By Tony Farina Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino says he wants to build a  speculative $150-million events center on land the city doesn’t own and he has undertaken an eminent domain process to try and corral the 10-acre South End property from NFR at a mounting legal price and hopefullyRead More

Is Mayor Robert Restaino losing his grip on reality? In his latest campaign ad—trumpeted with great fanfare for days on Facebook—Mayor Robert Restaino suggests NFR and Urbacon’s Niagara Digital Campus development proposal is not real. Not real? • Is Mayor Restaino suggesting the company Urbacon, a Toronto-based developer and operatorRead More

By Ken Hamilton For those unfamiliar with Niagara Falls’ history, a trip down memory lane reveals mayoral decisions that devastated the city economically. Notably, Mayor E. Dent Lackey of the 1970s implemented policies that led to the confiscation of private properties from entrepreneurs and families who helped build the community.Read More

By Tony Farina The Niagara Falls mayoral race is turning ugly.  Just ask Republican candidate Carl Cain who is alleging that Mayor Restaino, a Democrat, and his appointed police chief, John Faso, have managed to deliver messages to him through two of his friends that he could face the publicRead More

MAYOR RESTAINO AND THE SO-CALLED “BLACK VOTE” Mayor Restaino has been handing out “candy,” but it’s not Halloween yet. It’s election season, and that candy is actually grant money. This past week, Mayor Restaino announced that he was awarding $100,000 to Christ Redemption Tabernacle Church, located at 339 22nd Street.Read More

By Ken Cosentino Recently I had a conversation with a close friend of mine who is a lifelong resident and successful business owner in Niagara Falls, and he said something that stuck with me. What my friend said is this: “As major shareholders, developers in this city deserve special treatment.”Read More

By Ken Cosentino Does Mayor Robert Restaino decide which businesses win and which businesses lose in the city of Niagara Falls? Indeed, he has turned a blind eye when it comes to some businesses not paying their taxes and others not paying their contractors. Local developer and Restaino ally RodRead More

By Richard Luthmann Demetreus Nix, a man with a troubled past, turned his life around. He started a construction business, became a community leader, and is now a Niagara Falls Mayoral candidate. But for the past several months,  Nix has repeatedly found himself in hot water thanks to what heRead More

Cartoon courtesy Niagara Gazette Niagara Falls has signs around the falls advising tourists: “Lock your car doors. Take your valuables. Enjoy your stay.” Really? The signs give tourists a frightful first impression that they won’t enjoy their stay, for they have entered a high crime area instead of a naturalRead More

By Ken Cosenstino Mayor Robert Restaino spoke at the start of the “Thursday’s On Third” event, which showcases musical talent and local vendors on Third Street. According to one attendee, the mayor spoke about the success of the event and how it was an important factor in bringing tourism toRead More

By Ken Cosentino Yet another person was shot and killed in the heart of the Niagara Falls tourist district this past Saturday. Once again, Mayor Robert Restaino is mum. Mayor Restaino has yet to meet a camera that he didn’t like (with the exception of WGRZ photojournalist Ben Read’s lens).Read More

By Tony Farina The Buffalo News editorial today on Niagara Falls got it half right and we certainly applaud the strong endorsement of the major expansion of the Niagara Falls Aquarium, already a bit of a small wonder next to the world wonder that the whole world knows. The editorialRead More

By Jim Szwedo Once again, I feel compelled to write another article on behalf of the citizens of Niagara Falls. The current administration, just like our past administrations, has decided to lead its constituents down a rabbit hole of half-truths, endless egos, unreachable goals, and insurmountable debt. From the beginning,Read More

By Tony Farina The revamped Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board, including four new members who were in attendance last Thursday but not licensed yet, got a firsthand look at the stunning financial numbers being generated by the public benefit corporation made up of 15 counties and two cities. TheRead More

By Tony Farina One could argue that Niagara Falls is spinning its wheels  in an election year in its battle with Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR) over about 12 acres of South End property that the city wants to acquire through eminent domain from NFR for the mayor’s $150-million Centennial ParkRead More

By Tony Farina I think NFR’s Roger Trevino makes very strong arguments in response to Councilman Kenny Tompkins’ op-ed in piece in the Niagara Gazette this week on needing to work together to foster development. Trevino, in today’s Guest View article in the Gazette, quite accurately points out the omissions inRead More

The one big question in Niagara Falls is whether Mayor Robert Restaino merely snapped – when he placed his hand in front of a camera – or whether he is unraveling and headed for another mental health breakdown. His history of suspected mental illness is not new. On March 11,Read More

   By Tony Farina I’ve recently written several articles, including in the Buffalo News (Another Voice), about the amazing success of WROTBC/Batavia Downs Gaming in returning many millions of dollars to its member counties and cities to help reduce local property taxes since its inception 50 years ago. The publicRead More

By Tony Farina There will be a fun-filled fundraiser for Niagara Falls City Council hopeful Michael Gawel on Tuesday night, 5:30 to 7:30, at the always electric Player’s Bar at 528 Niagara St., Niagara Falls. Beer, pizza and music on the patio for $25, with checks payable to the CommitteeRead More

Mayor’s Unpredictable Anger Strikes Again By Ken Cosentino Folks, we literally have a petty tyrant as our mayor. While awaiting election results Tuesday night, Mayor Robert Restaino could no longer suppress the impotent rage that has become synonymous with his legacy. Once again, Restaino displayed his ugly and explosive temperamentRead More