MICHAEL S. GAWEL, CPA, JD My name is Michael S. Gawel and I have been a Certified Public Accountant since 1980. I have a BBA in Accounting and a JD from SUNY @ Buffalo School of Law. I am going to write a weekly tax advice column for the NiagaraRead More

Now, a relative of Pigeon has commented after reading Coercive Plea Bargain? Pigeon Chooses Eight Months Over Gambling Life in Prison: By a Relative of Both Pigeon and His Sister I’m a relative of Steve’s by marriage, and he is still a friend of my family and myself. His niece,Read More

    For over 20 years, state agencies have tolerated an open door to terrorist attack on the Niagara Power Project, also known as the Niagara Scenic Parkway (formerly the Robert Moses Parkway), which provides 24×7 access to the heart of the generation plant that supplies electricity to most ofRead More

This evening the Falls Department of Planning, in conjunction with state representatives, will hold a public meeting at the Niagara Falls Train Station to provide public scoping for the LWRP, or Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. Residents are invited to drop-in between 5 and 7 p.m. for what is described asRead More

Bold Vision: Leveraging State Land for Event Center, Tech Campus to Spur Growth! With the Mayoral election over, Niagara Falls can now turn its attention to the “two-project solution” as a potential avenue for economic growth and development in the city. This solution aims to provide residents with an arena,Read More

By Tony Farina Former State Attorney General Dennis Vacco of the Buffalo law firm of Lippes Mathias, is still awaiting responses from the state on the lawsuit he filed in September on behalf of several member counties challenging the language in the state budget in May that, in Vacco’s words,Read More

Comedian Ernie Bivins, AKA “Black Ernie,” is making a name for himself in Las Vegas. “I’m 49, but I feel like I’m 29!” Jokes the Niagara Falls Native, whose career began here in his hometown in 2008. “I was doing shows for a few years and then I met MikeRead More

In a dramatic turn of events, G. Steven Pigeon faced a harrowing decision in the face of serious sexual abuse charges. With the risk of a life sentence looming over him, Pigeon grappled with a gut-wrenching choice: accept a plea deal for a crime he insists he didn’t commit, orRead More

The Western New York Land Conservancy, which in the past few years has spearheaded multimillion dollar restoration projects at both Stella Niagara and the Niagara Gorge, and is probably the most effective voice for the natural environment in the entire region, has named a new Deputy Director, Cathleen Maine. MaineRead More

In the crunch before election day, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino displayed a blend of political savvy and desperation. His pre-election tactics were transparent, something he has not been during his four years as mayor. Borrowing the taxpayer-funded city’s emergency alert text system – which reaches residents throughout Niagara Falls,Read More

Niagara Falls, NY – On the eve of Election Day, Council Member Cauley presents a clear and compelling vision for the future of Niagara Falls. His is a vision of progress, bolstered by his track record and robust platform for his re-election bid. With Election Day on the horizon, CauleyRead More

By Tony Farina Election day is within sight (Tuesday) and there is a lot at stake in Niagara Falls for voters to consider, not the least of which is trying to keep the city in balance and not surrendering to the mysterious agenda of the incumbent mayor, Robert Restaino, whoRead More

Mayor Robert Restaino wants to build a taxpayer-funded events center. He does not yet have the funding or land. But we understand the principle behind his effort, and we want to support it by proposing some better, more accurate names than his preferred one: Centennial Park. Mayor Robert Restaino’s MajesticRead More

By Gerald Skrlin In response to Frank Parlato’s question, “What will it take to fix up the Falls?” I found myself reflecting on the challenges our beloved city faces. Indeed, it feels like a centipede asked which foot it put forth first when walking – where do we even begin?Read More

Niagara Falls City Council Member Vincent Cauley is emerging as a force to reckon with. Known for his assertive stance, Cauley has vocally challenged Mayor Robert Restaino’s extravagant use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. As a member of the Republican majority of the Niagara Falls City Council, CauleyRead More

By Brandon M. Stickney “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson For a time, human rights activist Malcolm X meant trouble for young Carlton “Carl” Cain. Malcolm’s autobiography, co-authored by Alex Haley, was nearly 500Read More

By Dennis Elsenbeck I have lived and worked in Western New York for decades now. Many in the area know me from the nearly 30 years I spent at Niagara Mohawk and National Grid (culminating in the position of regional director for Western New York), or from my role onRead More

Last night’s city council meeting was further proof that Mayor Restaino’s proposed use of CDBG funds for purchasing Parcel 0 is still on the table. Last night, Councilmember Vincent Cauley attempted to rescind the authority the council granted the Mayor last December to use CDBG funds for the purchase ofRead More

As part of a series highlighting the Black candidates currently running for office in the City of Niagara Falls, this article will focus specifically on Democratic candidate for city council Brian Archie. In this series we will examine the Black candidates and judge them not by the color of theirRead More

Niagara Falls, NY – Mayor Robert M. Restaino, just in time for the election, has announced a modest decrease in residential property tax rates. Yet, since his inauguration in 2020, the city has been plagued with soaring crime rates and rising taxes. First, let’s dissect his “generous” tax cut. AlthoughRead More