Richard J. Marinaccio, an attorney with Phillips Lytle LLP, is putting on his MONOPOLY top hat as the venerable game's U.S. champion, to defend the game piece that made him America's MONOPOLY king.  Mr. Marinaccio, 30, of Amherst, is calling on fans of the board game to give a "Thumbs Up for the Thimble."
"My favorite token is the thimble.  It was the token I used to win the U.S. Championship.  It seems as though competitors favored the dog, racecar, and top hat, so I thought the thimble was a token I could make my own," Mr. Marinaccio said.
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The Suneel's Light Foundation, a local non-profit foundation with the sole mission of raising funds for research that will lead to the cure of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), while increasing public awareness of the genetic disease, is proud to announce the first ever, Suneel's Celebrity Gala. The inaugural "Dancing With the Stars" inspired event will be held on February 1, from 6 pm until midnight at the beautifully renovated Statler City and will feature eight well-known local celebrities from across Western New York showcasing their dancing prowess.  Tickets for Suneel's Celebrity

After interviewing Ken Whisenhunt, Lovie Smith, Ray Horton and Chip Kelly, the Bills have reportedly hired Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone. This is the first time in franchise history that the Bills have hired a head coach directly from college. 
Based on press reports, Whisenhunt appeared to be the favorite to land the Bills job. And while fans were clamoring for Chip Kelly (or bust), Marrone was the quiet, intriguing choice that didn't get a tremendous amount of attention. 
Marrone took over a struggling Syracuse program that

Yesterday, the Bills announced they fired head coach Chan Gailey. Gailey spent three years as head coach of the Bills and he compiled a 16-32 record. Worse yet, Gailey's Bills were 1-19 against teams with winning records. 
Today, the Bills have followed up the coaching change by announcing that Ralph Wilson has given up "organizational" control of the team to Russ Brandon. Brandon will become the third ever president of the team - a title only Ralph Wilson and Tom Donahoe have held before. 
Brandon met with Wilson in Detroit yesterday. Wilson

Still looking for something to do this evening?  You can ring in the new year in style at Statler City's Ice Ball.  There are just a few tickets remaining. 

This year's event will be limited to no more than 1,500 revelers, less than half of last years' total where overcrowding and lack of table seating was a common complaint.  The food will be second to none and with a five hour premium open bar.  Nine bars, including dedicated service bars will be set up, with the premium open bar lasting from 8:00pm until 1:00am. In addition, every table will have an experienced

The Bethlehem Steel Administration Building may be headed to the landfill officially as news sources report demolition was slated to begin yesterday. Owners have been reluctant to see the building reused, even after conversations that detailed multiple approaches to save the building in a profitable way.

Don't forget, this piece of our heritage didn't get this way overnight. The owners neglected this building for the better part of three

After months of negotiations between state and county government officials and the Buffalo Bills, The Buffalo News reports that the parties have agreed on a 10 year lease that will keep the team in Western New York. 
According to the News report, the deal calls for $130 million to be spent on renovations at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Notably, the Bills will spend $35 million - previous stadium upgrade deals didn't require the Bills to spend any of their own money. Meanwhile,

In response to the need to curb gun violence, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster joined with over 750 city executives across the nation by signing on to a letter to President Barack Obama from Mayors Against Illegal Guns.  The letter, also delivered to Congressional leaders on December 19, 2012, presents agenda items for consideration and immediate actions that can help make American cities safer.

The Statler City Annual Ice Ball is back. The New Year's extravaganza will once again fill the lower three floors of Statler City to ring in 2013 in style. Responding to concerns about last year's event, a number of important changes have been made.
This year's event will be limited to no more than 1,500 revelers, less than half of last years' total where overcrowding and lack of table seating was a common complaint. There will also be a larger and improved coat check area, no special VIP tickets (everyone will be a VIP), and plans for plenty of ice.
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Today, the Governor announced that New York will invest $50 million in state of the art biomedical research equipment and facilities, and has secured an agreement from a private company, Albany Molecular Research Inc. (AMRI), to locate in Western New York at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BMNC) a new drug discovery research and development center. This investment, $35 million of which will go towards new equipment and $15 million of which will go towards improving existing lab space, will leverage $200 million in private investments and create 250 jobs.

