By Joshua Bauer (Football Nation):
Look out Brad Smith and Tyler Thigpen, here comes Vince Young.
After a much publicized visit with the Bills last week, the former third overall pick by Tennessee (2006) has decided that $2 million was enough to make him a resident of Buffalo for the next year. A former Heisman runner up, Young was the first player in NCAA history (I-A) to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season and left

If it wasn't for the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901, there would be no Fowler's Chocolates - at least in Buffalo NY. The founder of Fowler's, Joseph Fowler, came to Buffalo (from England and Canada) to attend the expo where he first began to sell his chocolate confections and sweets. Realizing that he had a major hit on his hands, Fowler quickly established himself in Buffalo as a premiere candy maker. It was his brother Claude who, while working at the family business, decided to branch out to making candied apples and taffy. To this

Sometimes there's nothing like a little interactive art art to feed your soul, no matter how old you are. Interactive art can come in so many forms, including informal group chalk drawings at Gala Waters or a structured community ceramic tile project at the 18th Street Park on the city's West Side. Art projects such as these help people to appreciate working as a group, while sharing thoughts and ideas as the artwork is underway - most solo art projects are extremely personal, and not ready for the public until the unveiling.
Next Saturday, May 19, artist Charles

In the interest of fostering the growth of a stronger high-tech, entrepreneur-driven economy, Buffalo Bright Niagara (a coalition of regional partners lead by University at Buffalo) will host its annual Bright Forum on May 16 and 17. The forum will bring together entrepreneurs and investors for a series of pitch sessions, where entrepreneurs can present their ideas to investors seeking promising technologies to invest in, thus accelerating the deal-making process.
This year's forum merges two events, the annual Bright Forum and the Center for Economic Growths SmartStart

Go Veggies has arrived on Elmwood Avenue (see history). Well, almost Elmwood Avenue. It's actually just a couple doors off the main drag on Bryant Street, just around the corner from Epic, Tuscany on Main and the Nickel City Cheese and Mercantile. Restaurant owner Genga Ponnampalam has opened the doors and is pan frying some healthy veggie burgers that not only taste great, but will make you feel great. Are you in the mood for a spicy mushroom burger with mango curry salsa? If so, Genga has got you covered. Or maybe

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) announced Wednesday that it has selected Explore-n-More Children's Museum as the operator that will move forward with initial studies for a proposed "Children's Experience" at Canalside.

Located in East Aurora, Explore-n-More Children's Museum has been operating since 1994 and attracted nearly 48,000 visitors in 2011 at its current 6,500 square foot space. Attendance at Explore-n-More is spread evenly throughout the year and is divided 70/30 percent between adults and children.

If you have ever been to an event at the eclectic Essex Arts Center on Buffalo's West Side, then you understand the creative power and energy that flows through the hallowed buildings. The creative vibes created by Larry Griffis, and harnessed by Cindy Sherman, Robert Longo, Charlie Clough and almost four decades of artists are omnipresent in this delightful art space.
The creative fire will be burning bright this Saturday night (May 12th) at 7:30 p.m. on Essex Street when the Ashford Hollow Foundation hosts a fundraising art party, with the regional rock party band

Several organizations will be joining forces to promote recycling in our community and to push Buffalo's recycling rates to match and, eventually, exceed the national average. This collaboration is being spearheaded by the Partnership for the Public Good (PPG), who received a grant from the Community Foundation to work on boosting Buffalo's recycling rates, made it a priority in their 2012 agenda, and has since reached out to Buffalo First, Sierra Club Niagara Group, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and the Olmsted Center for Sight to form this alliance. 
The

Every kid knows that if you dig straight down through the earth you pop out in China on the other side.  The exact opposite side of the earth from any individual place is called its antipode. Wikipedia notes that two points are antipodal to one another when they are connected by a straight line through the center point of the earth.  
This cool little web site www.antipodemap.com gives you the antipode of any place on earth by simply positioning the place symbol at a desired location on the top map.  The

Pinnacle Charter School has been granted a temporary restraining order by State Supreme Court Justice John A. Michalek, which temporarily blocks the New York State Department of Education from taking any steps to close the school by June 30.

In its court papers, Pinnacle's administration, parents and students charge the State Board of Regents and the State Education Department with denial of federal and state constitutional right to due process by failing to establish a procedure to appeal non-renewals of school charters.

