Submission by Rebecca M. Stadler, Esq:
 
This past year, I became President of the Niagara Frontier Intellectual Property Law Association (NFIPLA).  We are an organization of intellectual property (IP) professions dedicated to the creation, protection, and development of IP in western New York.  

Intellectual Property is the concept that inventive and creative ideas and artistic expression possess value, and the creators of these ideas and expressions have property rights in and to the ideas and expressions.  Essentially, the members of NFIPLA protect

Preservation Buffalo Niagara has chosen to recognize 257 Lafayette Center at its annual awards ceremony later this week. The project was chosen under the "rehabilitation/adaptive use" category for its transformation of a former school building into r/city/index.html

Buffalo's cultural ambassador (see this May 6 review in the Toronto Star), celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season in 2010-2011.  Since 1940, the Grammy Award-winning Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's permanent home has been Kleinhans Music Hall, a National Historic Site with an international reputation as one of the finest concert halls in the United States.  While orchestras in many cities are under financial stress (see this recent

By Green Options Buffalo:

In our series, 30 Days of Bicycle Benefits, you will be introduced to 30 new businesses that will offer you great discounts for riding your bike and wearing your helmet. Thirty businesses that want to say, "Thank you," for choosing not to drive your car.

Café 59 - Free Cookie with Meal, or Large drink for the price of a Small

Like so many local business owners that we have spoken with, Chris (the owner of Café 59) seems to have been matched with his establishment by a mix of fate and circumstance. Maybe they're the same thing.

By Gladys Gifford, Citizens for Regional Transit President:

A major issue that should be heard in the discussion of the Cars on Main Street project is: How much does this cost? and Who pays the bill?

Answer: We do.

A search through the documents that support the project reveals precious little information on actual costs.  The Final Design Report of 2006* discusses projected costs for the whole street, ranging from $53 million to $75 million, estimated in 2008 dollars.  A major portion of the cost could have paid for needed trackbed repairs

Westminster Presbyterian Church located at 724 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo will officially open their new west entrance following the worship service Sunday at noon. The work was part of the church's $3 million New Beginnings capital campaign. In addition to the new entrance, the campaign sought to preserve and enhance other parts of the over 150 year-old camps.

Formally a small two-story house, the structure behind the church was converted into a two-story entrance by connecting it to the rear of the main church building. Many of the

Submission by Hannya Boulos, Director of Buffalo ReformED:

Buffalo ReformED supports the District Parent Coordinating Council's May 16th Boycott. We support this boycott because we believe that a unified parental voice is our best chance at achieving lasting and meaningful reform in the Buffalo Public Schools. Parents are the only stakeholders that will always put the needs of students first; and a students-first mentality is a necessary part of the change that needs to happen. We support this boycott because it represents the parents and students who are consistently overlooked

Attention all Buffalo runners - the 3rd Annual Pinnacle 5K and one mile fun run/walk is being held on Friday, May 20 at 6 p.m. Not a runner? Not a problem. Supporters can participate in Pinnacle's Sponsor-a-Student program which helps a student train for and run the 5K. Without this type of support, many students would not have the necessary funds or equipment needed to run in this type of race.

Proceeds from Sponsor-a-Student will not only help the health and wellness of that particular student, but of his/her families as well. The sponsorship includes participation in Pinnacle's Health

HSBC's hunt for alternative office space is over.  The bank, whose lease for 650,000 sq.ft. of space in HSBC Center expires in 2013, had been considering relocating to the Webster Block at the foot of Main Street while also negotiating with current landlord Seneca One Realty LLC on a lease renewal.  Seneca One had offered to build a tower addition on the plaza to keep the bank at the site.  HSBC's employees make up a sizeable portion of downtown's private sector workforce.

16 nights of music, 26 national acts, 18 Grammy Awards, and 27 Junos! In its 25th year we see a lot of Canadian acts coming to Thursday at the Square (Lafayette Square and Main St). I hope our wonderful friends up North will bring a lot of loonies to Buffalo with them when they come visit. 
 
At the Buffalo Place news conference in North American Breweries Labatt USA world headquarters Michael Schmand, Vice President and Executive Director of Buffalo Place, mentioned that these are exciting times in downtown Buffalo.
 
