Regional: February 2012 Archives

$5 for a leaf may seem a little stiff, unless each one gets pinned on a likeness of a bare tree, hung in most Buffalo Public Schools as a fundraiser for Re-Tree WNY.

That's just what's taking place in South Park and McKinley High Schools as students compete for a $500 prize offered-up by a retired teacher.  Mr. Juris Smiltins, who taught at Buffalo Public School Erie County Health Care Center for Children #84, has issued the challenge via Re-Tree WNY to coincide with the current fundraising the charity is doing to help meet their five-year

Empire State Development (ESD), USA Niagara Development Corporation (USAN) and the City of Niagara Falls today announced that The Hamister Group, Inc. was selected as the preferred developer in response to the request for proposals (RFP) for development of a key City-owned site located at 310 Rainbow Boulevard in downtown Niagara Falls.  Hamister is planning a mix of retail, hotel and residential space.

The site is located at the northwest corner of Rainbow Boulevard and Old Falls Street,

By Rebekah Williams

We need your help getting Buffalo to recycle because our region needs the cash.

According to a policy brief by Partnership for the Public Good (PPG), the City of Buffalo pays every time people throw their garbage in a trash can.  That means that when we toss stuff in the garbage, there is a cost to our community.

The problem: Buffalo residents recycle only 8% of curbside waste each year.  Compare that to the national average of 27%, or compare that to other local municipalities that report a

Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN) host of the 2011 National Trust Conference announces that current executive director, Henry McCartney, will be stepping down effective March 1st.  Tom Yots will become the new Executive Director effective March 1st.  Henry will continue his service to PBN with select projects. 

Helping PBN with the initial stages of organizational development, McCartney began as executive director in October, 2008, immediately hiring staff, securing grants, managing day-to-day details, building an

By Nicholas Miller

Last week I wrote about simple solutions that could improve Buffalo's public transit system.  This week, I would like to present a bold idea.

In my opinion, Buffalo's Metro Rail is a mass transit success story.  It has the NFTA's highest ridership and represents a fifth of the NFTA's total daily ridership.  It is also fast and follows a direct route between several of the city's major destinations. It is also the least subsidized and most cost-effect component of NFTA's transit system and attracts a substantial share of discretionary riders

I have long touted the sports strategy that Indianapolis used to revitalize its downtown as a model for cities to follow in terms of strategy led economic and community development. I really think it sets the benchmark in terms of how to do it, and it has been very successful.

Indy is hosting the Super Bowl on Sunday, something that is locally seen as a sort of crowning achievement of the 40 year sports journey. As part of that, the Indianapolis Star and public TV station WFYI produced an hour long documentary on the journey called "Naptown to Super City." I think it's a must watch for