Category: Western NY

Gathering with friends and strangers to watch a Buffalo Sabres’ opener is a rite of autumn around here. But doing so on a Friday afternoon? That was cause for celebration and – maybe – playing hooky. The Sabres got that, sharing on social media this week a suggested note that employers and teachers might receive…

Five Buffalo fire stations will hold open houses in October in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, Mayor Byron W. Brown announced. During the sessions, youngsters will be able to climb aboard fire trucks and firefighters will answer questions from visitors. Free smoke detectors, coloring books and safety tips will be given out. Theme for…

The former Evans town supervisor is disputing a state audit that said there is no documentation for a $6,000 payment made to her for opting out of health benefits. Mary Hosler, now Erie County deputy comptroller in charge of audits, said state auditors were provided documentation on four occasions that she was entitled to the…

Gary Bienkowski, president of the Chopin Singing Society, will be honored as Western New York Polish American Citizen of the Year at the annual Pulaski Day Dinner at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Kloc’s Grove, 1245 Seneca Creek Road, West Seneca, the General Pulaski Association announced. The dinner also will honor home improvement contractor Gary…

Erin Grajek has been appointed interim president and CEO of the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, the organization’s board of directors announced Monday. Grajek, who has served as chief operating officer since 2021, will begin her duties immediately. The board voted unanimously to name her as interim successor to president and CEO Mark Mortenson,…

An $11.8 million project to help some of the Niagara River’s smallest fish swim upstream against the strong current could help restore some balance to the Lake Erie and Niagara River ecosystems. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last Monday awarded an $11.8 million contract to Buffalo-based BIDCo Marine Group to design and construct special…

Motorists on Transit Road late Sunday night and early Monday morning will have to find an alternative route to get on and off the Thruway (Interstate 90). The State Thruway Authority reports that the entrance and exit ramps at Exit 49 will be closed to all traffic from 10 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday…

Jerry Jacobs Jr. was a few hours into a typical CEO day. His schedule included a couple of check-ins with his leadership team and a pair of meetings on new business development and 2025 financial planning. Standard C-suite stuff. A few minutes before 10 a.m., he broke away from the office agenda, took the elevator…

Whether University at Buffalo medical residents were going on strike Tuesday was still up in the air Monday afternoon, with union officials saying they were still waiting for management’s response to their proposal. If the response fell short of the union’s demands for better salaries, health care and working conditions, 829 residents were planning not…

The Buffalo Common Council has publicly warned taxpayers that the city will be facing a fiscal crisis in 2025 with a budget gap projected to be as high as $55 million. Nevertheless, Council members are pocketing the pay raises they approved for themselves and other elected officials that kicked in Jan. 1, planning to open…