Niagara Reporter-
Reporting by Parlato Credited With Arrest of Cult Leader
Please click the link below to subscribe to a FREE PDF version of each print edition of the Niagara Reporter http://eepurl.com/dnsYM9 By: Tony Farina The dogged determination of businessman-turned-journalist Frank Parlato, using the same no-holds-barred reporting he used to end the Maid of the Mist monopoly on both sides of the border by owner Jimmy Glynn just a few years ago, has paid off again with the arrest of the alleged mastermind of an Albany-based sex-slave cult called NXIVM. Parlato, who once worked briefly for NXIVM and has been involved in a long-running legal battle with
One Niagara Welcome Center Dressing Up for Season
Please click the link below to subscribe to a FREE PDF version of each print edition of the Niagara Reporter http://eepurl.com/dnsYM9 BY: Tony Farina With the tourist season about to begin, the bustling welcome center known as One Niagara at 360 Rainbow Blvd., adjacent to the Rainbow Bridge, is getting ready to greet visitors from near and far with an improved look that will include replacing the temporary vending booths with permanent structures and dressing up the pedestrian experience along O’Laughlin Dr. “We are committed to making One Niagara a world class destination,” said Paul Grenga
Vindication? George Maziarz Accepts Plea Deal as Prosecution Lacks Evidence for Trial
It was just a year ago that Democratic State Atty. General Eric Schneiderman unloaded on two top Niagara County Republican figures in a headline-grabbing announcement that featured a total of eight felony counts. Now, a year later, Schneiderman has egg on his face after the much- hyped cases against former State Sen. George Maziarz of Newfane and current State Sen. Robert Ortt of North Tonawanda have yielded a misdemeanor plea and a $1,000 fine, both for Maziarz, and the dismissal of all counts against Ortt. Schneiderman, who once served in the State Senate with Maziarz on the other
Senecas Ramp Up Opposition to Pegula Fracking Proposal
There’s an old expression that comes close to describing billionaire Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula’s business philosophy, and that is, “Don’t make a mess in your own nest.” The thrills and enjoyment Pegula provides to Western New York sports fans, as his teams go forth to do battle against rival municipalities, are in stark contrast to the misery of the land, air and water pollution his natural gas fracking operations inflict on communities south of the state line, in northwestern Pennsylvania. In 2015, two public drinking water systems and at least six private water wells were allegedly contaminated by
“Smokin'” Land Deal Pending for Downtown Niagara Falls?
A sweeping and transformational real estate transaction is possibly in the works as the Cuomo administration, through its Empire State Development agency, is poised to purchase numerous downtown Niagara Falls parcels from local developer and Native American entrepreneur “Smokin’” Joe Anderson, the Reporter has learned, despite all parties concerned refusing to comment directly on the matter. During the Buffalo installment of his “State of the state” speech on Jan. 9, 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he had decided to purchase “distressed lands adjacent to Niagara Falls State Park” for the purpose of subsequent redevelopment as part of his new
Niagara Falls December jobless rate soars over 8%
Highest Unemployment in New York State While the United States has officially been at “full employment” for several months, as a nearly decade-long economic expansion continues, the situation here in Niagara Falls is bad and getting worse, according to figures released last week by the NYS Department of Labor. Niagara Falls’ unemployment rate for 2017 came in at 7.7%, the highest of any city in the entire state for the fourth year in a row, more than three full percentage points higher than New York State (4.6%). U.S. unemployment for the month of December was 4.1%. The city of Niagara
Cuomo Soars Magically Over Clouds of Corruption
By Tony Farina Gov. Andrew Cumo’s right-hand man used “ziti” as innocent slang for money, not as a covert code for ill-gotten gains, according to his defense attorney. Now that’s worth some thought. Imagine, Joseph Percoco, the governor’s former top man who is on trial for receiving more than $300,000 in bribes from businessmen who wanted his help on deals with the state, was not really trying to cover up anything, just talking about money like anybody would, just substituting “ziti” for fun, I guess. The “ziti” term for money that has emerged in the federal corruption trial of Percoco and
“Be vewy, vewy quiet…” advises Sandwich Shop owner in emails to Reporter
You’d think with the kind of no-holds-barred, hard hitting journalism practiced by the Reporter, we’d receive a lot more flack, or possibly even death threats, from certain individuals unhappy with one or more aspects of our reporting. So you can imagine how thrilled we were when some decidedly negative feedback materialized in our email box in response to our recent story on the closure of Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches’ Elmwood Avenue location. On Sunday, January 28, we received a complaint from a person calling himself David Zink, who may or may not own the Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches franchise
Proposal to dump Pegula Frackwater in Allegheny River upstream of NY’s southern tier advances
Last July, 2017 the Coudersport (Pennsylvania) Area Municipal Authority (CAMA) board members leased land to an outfit called Epiphany Allegheny LLC. Epiphany plans to build a wastewater treatment plant on the Allegheny River to process wastewater produced as a byproduct of high volume horizontal hydrofracturing (“fracking”). The top customer of the new treatment plant has been identified as JKLM Energy LLC, a leading Pennsylvania natural gas drilling concern that routinely employs fracking. JKLM Energy LLC is owned by Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula. According to Endeavor News (“Serving Potter & Cameron Counties in NorthCentral Pennsylvania”), JKLM would
Toxic Niagara Sanitation landfill still plagues Town of Wheatfield
Government officials propose new fence to contain toxic below-ground leachate Foot-dragging over decades by the Town of Wheatfield and the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in their efforts at testing and remediation of the former Niagara Sanitation toxic landfill in the town has some residents of Nash Road frustrated to the extent that they are suing the government for action. It was way back in 1983 that the DEC first conducted a “Phase I Investigation,” which consisted of “historical records review and site walk over.” Then two years later the state agency commenced Phase II, on-site data collection. It
Bwana, go home! Jimmy John’s shutters Elmwood Village store
The Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo location of Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches has closed after less than two years in operation. No explanation was given by the nationwide Jimmy John’s chain for the failure of its franchise on the busy commercial street, bounded by economically upscale neighborhoods and student housing for Buffalo State College. The rapid closure may have been related to a joint Reporter/Artvoice story of March, 2016 (“Great White Hunter Opens Sandwich Shop on Elmwood”), which revealed to the local Elmwood community the appalling hobby of multimillionaire owner Jimmy John Liautaud. According to numerous sources, the sandwich tycoon loves to
Former Mayor schools City Council on Budgeting 101
One-time Mayor Vince Anello addressed the newly-installed Niagara Falls City Council at their first regular meeting Wednesday afternoon on prudent fiscal management. Unfortunately, none of the five councilmembers were seen to be taking notes. “The last thirty years only two mayors have had a budget surplus. Mayor O’Laughlin being one of them,” Mr. Anello intoned. “The mayor that followed him used the surplus to reduce everybody’s taxes. The surplus was from the water and sewer fund. Everybody cheered – they lowered our taxes! The pipes are broken now. Guess what? Everybody’s crying. “See, this is the problem – we