Matt Biddle

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• Commented on Predict Bills - Titans Score, Win a Free Buffalo Rising Print
  Titans 27 Bills 20...
• Commented on Predict Bills - Jets Score, Win a Buffalo Rising Print
  Jets 34, Bills 10...
• Posted Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center Hosts Horse Show to Buffalo Rising
  From September 9th through September 13th, the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center will host the 63rd Annual Buffalo International Horse Show, a "AA" rated competition by the United States Equestrian Federation. The event caters to riders of all ages, divisions and skill levels, with all proceeds benefiting the BTRC. The BTRC has the only indoor riding facility in the City of Buffalo, located at 950 Amherst Street. The facility was originally built in 1922 by a group of local businessmen and was named the Saddle and Bridle Club. Before the land was formally donated to the BTRC, a non-profit group, it was...
• Commented on Buffalo's Must-See 2009-2010 Theater Season!
  No, there was no particular reason I left out BUA. There were many, many theaters & their seasons that I had information for and I tried to include as many as I could without making the story too long. For...
• Posted Buffalo's Must-See 2009-2010 Theater Season! to Buffalo Rising
  As most of you know, CURTAIN UP!, the official start to Buffalo's theater season, is mere weeks away, with the main event held on Friday, September 11th. After the curtain has fallen on all of our local theaters' opening shows, there will be plenty more entertainment to last the entire year! I've looked through all of the schedules for this upcoming season and now present to you some of my choices for the must-see shows on the season from many of our area theaters. Enjoy! I'll see you at the show!Shea's Performing Arts Center: In April and May, Jersey Boys...
• Posted Local Theaters Gear Up for CURTAIN UP! to Buffalo Rising
  The 28th annual CURTAIN UP! is a little under a month away and local theater companies are working tirelessly to put together comedies, dramas and musicals to captivate their audiences. The main CURTAIN UP! event will be held on Friday, September 11th, beginning at 5PM with a cocktail reception for the public and a reservations-only black-tie gala dinner. Performances will then begin at each of the participating theaters around 8PM, with a free community celebratory party on the 600 block of Main Street at 10PM. If you can't make the main event, all of the shows featured will continue to run...
• Posted Trattoria Aroma Hosts Celebratory Dinner on Farm to Buffalo Rising
  On Sunday, August 16th, Trattoria Aroma will celebrate its commitment to buying locally grown food -- as well as the farmers who provide these delicious foods -- by hosting a dinner event at the Oles Family Farm in Alden. Breen Shea, the restaurant's general manager, said Trattoria Aroma is dedicated to buying local because it's better for customers' health and the region's economy.Shea also said Trattoria Aroma works with the Oles Family farm frequently, so it was only fitting that this farm serve as the location of this event. In fact, 60 percent of their food comes from the Oles Family Farm!...
• Commented on DressByDesign is One of a Kind
  Thank you very much!! :)...
• Posted Buffalo to Become a Mecca Due to Global Warming? to Buffalo Rising
  We've all heard the doomsday theories that the world is coming to an end. Heck, it's about to be released in multiplexes everywhere in the form of 2012, a big-budget action movie centering on the theory that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of it all in December 2012. Another theory that's gained ground in recent years -- that global warming will eventually make our planet inhospitable -- is the focal point of a piece published earlier this week in Slate magazine, which quotes Robert Shibley, a UB professor and co-author of Buffalo's Comprehensive Plan.Plus, the article also postulates that...
• Posted Wind Action Group To Host August Meeting to Buffalo Rising
  On Thursday, August 20th, the Wind Action Group will host an important meeting at 5:30PM at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, located at 712 Main Street in Buffalo. The meeting will include discussions of several key issues, including the future of the organization.The Wind Action Group works to educate local residents on issues related to wind power in WNY, allowing them to form educated opinions on this renewable power source and to voice their concerns. The group also investigates issues related to wind power and advocates for its development. It was originally formed by Buffalo's Green Gold Development Corporation from...
• Posted The BPO Gears Up for its New Season to Buffalo Rising
  This past Sunday, Artpark hosted the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's final performance of their "BPO Summerfest" series. The Grammy-winning group performed hits from the silver screen, including selections from "Harry Potter," "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars." It was a fantastic performance! To be fair, like many other audience members, I only saw the second half of the show because traffic on Grand Island was backed up for more than an hour, but still - It was a stellar show.Now, the BPO can look forward to their 2009-2010 season, which kicks off on October 3rd with an Opening Night Gala and the...
• Posted Mayor Brown Appoints an Interim BERC President to Buffalo Rising
  About a month after he announced the resignation of Brian Reilly as commissioner of Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation, Mayor Byron Brown is announcing the new interim president: Dennis M. Penman. For now Penman will serve as president of the organization, which works to revitalize neighborhoods, strengthen new businesses and boost the economy of the City of Buffalo. Penman was unanimously approved for the position by the BERC board, with whom he met early yesterday to discuss his position and his plans for the agency. "I am pleased to have the full support of the Mayor and the BERC Board to improve...
