TURTLE RECAP: CENSORING THOSE WITH A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION Last week’s debacle surrounding the Turtle building should be a major wake up call for the people of Niagara Falls. A Buffalo-based group of Erie County “preservationists” failed miserably in its attempt to landmark the Turtle building which most observers believedRead More

“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!”  Earlier this week, Niagara Falls City Council voted against granting the Turtle building a historic landmark designation. The defeat was devastating to the Buffalo outliers behind the “preservation” movement, led by Carl Skompinski and Bernice Radle. SupportersRead More

I have watched with interest as the “Save the Turtle” drama unfolds. The Turtle has no special spiritual significance to me, nor do I have any memories or recollection from its brief heyday. I was just a kid when the Turtle was foreclosed upon and forced to close its doors.Read More

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the highest property taxes in the nation for a metropolitan sized city is Rochester, NY at a 2.4% effective rate. Interestingly, the average property tax rate in Niagara County is 2.89%. Niagara Falls residents have the highest city property tax rate of any municipalityRead 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

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

Downtown Niagara Falls has effectively become a garbage dump. We’ve all seen it as we drive down streets and alleys. Old mattresses, used tires, trash bags ripped open with their contents spilling out all over the ground. The average person drives by these eyesores and wonders “Who’s cleaning all ofRead More

This article is part of a series highlighting the Black candidates currently running for office in the City of Niagara Falls, focusing specifically on candidate for city council Uniquia Lewis. In this series we will examine the Black candidates and judge them not by the color of their skin, butRead More

This article is part of a series highlighting the Black candidates currently running for office in the City of Niagara Falls. This article will focus specifically on Republican candidate for city council Vincent Cauley, who is running for re-election. In this series we will examine the Black candidates and judgeRead More

This article is part of a series highlighting the Black candidates currently running for office in the City of Niagara Falls. This article will specifically focus on mayoral candidate Carl Cain. In this series, we strive to examine the Black candidates and judge them not by the color of theirRead More

Right about now, the walls are closing in on Bobby. Even if he wins, he loses. Emails and messages have flooded in to the Reporter with tips and stories about Mayor Robert Restaino’s private life. Some are so tawdry and cringeworthy that they won’t even be mentioned here. Election season willRead More

The following is a screenshot taken directly from the main webpage of Mayor Restaino’s 2019 campaign platform. These are his top three campaign promises: For clarity, it reads: Development. We must focus on business development that can deliver employment with wages to empower families and help stabilize neighborhoods. Transparency. TheRead More

As the mayoral election draws nearer in the city of Niagara Falls, one can’t help but wonder what will happen if Mayor Robert Restaino gets re-elected. Aside from Mayor Restaino dishing out small business grants to locals in exchange for votes and cutting ribbons at press events, Restaino’s focus isRead 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 Mayor Robert Restaino nearly rushed our community into a bad deal with National Grid. The deal, whereby the City of Niagara Falls would have purchased its streetlights from National Grid, would lead to ongoing financial costs and maintenance nightmares for taxpayers. Luckily, that deal didn’t go through,Read More