old material. Reclaimed wood from doors, flooring, cabinets, garages, and even church pews can be restructured and cleaned up to yield everything from furniture to knick-knacks.
The materials come from all over Western New York and each has a story. When a customer purchases a creation, they also

The organizers of echo Art Fair are pleased to announce the 2nd annual echo Art Fair. The Fair, which has been extended to a two day event, July 7 and 8, 2012, will take place at The Larkin Center of Commerce.
echo Art fair is a juried fine art exposition connecting experienced collectors and first-time buyers with established and emerging local, regional and international artists in a centralized, creative environment. 
echo

Adapted from a press release

Mark C. Poloncarz signed five Executive Orders as his first order of business since being sworn in as Erie County's eighth County Executive.  The orders concerned a number of issues including: the Buffalo Bills Stadium Lease, the creation of a Medicaid Anti-Fraud Task Force, the County's electronic time keeping "swipe card" system, updating Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") guidelines and the County Attorney's use of outside counsel.

"As

A New, Regular Post by Contributors of Preservation-Ready Sites
Buffalo is a city on the move. After 50 years of stagnancy, neighborhoods, buildings and parks are coming back to life. However, there remain many sites throughout the city, whether they be individual properties or public spaces, that need some creative and forward-thinking inspiration.
Preservation-Ready Sites, an independent/grassroots media watchdog group comprised of citizens interested in architectural

Although the future of St. Matthew's Church remains uncertain, there are some great things happening on the block. The former convent, rectory, and school have all been reused in recent years and there is some new work currently underway. This is the first part of a two part series highlighting the good things happening on the St. Matthew's Campus.

The former convent and rectory have been purchased and rehabilitated for the treatment, job training, and

Buffalo, as we all know, struggles with a relatively poor national image. If you play word association with outsiders and say "Buffalo," you'll generally hear "snow" and/or "chicken wings." That's it. 
Of course, the City has been getting more positive press of late so we're starting to chip away at the uninformed stereotype of our home town. Of course, the Convention & Visitors Bureau has created a number of videos with the goal of helping change Buffalo's

Everyone familiar with the Buffalo technology scene is familiar with Synacor. The company develops portals for internet service providers like Charter and CenturyLink. With 253 employees located in their offices on the waterfront, Synacor has been one of the fastest growing tech companies in the country. 
Indeed, Synacor was named to Deloitte's 2011 Technology Fast 500 for revenue growth from 2006-2010. Synacor ranked 469th on the list as their revenue grew 152% from '06 to '10. 
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It's time for another season of Nickel City Chef. Since the beginning, foodies from all over Greater Buffalo have attended these culinary showdowns to show their love of food, local restaurant personalities and the heated battles that brew as the event is underway. I you're remotely familiar with TV's hit sensation, Top Chef, then you know the routine - except this time it takes place in person, and chances are that you have already sampled creations from these cooking gurus. In this fourth season you can look for some interesting personalities, surprising secret ingredients, and of course

If you're like me and you enjoy a really, really bad movie, then you need to attend the next installment of Sugar City's upcoming Free Classic Films Series - The Return of Trailer Trash: Trailers from the Golden Age of Grindhouse*. You've seen the best... now it's time to see (trailers) from the rest. If you've ever watched a Something Weird video, then no doubt you've seen the hilarious trailer that screens before the title feature starts? Well, if you're a fan of that sort of trailer than just wait to see what your schlock-loving friends at Sugar City have compiled.
On

Submission by D. Keefe:
I have lived on Ashland for 10 years, and in Allentown before that, and I have paid hundreds of dollars in parking tickets over the years - it kinda comes with the territory.  But from my experience, there has always been an unspoken agreement with parking enforcement that they don't really ticket on holidays or OBSERVED holidays.  
Today, January 2nd, my kids are off school, my wife is off work from HSBC, and I am off work as a Buffalo Schools employee.  I kept an eye on parking at around 9