Niagara Reporter-
Virtuoso, Zona, Grozio Help Keep Methadone Clinic at Current Site
The Northpointe Council’s methadone clinic in Niagara Falls, which only a few short months ago was on track to move to a Sixth Street site that some residents were resisting, will remain at its current location at the Trott Access Center on 11th Street thanks to bipartisan efforts of several elected and officials. It was last June at the ribbon cutting for the opening of the Golisano Center for Community Health at Memorial Hospital that Democratic legislators Dennis Virtuoso, Jason Zona and Mark Grozio from Niagara Falls began talking to the county’s director of mental health, Laura Keleman, about
New York Nanny State Takes all the fun out of Experiencing Nature
The average reader might suspect that we photoshopped the above vintage photos of Niagara Falls on this page – but we didn’t. They’re real images of real people perched at the precipice of Niagara Falls before areas such as Prospect Point, Three Sisters Islands and most of the entire perimeter of Goat Island were railed in and fenced off. For perspective, we include some pictures we ran across while researching this story on the internet, children, families and bathing beauties frolicking at the top of Victoria Falls in Africa at a spot on the brink called “Devil’s Pool”. Victoria Falls,
Former City Manager Albond shares thoughts with Reporter on NYPA, hydropower issues
We recently had a conversation with Harvey Albond, a gentleman who has seen the ups and downs experienced by the city of Niagara Falls over a period spanning nearly the last six decades. Mr. Albond, 88, served as City Manager for Niagara Falls for two terms, the first 1959-60, and again in 1985-86. He was also Director of Planning and Development for the city from 1967-1979, and not only has extensive and detailed recollections of the past, but passed along some insightful recommendations for the future. Our conversation began with a discussion of the impact of hydropower on the city’s
In Whirlpool State Park, Extreme Sports, Play win out over Nature
Whirlpool State Park is undergoing some changes – in our opinion, not for the better. One of the original Olmsted/Vaux parks along the Niagara River, in addition to Devil’s Hole and, of course, the Niagara Reservation which encompasses the iconic waterfall, Whirlpool is a tourist favorite. It affords stunning views of the river and Niagara Whirlpool below. In what’s been termed a brief and violent encounter, Niagara Falls, which over thousands of years had steadily churned its way south from Lewiston at the point where Artpark sits across from Canada’s Brock Memorial, encountered an older riverbed consisting of softer material
Unopposed State Senate Seat has Storied History
In the absence of primary challenges, this year’s general election match-ups for candidates running for state legislator seats representing the city of Niagara Falls were not in question. Of the two races, incumbent State Senator Robert Ortt will run unopposed in November, affording voters no choice in the matter. When asked why Ortt was unopposed, Democratic insiders told us that, “The right candidate could not be found, and the NYS Senate Democrat Committee was more concerned about the Panepinto seat,” (60th Senate District) and, “They tried numerous people but nobody wanted to run.” Some have observed that Senator Ortt maintains
Amtrak move, Opening Day for Train Station delayed, as the weeks, months and possibly years go by
A remarkable publication from 2013 entitled “Station Program and Planning Guidelines”, put out by the passenger rail concern Amtrak to assist municipalities in the design, planning and construction of new “intermodal transportation centers” (aka train stations), raises continuing questions about the practicality of the $44 million facility recently built on Whirlpool Street, as well as how extensively (or limited) collaboration with the prospective tenant Amtrak has been in the run-up to opening day (if it ever takes place). It’s anyone’s guess as to when or if Amtrak will be moving operations from its dated yet serviceable passenger depot on Lockport
New Train Station, Amtrak both Heavily Dependent on Government Subsidies
The 2013 Amtrak “Station Program and Planning Guidelines” document specifies numerous requirements for any municipality contemplating construction of a new rail passenger station. Notwithstanding its imposing height and size, and the fact that it spans an entire city block, the new Niagara Falls International Railway Station and Intermodal Transportation Center isn’t, in Amtrak’s estimation, really a big deal, based on ridership criteria set forth in the Guidelines. Amtrak classifies stations as follows: large (>400,000 riders a year), medium (100,000 to 400,00 a year), caretaker (20,000 to 100,000) and shelter (<20,000). According to Amtrak published figures, Niagara Falls had a 2015
Former NYPA Official comments on Lewiston Reservoir sinkhole threat
The chief engineer formerly in charge of the NYPA Niagara Power Project hydroelectric facility at Lewiston, NY, last week responded to a Sept. 1 Artvoice article revealing the presence of what was termed a sinkhole next to its associated reservoir. Although the presumed sinkhole, first discovered during a routine inspection last year, was later recast as a “swale” by NYPA engineers, federal watchdogs at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) instructed NYPA in no uncertain terms to keep close watch on the accumulating moisture at the base of the reservoir’s earthen dike. “I am a graduate Electrical Engineer with
JC Seneca to Run for Seneca President
Promising transparency and a new path that provides hope, faith and trust in government, businessman JC Seneca of the Cattaraugus Territory announced today that he is running for president of the Seneca Nation of Indians in the election scheduled for Nov. 1. Seneca, 56, chairman of the One Nation Organization, is the only announced candidate so far to replace outgoing President Maurice “Mo” John, a member of the Seneca Party like his predecessor, Barry Snyder. “Under the past two administrations, our people have been kept in the dark,” Seneca said in a telephone interview this week. “People know that I
Falls Reassessment Plan Slowing Down
It appears the planned citywide property reassessment in Niagara Falls, the first in 14 years, is not necessarily a done deal just yet after many taxpayers voiced strong opposition to the plan at last Tuesday’s public hearing in council chambers. “People were obviously concerned,” said Council President Andrew Touma on Wednesday. “We’re concerned. We reassured them that they would be part of the process and we’re just not going to rush into it.” In addition to the heat from opponents who fear the reassessment is just a plan to raise their taxes, city officials also need to find a million
Hyde Park Elementary speed limit lowered after years of persistence
Just in time for the new school year, the NYS DOT installed speed limit signs on State Route 61 (Hyde Park Blvd.), lowering the speed in front of Hyde Park Elementary School to 25 mph. The roadway has a 35 mph speed limit elsewhere, except in front of Gaskill Prep Middle School, and now Hyde Park Elementary. The placement of the sign was the culmination of two years and eight months of inveigling the DOT by parents, residents, Council Chairman Andrew Touma and the Reporter in a series of stories published in this paper and brought to the attention of
Governor hands out $100 million to cities, While Niagara Falls check bounces
The city of Niagara Falls is like the civic equivalent of Rodney Dangerfield, in that it gets no respect, no respect at all, least of all from the governor’s office. On April 7 of this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the kick-off of what he called his $100 million “Downtown Revitalization Initiative” which, according to the press release, encompasses “a comprehensive approach to transform communities ripe for development into vibrant neighborhoods where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live and work.” “The initiative is to assist communities with transformative (sic) housing, economic development, transportation and