CITYCIDE: CITY HALL MOVES TO QUASH DISSENT FROM FOES OF GOLF COURSE GIVEAWAY

Some things never change, regardless of who holds power.

Disregard for basic constitutional rights, for one thing.

You might recall that under the previous City Hall administration, "Find the Reporter" became a weekly game played by workers there. Former mayor Irene Elia didn't quite see eye-to-eye with your friendly weekly newspaper on a few topics and so ordered workers to move copies of each edition from tables and countertops, where they could be easily found and enjoyed, to decidedly less accessible garbage cans.

So our tireless distributors had to keep moving them from location to location to make sure city workers at least had a chance to stay as informed as the general public, particularly if they got to work early each Tuesday.

While we haven't gotten any reports of Elia's successor -- in more ways than one -- doing the same to our paper yet, it seems Vince Anello bears equal contempt for freedom of speech.

If you saw last week's Reporter, you read about Frank Scaletta, the former Niagara Falls School District physical education teacher who mans the point position for Save Hyde Park, a group of taxpayers fighting the Anello administration's giveaway of the park's golf course.

Scaletta, who golfs two or three times a week, and his cohorts had posted fliers throughout the clubhouse at Hyde Park offering information on how to get involved in the battle.

Last week, the group printed up a new batch of banners, designed to catch more eyes, Scaletta said.

Unfortunately, the new design worked too well. When Scaletta walked through the clubhouse on Thursday, he didn't see any around. When he inquired as to what happened to the fliers, a course worker said a call had come in from City Hall ordering them torn down and placed in the circular file.

There seems to be a basic misunderstanding under which Anello's City Hall operates, one which Citycide would like to clarify here.

City property is not, repeat not, your property. It belongs to the people of Niagara Falls, no matter how many of them voted for you. They entrusted you to take care of it for them, a trust which you've spent the past eight months urinating all over.

If those same citizens become angry with one of your particularly boneheaded moves -- like, say, giving one of the city's most treasured possessions to a bunch of guys who already owe taxpayers a whole lot of money after mismanaging a portion of it -- they get to say so.

You can have fliers placed on city property thrown away if they're in some way obscene, but not because you don't like what they say.

Another lesson Anello's ace team has failed to learn from their predecessors -- such hamhanded attempts at censorship usually backfire.

In Elia's case, throwing the papers at City Hall in the trash looked petty and fueled the image that helped ensure she only served one term.

This time around, ordering Save Hyde Park's postings torn down earns another dose of publicity for the group, in a column read (hopefully) by quite a few more people than possibly could have seen the fliers.

So, if you're disgusted by the Anello administration's generosity in giving away Hyde Park Golf Course piece by piece, give Scaletta a call at 297-7628. You can also make a donation to help fund Save Hyde Park's lawsuit against the city, which will seek to overturn the horribly flawed deal, or voice your support by writing to Save Hyde Park, P.O. Box 2538, Main Street Post Office, Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14302.

Scaletta stressed that the battle isn't simply about stopping the golf course giveaway, but preventing this and future administrations from divvying up the rest of the park Henry Hyde gave the people of Niagara Falls.

"Hyde Park is to people who live in this city what Central Park is to people who live in New York City," said Scaletta, whose house overlooks the seventh tee on the White Nine course. "Can you imagine someone trying to give away Central Park?"

Politics has long been a blood sport in Niagara Falls, but at least the combatants don't hit each other with folding chairs.

The same can't be said for the professional wrestlers invading the gym at Niagara Catholic High School on Saturday night.

Empire State Wrestling, the grappling group whose monthly shows have drawn steadily larger crowds at venues in North Tonawanda and Wheatfield, makes its debut in the city with Wrestlebash, a promotion headlined by a championship showdown between the wholesome good guy and belt-holder, Mastiff, and the downright diabolical challenger, Jonny Puma.

There will be plenty of other large men wearing gaudy costumes and angry looks (except the ones with masks covering their faces) and plenty of blood, sweat and blood in the air.

In the ESW Interstate Title match, champion Randy Walker gets to de-mask the mysterious Shade if he wins, while victory earns Shade the right to shear Walker's flowing locks. The tilt pitting Damien Alexander and Eric Everlast won't end until one throws the other through a table. There's even a match pitting two men ("Completely" Cody Steele and "Dangerboy" Derek Wylde) and a woman (Jennifer "I Don't Have a Nickname Yet" Blake) against each other.

In a late addition, the oddly popular Grappler X (yes, he wears a mask to protect his identity) returns with partner Purple Rain to square off against the duos of Benjamin Smythe and Brandon Thurston and defending champs Sakura and Ryot for the ESW Tag Team title.

The entire cast is made up of locals, the storylines are kept more family-friendly than you're likely to see on televised wrestling (no crucifixions or implied incest, for instance), and part of the proceeds go to the Niagara Catholic Scholarship fund. General admission tickets are $10 at Always a Party on Military Road or at the door, with a limited number of ringside seats going for $12 each.

Tickets can also be purchased online at www.empirestatewrestling.com, a Web site which also offers photos, videos and recaps of past events.

If a renewal of the eternal struggle between good and evil isn't your bag, there's still plenty to do around town on one of summer's last weekends.

• The Friday at the Falls series on the East Mall, adjacent to the Wintergarden, expands beyond the usual band-and-beer format this week to include The People's Choice Bike Show.
  Anyone one wanting to show off his or her motorcycle can start lining up at 3 p.m., the same time that The Lateral Sun starts playing its brand of new rock. The Rock It Band follows at 5 p.m., offering a blend of classic and party rock, as well as blues.
  Organizers say a strong turnout could lead to a regular series of bike shows. Getting people to come downtown is always a good thing, whatever they're riding.
• Angler alert: The Ninth Annual Smallmouth Bass Contest takes place Saturday all along local waterways. The winner will be determined by the total weight of two bass caught, each of which must measure a minimum of 15 inches in length. Fish must taken in American waters and under New York State Conservation Department regulations and will be inspected to make sure they were caught on Saturday.
  The entry fee is $15, with prizes for first, second and third place. There's also a $5 cash bash with the biggest single fish earning the jackpot.
  Contestants can register at Mister B's at 2201 Hyde Park Blvd., or at one of two Lewiston bait shops -- A-1 Bait and Tackle at the Sand Docks or Downriver Bait and Tackle at 820 Seneca St.
  For more information, call Matt at 628-7754 or Frank at 713-7457.
• The Niagara Street International Festival involves a couple of firsts this year.
  It's the first time the event will cover two days -- Saturday and Sunday -- and the first time it will be held at Gill Creek Park, rather than on Niagara Street itself.
  The festivities start with a parade on Saturday at 10 a.m., stepping off from 22nd and Niagara. A pet parade joins in at 25th Street.
  Two stages in the park will feature non-stop entertainment, including performances by the Niagara Experience Players, magic shows, Middle Eastern belly dancers, Irish dancers and a Hellenic dance group. Good old American music occupies the main stage each night, with Smooth as Silk performing from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 90 West doing the same on Sunday.
  There's a children's pageant scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday and an area specifically for kids with a petting zoo, bounce houses and kite making.
  Other attractions include a car show, celebrity putting contest, beer tent and an array of vendors serving a variety of international foods, with others offering arts and crafts.

Niagara Falls Reporter

www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Aug. 17 2004