'Tis the season to be giving, and for more than a decade, the New York Iota chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity has taken this to heart and to feet, aiming to raise awareness and money for youth AIDS services and education with its annual Tree Trot for Youth AIDS.

During the event, a Christmas tree is carried by foot from Fredonia State College to Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo. This year's event was held on Saturday, December 1st and marked the 12th annual Tree Trot for Youth AIDS organized and ran by the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

The journey is a daunting 42

In celebration of the holidays and as a kick-off to the season of giving EmblemHealth, which recently expanded its product offering in the Buffalo region, is donating 110 tickets to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo for this Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Since 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social, and family circumstances. It actively seeks to enrich the lives of girls and boys whom other youth agencies failed to reach and is dedicated to ensuring that

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has agreed to conduct a review to determine the future of the Skyway.  In a letter from the NYSDOT to Congressman Higgins, Commissioner McDonald writes, "I have directed my staff to conduct a "plausibility review" to identify the critical issues associated with an undertaking of this complexity. Once this review is completed, we will be better able to have a meaningful discussion on the Skyway's future."
In separate correspondence to a local resident, provided to Congressman Higgins, the NYSDOT Regional

The "I'm Steel Standing" event last Sunday outside of the Bethlehem Steel North Administration Building, drew nearly 100 local residents and former employees to the historic site. For several months now, the push has been on to engage local residents in an intense campaign of increasing support for the landmark's adaptive reuse. Online and paper petitions have been circulated (with over 500 signatures gathered), a website has been built, which received over 2,000 visits in less than a week, a short film was

Retailers have "Black Friday" on the day after Thanksgiving, So Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff Estate is offering an an escape (once you've supported the local retailers in your community of course). We're calling it "Orange Friday" -the color of autumn leaves and the muted hues of Wright's magnificent architecture.  With fresh air and stellar architecture aplenty, there are tours every hour on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 23, 2012... and throughout the holiday weekend as well.  
(Graycliff will be closed on Thanksgiving Day itself.)  
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Rendezvous, the nightclub in Statler City, is one year old this week.  To celebrate, there will be no cover, an open bar, and hors d'oeuvres from 10 pm to midnight Wednesday night, traditionally one of Buffalo's busiest bar nights.  
The 12,000 sq.ft. club in the Statler's lower level has had a busy first year.  A popular happy hour venue and weekend hot spot, Rendezvous has hosted a number of internationally acclaimed DJ's since opening including Ferry Corsten, Carl Cox, Eddie Halliwell, and Paul Oakenfold.

Over the past decade preservationists and developers have managed to redefine the role that many of our oldest and most vulnerable structures play in the lives of WNY residents.  If not for their efforts, the Central Terminal, Silo City and the Hotel Lafayette might have been best known to the public through the debates that raged over if these supposed "eyesores" should be torn down. Few people were aware that these venues were amongst the most painted, sketched and photographed locations in the Buffalo area. Photographers in particular have created a huge body of work based upon their

First Niagara Foundation and Computers For Children, Inc. (CFC) announced today that First Niagara Financial Group's community foundation has donated over 6,000 pieces of computer equipment valued at over $500,000 - - the single largest donation ever received by the nonprofit computer-education organization.

"Every contribution of cash, equipment, and service, is valuable, however, there are those historic instances over the past 15 years that stand out, and this gift from First Niagara marks a truly monumental occasion for our organization,"

Rich Products Corporation is playing a key role in WNY's efforts to help provide Hurricane Sandy relief. Rich's is partnering with New York's Empire State Development Corp. and The Edge 103.3 FM by donating $100,000 in food and two, 18-wheel trucks to transport food and other much-needed items to Hurricane Sandy victims.

Rich's is also serving as the main collection site for donations from Western New York businesses and residents to aid our downstate neighbors in need.  Much-needed donations include: clean-up supplies, debris removal tools and first aid supplies.

A complete

The Western New York Environmental Alliance is meeting this Saturday, November 10th for their annual Congress. The meeting will take place at 10 am at the University at Buffalo Clinical Translation Research Center, 875 Ellicott Street on the fifth floor atrium level.

The Alliance is a group composed of over eighty member organizations and affiliates with three primary goals; Preserve and restore our regional environment through