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

Governor Kathy Hochul last week announced that applications are available for the Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program. The $5 million program will provide grants of up to 50 percent of total project costs, up to $100,000 per property, to eligible small businesses to foster revitalization of traditional mixed-useRead More

By Marie White Sebold’s Apology Too Late In 2021, Alice Sebold, the best-selling author of the memoir “Lucky” and the novel “The Lovely Bones,” issued an apology to Anthony J. Broadwater, a man she had wrongly accused of raping her in 1981 – 39 years after the fact.  Broadwater spentRead More

Last month, the 9th homicide of 2023 in the city of Niagara Falls took place on the formerly busy Pine Avenue in the Little Italy so-called tourist district, which has fallen on hard times, along with the rest of the city, over the past decades. Once a thriving thoroughfare ofRead 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

Restaino’s Alliance with the Conservative Party May Have Secured Win Democrat Mayor Robert Restaino has a small lead over Republican Carl Cain in the hotly contested Niagara Falls mayoral election. As of press time, Restaino leads by slightly over 200 votes, with affidavit and absentee ballots yet to be counted.Read More

“Warriors of Fashion” FIERCE. POWERFUL. BEAUTIFUL. On a runway transformed into a living art gallery artists push the boundaries of wearable art design: 5:00-7.00 Fashion Bazaar: Live Music, Vendors, Beer & Wine Tastings 5:30-7:00 VIP Reception: Mix & Mingle 7:00-8:30 Runway Show: 30+ Designers / 80 Models / 1 NightRead 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