Tony Colucci III, President and Vice Chairman

By Green Options Buffalo:

In our series, 30 Days of Bicycle Benefits, you will be introduced to 30 new businesses that will offer you great discounts for riding your bike and wearing your helmet. Thirty businesses that want to say, "Thank you," for choosing not to drive your car.

Sweet Tooth - 10% off of everything in the store


Sweet Tooth is a delicious step back in time. Rene, owner of Sweet Tooth remembers being mesmerized by the traditional Soda Fountains of her youth. The wild fizzy drinks that can tickle the nose and dance the Charleston with

by Sara Zak

Artists gathered last Saturday at another Preservation Ready Site (Facebook) location, St. Vincent's Female Orphan Asylum on Buffalo's East Side, to capture and celebrate the property as restoration work begins.  The building, constructed in 1898 by Green and Wicks, has been vacant since 1982.  It is being rehabbed by Ellicott Development and is being rehabbed for use by the Health

The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) of Buffalo, NY was recently acknowledged nationally as one out of five innovative models in a new online resource, centered on promoting more sustainable and resilient food system in the United States. GoodFoodMovement.org, the program behind the movement,  was launched by Good Food Strategies; it is the result of a year long landscape analysis conducted with support from the 11th Hour Project.

According to The Massachusetts Avenue Project, the research reflects on how food systems impact the

Because I have the pleasure of leaving for work early on Sunday morning, I just might be the participant out for "Buffalo Bike to Work Week," next week.  For me, Bike to Work Week begins when Lafayette Church celebrates "Bike to Church Sunday," and hosts the "Blessing of the Bikes."

Is there a theological foundation for my choice to bike more and drive less?

Of course!

Bikes build community.  And Community is important to people of faith, who

By Green Options Buffalo:

In our series, 30 Days of Bicycle Benefits, you will be introduced to 30 new businesses that will offer you great discounts for riding your bike and wearing your helmet. Thirty businesses that want to say, "Thank you," for choosing not to drive your car.

Urban Threads - 10% off everything in store

Urban Threads has adapted and grown along with the entire Elmwood Village scene. Ward, the outdoor loving owner of Urban Threads can be seen in the winter months plowing tons of sidewalk space on Elmwood. It takes a community to

A fundraiser for a few local film makers will be held Friday, May 13th at DBGB on Allen Street. The Happy Hour fundraiser includes an open bar, a grand buffet, and live entertainment from the band Voices all for for a donation of $30. The event will run from 6pm to 10pm.

The money raised will help support local filmmakers Brian Bernys, Jacob Albarella, Craig Gusman, Evan Pease, and Anthony Vescio while they work on their locally produced film "Granted". They were all national finalists for the 2009 48 Hour Film Project. (The 48 Hour Film Project requires a team of film makers to produce

Marcell Dareus' awesome attitude towards Buffalo and his positive work ethic should make him a  fan favorite this upcoming season.  It's almost as if Buffalo residents have begun writing his story, or magically putting words in his mouth.  Now a caption contest on Twitter and Facebook is making that virtually possible. 

By Green Options Buffalo:

In our series, 30 Days of Bicycle Benefits, you will be introduced to 30 new businesses that will offer you great discounts for riding your bike and wearing your helmet. Thirty businesses that want to say, "Thank you," for choosing not to drive your car.

Talking Leaves Books - 15% off of books in the local, environmental and activism sections + any book on cycling

If you haven't given yourself the treat of meandering through a good local bookstore lately, today is definitely the day to head over to Talking Leaves Books on

Niall Booker, Chief Executive of HSBC's North American operations, today outlined a strategy to "rebuild the US business."  How that will impact the bank's 5,000 WNY employees and its drawn out office space search is unclear.  Booker spoke at HSBC's Strategy Day event webcast to a global audience.  Across its international operations, the bank is seeking to cut costs by $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion by 2013.

HSBC's North American business remained profitable in the first quarter, however profits were 60 percent lower overall. Total revenues were 14 percent lower in part

A new documentary featuring the Queen City showcases a refugee family that was placed here after escaping a corrupt government in Burma, and the troubles they faced once they got to Buffalo. The Bermese government tortures and kills many ethnic minorities, and they are forced to move into refugee camps. Smiler Greely and his family came to America after 20 years in a refugee camp in Thailand. Nickel City Smiler is a documentary featuring Buffalo and the Greely family, and tells of their troubles trying to get by living in the city. The creators of the film are trying to raise awareness about the