Tomorrow, the fourth annual Spark Awards presented by Arts Services Initiative of WNY, Inc. will bring together local artists and the business community to celebrate those who ignite arts and culture in Western New York. The event is described as, “an evening filled with awards, live performances, food, an open bar and a live art raffle and the new Hotel Henry in the Richardson Complex!” With over 80 nominations, a panel of cultural representatives from throughout Western New York selected the following 2016-17 winners. Lifetime Achievement – Anthony C. ConteArts Integration – Roswell Park Cancer Institute Advocate for the Cultural Sector – WNED…
Author: Jessica Marinelli
Rent is on the rise in Buffalo. According to RENTCafé’s most recent analysis of the US apartment market shows a 9.3% increase in rent year-over-year. “The Queen City went from the 17th to the 7th place in our list of Cities with the Fastest Growing Rents in just one month due to a staggering 9.3% jump. Buffalo just managed to outrank its own performance.” The Cities with the Fastest Growing Rents – April 2017 # City State Change Y-o-Y Average Rent 1 Stockton CA 11.20% $1,029 2 Lancaster CA 10.90% $1,101 3 Colorado Springs CO 10.00% $1,037 4 Tacoma WA 9.50%…
Every Wednesday this summer, Larkinville will once again host the KeyBank Live at Larkin concert series. The season kicks-off on Wednesday, June 7th and run until Wednesday, September 6 from 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. In addition to the wildly popular Food Truck Tuesdays, every week thousands of WNYer’s enjoy these free summer concerts that feature a wide range of artists, as well as variety of food trucks and beverages. “We’re excited for our sixth season of KeyBank Live at Larkin, which has for us been a perfect way to spend a summer night in Buffalo,” said Larkin Square Director of…
This summer the City of Buffalo could gain thousands of new residents. On April 9, the Green Code went into effect and officially legalized beekeeping in the City of Buffalo. Want your own hive? Local expert in urban bee farming and Western New York native, Erin Masterson Holko, spent the last 15 years in San Diego. For several of those years, she kept bees in the city, operated a beekeeping supply shop, and mentored others about keeping bees. Last year, she brought her impressive program back home to her family’s business, Masterson’s Garden Center, Inc. The program includes apprenticeship, seminars, and workshops. Masterson’s…
Today we celebrate Record Store Day 2017. This day has a special place in my heart, as I had the honor and privilege of growing up in a record store. In 1984, my grandmother, Christine Madden and Govindan Kartha partnered on a business venture and opened New World Record in the Evans Plaza, Williamsville, NY. Eventually, they moved to a location on Elmwood Ave. Soon after, Christine Madden retired. The store remained open until 2008, when after 24 years they were forced to close, mostly due to the drastic shift in how customers accessed and purchased music. In celebration of the day,…
Today Governor Andrew M. Cuomo took what he is calling the first Uber ride in Upstate New York arriving in Buffalo this morning to discuss the passing of the NYS Budget and announcing plans for Upstate outlined in the Buffalo Billion 2 (BB2). The driver, Tariq Nawaz, is an Uber Driver in NYC. Mr. Nawaz regularly commutes to NYC to work and back to Buffalo where his family resides. Often, he leaves his wife and three children for three to four weeks at a time. He and his family are excited about being able to work and live together again,…
As a life-long Western New York resident, I am incredibly proud of our state today for the passage of the final 2017-2018 New York State budget. No doubt, this is a historic moment. This budget is a reflection of years of planning and lobbying. It represents thousands of calls and meetings with community leaders and representatives, as well as, elected officials willing to listen and work with their constituents. Gov. Andrew Cuomo released an Op-ed today in the New York Daily News in which he stated, “We have rejected the politics of division and are forging our own path. With our…
Last month, Facebook rolled out a new “Town Hall” feature, which allows users to locate, follow and contact their state and federal government representatives. Early reporting stated that the feature would also include “local” officials, but as of this user’s testing, it only currently includes state and federal representatives. According to the Erie County Board of Elections, there will be over 120 local races up for re-election in 2017. Historically, voter turnout in a local election year is only a small fraction of all registered voters. Still, it’s a great concept that will hopefully grow as more users take advantage…
The proposed federal budget threatens to make devastating cuts to funding for Meals on Wheels of WNY. New York State Senator Tim Kennedy and Tara A. Ellis, President and CEO of Meals on Wheel of WNY are asking our community to rally to support this critical program which provides meals to Seniors, as well as rally to increase volunteers from the City of Good Neighbors. The event, which will be held today, March 24 begins at 3 p.m. at Meals on Wheels for WNY Headquarters, 100 James E. Casey Drive, Buffalo. Join Senator Kennedy, Tara A. Ellis, Meals on Wheels…
Are you a resident of WNY looking for a cool “staycation” spot? Or looking to visit Buffalo and want a home to rent for the week? Check out “The Station” home located at the corner of Starin Avenue and Amherst Street. The Station was originally owned by Buffalo Cement and leased by New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. Built in 1897, it was known as the Bennett Station. After WWI, the Beltline gradually faded from existence due to the development of trolley lines and automobiles. It was sold to the Boy Scouts to be used as a scout’s headquarters…