• Commented on Buffalo's West Side Gets Another Pet Store!
  The owner told me she refuses to sell larger animals, like dogs or cats. She does hope to sell smaller animals like fish or reptiles....
• Posted Buffalo's West Side Gets Another Pet Store! to Buffalo Rising
  Massachusetts Avenue is now home to a new pet store in Buffalo. Tango's Pet Store opened last Friday at 246 Massachusetts Avenue on the corner of Normal Avenue. Michelle Giomundo, the store's owner, plans to expand the store in the future and sell live animals, but for now it remains exclusively a pet supply store. Giomundo lives next door to the shop and saw a need for a neighborhood store like this. As for walkability, the next pet store is a pretty good hike away from Giomundo's neighborhood, and she felt this type of store would succeed in the area.  According...
• Posted Research Team Uncovers "Buffalo's Missing Icon" to Buffalo Rising
  Resting at the bottom of Lake Erie just west of Dunkirk is more than 150 years of local history. A research team has found a wooden ship from the 1800s sitting at the bottom and, even more remarkably, the 85-foot sunken schooner is in near-pristine condition. Now the team has grand plans for the War of 1812 relic, which brought goods to and from Buffalo when it was just emerging as a city. They hope to raise it and display the vessel in a large water tank, making it the centerpiece of Buffalo's waterfront. The ship was originally discovered in 1994...
• Posted 14th Street Tree Farm Celebrates Its Success to Buffalo Rising
  After the Garden Walk on this Saturday, July 25th, you can keep enjoying the wonders of nature by heading over to the 14th Street Tree Farm, located 307 14th Street between Vermont and Rhode Island. PUSH Buffalo and Re-Tree Western New York are hosting a celebration for the tree farm's continued success from 4PM to 7PM. On Saturday, staff members from PUSH and Re-Tree will be on hand to grill up some food and serve the drinks. This is a family-friendly event, so both groups encourage you to bring the whole family along!Since the October storm of 2006 devastated the greenery...
• Posted DressByDesign is One of a Kind to Buffalo Rising
  Have you ever had trouble finding that perfect dress for a special occasion? That dress that fits perfectly and suits all of your needs? There is a solution! Let me introduce you to DressByDesign, an online-based business whose storefront is located at 43 Allen Street. The company allows a woman to completely design her own dress to her own liking on their Web site - from the fabric and style of the dress to the hem length and type of neck line. The store even offers custom sizing to expertly fit your needs. Marilyn Kilroy started DressByDesign in 2005 with her...
• Posted 464 Gallery Hosts Opening for Infringement Festival to Buffalo Rising
  As you might already know, Buffalo's Infringement Festival kicks off this week, celebrating Buffalo's diverse and rich art scene. As part of this 11-day festival, the 464 Gallery, located at 464 Amherst Street, will host a show opening this Friday, July 24th. This new show will highlight the work of the members of MindWeb, an organization that fosters the growth of local artists, musicians and writers. Marcus Wise is both the owner of the 464 Gallery and the creator of MindWeb. he created MindWeb two years ago as a small online community for local artists. Since then it has expanded to...
• Posted Buffalo First looks to Bring Local Business to Waterfront to Buffalo Rising
  Buffalo First -- a local organization dedicated to bringing more local business and a green economy to Western New York -- is hosting an event on Tuesday, July 21st, to introduce small business owners to the waterfront and its potential for development. The event will begin at 5:30PM at the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery, located at 76 Pearl Street. Amy Kedron, executive director of Buffalo First, said: "Local business is literally the spine of our community. They are the beating hearts of our neighborhoods; it's where culture unfolds." Independent businesses also drive economic development and maintain sustainable practices much more...
• Posted Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Receives Stimulus Grant to Buffalo Rising
  The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is about to get a major financial boost from the federal government. The National Endowment for the Arts will award the BPO a $50,000 grant thanks to $2.6 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The act awards federal grants to 64 orchestras nationwide in an effort to maintain full and part-time administrative and artistic positions at risk due to the current economic downturn. At the BPO, the $50,000 grant will support the salaries of 31 part-time musicians for the 2009-2010 season, which is approximately one-third of the musicians the group will hire. Jennifer...
• Posted Screening Party for Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" to Buffalo Rising
  Anyone who watches The Travel Channel knows that if it's a Monday night at 10PM, it's time for Anthony Bourdain's Emmy-nominated series, No Reservations, which returned for its fifth season last night. Bourdain kicked the season off with a visit to Chile and will travel to Australia this upcoming Monday night. The following week, however, a place much closer to home takes the spotlight -- our very own Buffalo, NY. Along with Baltimore and Detroit, Buffalo will bask in the limelight as a stop on Bourdain's "Rust Belt" episode of the series. Earlier this year, Bourdain visited Ulrich's Tavern on Ellicott...
