Niagara Reporter-
Breaking News Stories on Maid, NXIVM highlights of Publisher’s Accomplishments
If he was your traditional type of newspaperman, having slogged it out in journalism school for years prior to occupying a cubicle at any one of hundreds of humdrum dailies across the country, he probably would have won a Pulitzer Prize or two by now. That’s because Frank Parlato, publisher of the Niagara Falls Reporter, a small, but ambitious and widely read Western New York weekly soon to celebrate its 20th year of existence, has broken two monumental stories over the past decade, either of which would have made the career of the average investigative reporter. Starting in 2008, Mr.
Were Polls infiltrated, Election process subverted by Democrats to aid Grandinetti?
The Reporter has it on good information that all may not have been “on the up and up” with regards to election day here in the city of Niagara Falls. “I hope the Board of Elections is looking into this,” posted Niagara Falls Police officer and Air Force Reserve Technical Sergeant Christopher James on Facebook Tuesday afternoon after casting his ballot, “I️ know a few voters have called (to complain to) the Board of Elections and they were shrugged off.” He continued, “Election inspectors in Niagara Falls are incorrectly telling voters they cannot vote for City Council candidates in the
Delaware North’s enormous windfall profits from Niagara Falls State Park accrue to Buffalo Billionaire Jeremy Jacobs’ fortune
Nearly two decades into their state contract to provide food service and other amenities in the Niagara Falls State Park, we have obtained hard numbers as to how much money the multinational fast food conglomerate Delaware North Companies reaps from their operations in the world famous tourist destination. And to say that they are nothing short of astonishing would be an understatement. A document obtained this week by the Niagara Falls Reporter under the Freedom of Information Law reveals that Delaware North Companies made more than $4.72 million from concessions operations they ran in the Niagara Falls State Park over
Mike Hudson deeply missed by Reporter staff
A profound sadness descended on all of us on the Reporter staff over the weekend on news of Mike Hudson’s passing. Mike was a guy much loved by everyone who knew him, even if mostly through his music, or his writing. It is here, in the newspaper that Mike founded, nurtured and molded into a singular and wildly-popular local source of news and commentary, and to which he contributed many thousands of words himself over nearly 20 years, that we wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family. Though some might consider passing at 61 to be too soon,
Hoyt resigns in disgrace
ESD President no friend to Niagara Falls The resignation this week of Empire State Development Regional President Sam Hoyt resonated with this writer, who has crossed paths with Mr. Hoyt several times over the years, certainly more often than the average Niagara County resident. Overwhelmingly the encounters were negative, predictive of how much damage he would eventually inflict on the city of Niagara Falls and Niagara County. A second generation politician who, like Niagara Falls mayor Paul Dyster, obtained his undergraduate college degree not in any useful discipline such as business or technology but in Political Science, Mr. Hoyt assumed
Local school zone speed limits arbitrary, make little sense
The speed limit on Mapleton Road in front of the sprawling Starpoint Central School campus in the town of Pendleton has been lowered to 40 mph, and some have questioned the reasonableness of the adjustment. Previously 45 mph on the long, straight stretch of road, with no intersections in the vicinity save those servicing the school, it was recently lowered to 40 mph, necessitating a change of signs and installation of new flashing yellow warning lights. The Starpoint school buildings themselves are set back several hundred feet from the road. “In the long term, we’d like to see the school
Residents on new Upper Mountain Road housing development: “Not Now, No Way!”
Is local government stalling, wearing down citizen opposition? The debate over a new, high-density housing subdivision proposed for the town of Lewiston seems to be winding down, as only a handful of citizens attending the Lewiston Town Board meeting Monday evening voiced opposition to the new construction. For the third public meeting in a row, Supervisor Steve Broderick announced that the board intended to again defer voting on approval of the 80.2 acre, 107 unit project on Upper Mountain Road, east of Bronson Drive, comprising four apartment houses and 91 “patio homes.” He did not specify as to when the
Gov. Cuomo’s jobs “Strikeforce” invades Niagara Falls
Declares Victory, then retreats back to Albany “Niagara Falls Unemployment Rate highest in New York State” blared the headline for our lead story on August 13 of this year. As we reported, the Niagara Falls unemployment figure for June, 2017 was an appalling 7.7%, by far the highest of any city with population above 25,000 in all of New York State, according to the state Department of Labor. The next closest was the southern tier city of Elmira, coming in at 7.0%. Buffalo was at 6.7%. To the rescue comes Governor Cuomo and his state Department of Labor, sponsoring a
Cuomo jokes about Niagara Falls’ loss of casino funds
Governor turns his back on World-Famous Tourist city “This agreement is a win-win-win; a win for the local governments of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and Salamanca, a win for the Seneca Nation whose exclusivity will be honored, and a win for all New Yorkers with hundreds of millions of dollars coming to the State now and for the future,” Governor Cuomo announced on June 13, 2013 at a news conference in Niagara Falls, bringing to a close a lengthy dispute with the Senecas over territorial claims concerning their gaming operations. That “future,” of course, didn’t even last four years. If Governor
Another Third Street business closes its doors
USA Niagara, City wasted millions on Tourism Pipedream Niagara Falls‘ “Tourist District” just received another blow with the closing of Third Street’s 24 Below Art Gallery and Cafe’ last week. Described by an Oct. 2016 article in the Niagara Gazette as a “haven for local artists,” the gallery actually doubled as a community center, hosting drum circles, book club meetings, business mixers and the popular annual “Dance of the Fireflies” fest. Visitors enjoyed gourmet dishes prepared fresh daily at the lunch counter, and also got to enjoy the smoothies, panini’s and desserts made in the cafe. “We are transitioning our
Breaking News: Gov. Cuomo rumored not to seek re-election
Will concentrate on bid for White House instead In stunning news that is certain to rock the New York State and even national political scenes, the Reporter has it on good information that, should he be subject to a serious primary challenge in 2018, Gov. Andrew Cuomo will decline to run for re-election. You heard it here first, in the Reporter. A reliable source has passed along to us, on condition of anonymity, that the Governor, known for strategizing career moves well into the future, has decided that anything resembling a hard-fought internecine primary battle for next year’s Democratic Party
Big Tax Increase in Dyster’s 2018 Budget not enough to offset loss of Casino Revenue
While the national and state economies have enjoyed a reasonably robust recovery in the years following the housing meltdown and great recession, the financial condition of the city of Niagara Falls has steadily deteriorated over the decade Mayor Dyster has been in office, and there’s no mystery why. Rock concerts, Winter Fests, a Dairy Queen drive-thru, Totes McGoats, a Discover Niagara shuttle devoid of passengers, a woman hanging by her teeth – those are just some of the silly things that Mayor Dyster has seen fit to throw money at. There are also the across-the-board City Hall salary increases he