The lawsuit also charges the state with violation of its

The Buffalo Central Terminal is no longer the scary place that it used to be, and that's a good thing. But that doesn't mean that it can't 'act' scary for a day... or two. In fact, many people believe the terminal to be haunted. And who doesn't love a good ghost story? Most of us save the super scary scenarios for the actors that was see on TV and in the movies. Why take the risk when others can do it for us? All the same, we are fascinated by haunted houses and roaming psychos... just NIMBY. 
On May 26, from noon to 7pm, The Central Terminal will get a chance

Ever wonder how historic tax credits really work in redeveloping Buffalo's historic assets? Well, you can find out this Saturday, May 12th through the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Young Leaders Group of WNY. Listen to two guest speakers discuss the 'ins and outs' of the commercial historic tax credit program.

Jason Yots of Preservation Studios and Gerald Strickland Jr. of HHL Architects will be leading the discussion. The

After a foreclosure sale of the building at 710 Main Street (formerly Studio Arena Theatre) and with the support of five local banks who contributed their mortgage debt on the building to 710 Main Street Inc. , a new non-profit organization now owns the building.  710 Main Street Inc.  has entered into a management and programming agreement with Shea's Performing Arts Center.
Bank of America, First Niagara Bank, HSBC Bank, Key Bank, and M&T Bank, who previously held the mortgages to the building, have come together in support of this venture to ensure

By Joshua Bauer (Football Nation): 
Maybe it had to do with the $4 million freed up by cutting Drayton Florence, or maybe it was just more of the Bills securing players that made them so good to start 2011, but Fred Jackson is now signed to anchor the Buffalo backfield through 2014. 
There were big expectations from fans for Buffalo to pay the once undrafted Coe College alum whatever it took to keep him in red and blue (it

If you've been wanting to make a trip to Silo City, but you haven't found the right time or the right reason, tomorrow just might be the perfect opportunity to do so. The public is invited to visit the Marine A grain silo as the University at Buffalo Humanities Institute unveils part of its 2012 Fluid Culture series. The free arts event will showcase technological media in a number of different forms, with a schedule that looks something like the following:
"Demon Girl Duet" by Millie Chen, professor and chair of the UB Department of Visual Studies, a

Over the last 60 or so years pretty much every town and city across the country has made sprawl based development part of their building and urban design codes.  These rules which codify things like separation of uses, minimum parking requirements, and minimum lot sizes among other rules, restrictions and laws have pretty much assured that things will be spread out requiring travel mostly by car with large distances between destinations.  These codes were established in the 1950s mainly as a reaction to the massive growth in car ownership, irrational fear, and new wealth in America

Work is well underway on Ellicott Development's 14 North Street project as units are taking shape and preparing to receive finishes shortly. The building originally was built in 1899 as a Baptist Church and retains a high level of architectural integrity. It will soon be home to eleven new residential units, ranging from one to three bedrooms and a commercial space approximately

By Lisa Roy:
Providing another sign that entrepreneurs and the creative class thrive on the energy of city life, Entrepalooza is moving into the City of Buffalo for the first time.  After having held past editions of Entrepalooza at Holiday Valley and the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, organizers are excited to move the event into the City to nurture the strong and growing base of startup activity in Buffalo.  
Entrepalooza is an annual gathering where hundreds of Buffalo Niagara's entrepreneurs and business leaders

For all of you who have been asking when Liberty Hound will open (see history), I have good news. The restaurant is scheduled to open with beers and a limited menu on May 25. 
Just today the bar is being built, and the (thin) bricks are being applied to the back bar. The large awning is up, which will offer shade to the forty guests out on the deck overlooking the Erie Canal terminus. There will also be additional room for drinking guests on the short pier. The interior

On Sunday May 13, a very special run is scheduled to take place at the Delaware Park Boathouse (Marcy Casino), that will help to raise money for college bound organ transplant recipients. With so many runs and races in Buffalo, it can be tough to choose which ones to enter. This race not only serves a good cause, it is being held at a location with beautiful surroundings, and after the run there is a post-race party scheduled for runners and observers. This day is going to be a blast for both adults and kids - totally family friendly in so many ways. There is a footrace for the kids called