• Commented on Where's a Great Place to Work? Three Local Colleges!
  I am very sorry for overlooking Buffalo State's inclusion on the list. Unfortunately, I cannot read the full "Chronicle of Higher Education" piece about the list because it requires a membership fee, which as an unpaid intern, I cannot pay...
• Posted Where's a Great Place to Work? Three Local Colleges! to Buffalo Rising
  For the second consecutive year, the University at Buffalo and Canisius College were both honored by the Chronicle of Higher Education as part of its "Great Colleges to Work For" survey. Buffalo State College was also honored this year for the first time. The survey recognizes schools for the quality of its workplace based on survey responses from administrators, faculty and staff members.This year more than 300 colleges and universities participated in the study, which is almost triple the response from last year, the first year the study was conducted. As such, more than 41,000 college employees were surveyed to...
• Posted A Candid Chat with News 4's Jacquie Walker to Buffalo Rising
  For the last 26 years, Western New Yorkers have invited Jacquie Walker into their homes as a member of the News 4 team. Throughout that time, Walker has delivered hard-hitting, award-winning reports on everything from the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy to the Bills' four attempts at Super Bowl glory. Currently, she co-anchors WIVB's top-rated 5PM, 6PM and 11PM news broadcasts with Don Postles. She also remains a firm advocate for community involvement, working with organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and emceeing various charity events, such as a recent walk for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I decided to...
• Posted PUSH Buffalo to Host Meeting with Federal Reserve to Buffalo Rising
  People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH), a non-profit group working to improve housing conditions on Buffalo's West Side, will host a public meeting with members of the Federal Reserve today to discuss proposed changes and improvements to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and the Community Reinvestment Act. With the help of their national partner, National People's Action, PUSH will hold this public forum on Thursday, July 16th at 6PM in the Trinity Episcopal Church, located at 371 Delaware Avenue. At the meeting, formal testimony will be given by experts on the housing situation in Buffalo's neighborhoods, including accounts from those personally affected...
• Commented on CD Review: Davey O's "The Long Way Home"
  Davey, You're very welcome! I really did enjoy the CD - maybe I should try out some more music of a similar genre! :)...
• Posted Bike Tour Promotes "Tough Stuff From the Buff" to Buffalo Rising
  Two filmmakers originally from Buffalo have decided to hit the road by bicycle to promote a collection of films made here in the Queen City. Marc Moscato and David Gracon are taking Tough Stuff from the Buff - a collection of independent and do-it-yourself video projects shot in Buffalo - through the Pacific Northwest on a 12-stop tour. The tour stretches from July 17th through August 2nd, and will stop in places like Vancouver, Canada; Seattle, Wash.; and Portland, Ore. Tough Stuff from the Buff is a collection of videos from the city's little-known do-it-yourself media scene that combine filmmaking, activism and...
• Posted CD Review: Davey O's "The Long Way Home" to Buffalo Rising
  Before diving into this album review, let's be clear about one thing: I am not a fan of country music or folk music. Sure, I like my Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Rascal Flatts, but when it comes to true folk or twangy country music, I've just never been a big fan. With that said, I really enjoyed the latest album by local singer-songwriter Davey O. "The Long Way Home" is Davey's fifth record. Over the last decade, Davey O. has steadily grown his fanbase with his winning lyrics and Americana sound. He's also been recognized with several local music awards,...
• Posted Erie County Legislature Votes to Downsize to Buffalo Rising
  In a unanimous decision at the July 2 session, the Erie County Legislature voted to reduce its size from 15 members to 13 members. The Legislature also voted to increase the length of a legislator's terms from two years to four years in the same 14-0 vote. This means the legislators want voters to decide on the provision on Election Day in November, barring any administrative veto. County Executive Chris Collins, however, has previously labeled the plan to combine downsizing and term length in the same vote as "sneaky." He has promised to veto the proposed law, saying voters should be...
• Posted UB Hosts the Governor's College to Buffalo Rising
  Governor David Paterson is trying to help local leaders weather these harsh economic times with his new program, the Governor's College. The program is being held throughout the state in Westchester, Utica, Syracuse, Poughkeepsie, and here in Buffalo. Every Tuesday, the University at Buffalo will host events geared towards helping people learn how to use state resources to help their business or organization.The free sessions are aimed at local government leaders, business owners, partnering agencies and contractors. The weekly events are also perfect for leaders of smaller organizations, like faith-based communities, block clubs and grassroots organizations. The events are held in...