Niagara Reporter-
Pavers in Niagara State Park an Ongoing Scandal Overpriced Granite a Taxpayer Rip-off
Two years ago this month, Reporter publisher Frank Parlato exposed in these pages what appeared to be a blatant case of bid-rigging perpetrated by the Saratoga Springs, NY-based LA Group, a landscape architecture firm chosen by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to implement portions of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $50 million Niagara Falls State Park “Landscape Improvements” plan. It turned out that LA Group tweaked the specifications for thousands of square feet of granite pavers to be used in park construction so that only one quarry in all of New York State, Champlain Stone, was
Mixed martial arts promoters have tough road despite passage
It may be bloody and highly controversial, but mixed martial arts will be coming to New York in the not too distant future, and the popular sport will then face the challenge of lining up promoters to meet the re-quirements contained in the bill passed by the Assembly this week and headed to the governor’s desk. Event promoters will be required to provide at least $500,000 in accident insurance coverage for com-petitions and they would have to provide fighters with a separate insurance benefit of at least $1 million for the treatment of life threatening brain injuries. But as Assemblyman
Shaky union support may have delivered key blow to Panepinto
It could be more than an office scandal and financial pressures that drove State Sen. Marc Panepinto’s decision two weeks ago not to seek a second-term in the 60th District only days after the Erie County Democratic Committee endorsed him for re-election. Political sources tell this newspaper that his union support, which fueled his 2014 run with more than $1 million, was shaky at best given his high negatives in several polls, and that coupled with an ethics com-plaint by one of his staffers it was enough to drive him out of the race. There was no advance warning that
Complaints against violent no surprise to lawyer representing Donatello
It was in the Sept. 3, 2013 editions of the Niagara Falls Reporter that I broke the story that one of the top prosecutors in the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office was threatening to bring legal action against the county on her claims that she had been discriminated against in pay and work conditions on the basis of gender. Now, 2 and 1⁄2 years later, Elizabeth Donatello is pursuing her discrimination case in Federal Court and the district attorney who was the target of her claims, Michael Violante, has resigned after being named in complaints of sexual harassment by other
Brian Meyer to head regional news partnership at WBFO
Award-winning veteran journalist Brian Meyer, who has served as news director at WBFO in Buffalo since 2014, has been promoted to the position of senior director of news and public affairs for WNED/WBFO where he will oversee a new regional collaboration that will focus on Great Lakes reporting. Chief Program Officer John Grant also announced that Kathryn Larsen has been promoted to director of broadcasting for radio and television, assuming responsibility for WBFO-FM 88.7 and the non-music programming for Classical 94.5 WNED. Her duties will include creating the program schedules for both radio stations, station budgets, and the supervision of
NU Community Kitchen Awarded $50,000 Grant
Niagara University’s Community Kitchen pilot project was awarded a ‘NobleCause’ grant from NobleHour, a community engagement platform. The project was one of 100 efforts across the country recognized and rewarded for raising community awareness, fostering partnerships, and cultivating leaders who take action. In total, the ‘NobleCause’ competition awarded $1,000,000 in grants to educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Open once a month, the Community Kitchen teaches residents of the Niagara Falls Housing Authority (NFHA) about healthy eating and healthful food preparation on a budget. Nursing School students are onsite to offer complimentary health screenings. And to extend the effort, student and
Touma Wants Water, Sewer Rate Reductions in Wake of State Audit
The state audit released on Wednesday that found that the Niagara Falls Water Board and Water Authority had millions of dollars in excess funds sitting around as the city was looking for help to repair water lines on 72nd Street caught Council President Andrew Touma by complete surprise. “I was shocked [by the findings],” said Touma Wednesday night. “We had been looking for them [Water Board] to help the city with half of the $1 million we needed to fix the pipes on 72nd Street and they said they didn’t have the money. We paid it all and now this.
State Bureaucrats, Hamister Silent On Failed Hotel Project
The sad truth behind the state development agencies that helped push through the proposed Hamister Hotel project in Niagara Falls four years ago is that silence is indeed golden, because despite all the talk about the city capitalizing on an opportunity too good to pass up, nothing has happened at 310 Rainbow Blvd. and requests for answers from the Cuomo bureaucrats are met with silence. And the Hamister Group, headquartered in Buffalo, also has nothing to say. “It is a complete joke,” says developer Michael DiCienzo in describing the failure of the Hamister project at the prime downtown parcel
Snowden Seen As Trumpiest Of Trumpsters, Develops Line Of Campaign Buttons
Flamboyant and entrepreneurial Rick Snowden, who owned a nightclub and the historic Miller Mansion on Nottingham Terrace in Buffalo where he hosted several spectacular parties between 2004 and 2010 – many of them to benefit local charities – has now become one of Donald Trump’s most ardent and visible supporters. A political junkie for most of his 64 years, the colorful Snowden was featured in a New York Post story last week where he was described as possibly the “Trumpiest of the Trumpsters,” given the fact he has attended 28 Trump rallies across 13 states. And along the way, he
Grandinetti Bursts Out Laughing At Friend’s Adolescent Hi Jinks At Council Meeting
Niagara Falls – Last week, former Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello came before the council at their regularly scheduled meeting to speak at the podium during the public comment period known as “for the good of the city.” As he was speaking, in earnest tones, he was interrupted, oddly, by the laughter of Councilwoman Kristen Grandinetti. Anello, obviously offended, confronted Grandinetti on the spot asking what she thought was so funny. Grandinetti replied, “I wasn’t laughing at you, I was laughing at my friend in the audience.” Anello responded, “Don’t you think you should be paying attention to what
Campaign Contributions, Connections, Cronyism Drive State Parks Construction Frenzy
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s overarching “NY Parks 2020: A 7-Point Vision for Transforming NYS Parks” plan purports to “renew the stewardship of our state parks system” by “modernizing and bringing state parks to 21st century standards.” We’ve taken a closer look at NY Parks 2020, and found it to have less to do with improving the public’s experience of nature and more with perpetuating pay-to-play cronyism. The NY Parks 2020 document states “In his first term, Governor Cuomo has made tremendous progress to revitalize parks… By 2020, NY Parks will leverage private philanthropy and other public dollars to yield a $900
Flaherty, Flynn to Mix Politics, St. Patrick’s Celebration At Famed Irish Center Luncheon
Just in case you are a newcomer to these parts, we’d like to remind you that St. Patrick’s Day next Thursday (March17) is more than a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture, it is the starting point of the political season and that’s particularly true this year with DA candidates Mike Flaherty and Johnny Flynn who will celebrate their Irish heritage and headline the annual civic luncheon on Friday (March 18) at the Irish Center on Abbott Rd. where politics is the main course. “I will be at the hall with some friends and colleagues,” said Flaherty, the acting