St. Patrick’s Day Edition!
A nine-million dollar expansion of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is open for business, just in time for this weekend’s NCAA Tournament. The expansion adds 212 slot machines to the Seneca’s temporary facility, for a total of 445 machines. Construction on the 53-hundred-square-foot addition began back in October. In 2008, the Senecas stopped work on a permanent hotel and casino on the site, as the economy went into recession.
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Traffic is expected to be heavy on the State Thruway, as fans come to Buffalo for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. A large number of fans are expected to come from Syracuse and West Virginia. Each of the eight universities coming to Buffalo this weekend gets about 550 tickets for their games.
Motorists have a new headache to contend with courtesy of a pair of construction projects involving major highway interchanges in Erie and Niagara counties. In Erie County, ramps which connect the Youngmann Memorial Highway with the Niagara Thruway in Tonawanda will be widened. In Niagara County, ramps connecting the LaSalle Expressway with the Niagara Expressway in Niagara Falls will be closed due to a ramp replacement project.
The Mayor of North Tonawanda is drawing the ire of environmentalists over the proposed expansion of a street. In pushing for the extension of Meadow Drive to Erie Avenue, Mayor Robert Ortt e-mailed the chairman of the cuty’s Environment Committee asking for support. Opponents say the Mayor was simply trying to get the committee to “rubber stamp” its approval. One committee member says the Mayor’s claim that the project has no negative environmental impact is not based on science. The State Department of Environmental Conservation has been looking to add at least four areas of wetlands in the city, including near the Meadow Drive road extension proposal. A wetlands declaration would mean the land could not be developed.
The Buffalo Common Council wants guarantees that the nearly 295-million dollar Canal Side project will yield benefits to the community. The Council voted unanimously to approve a measure stating that local businesses will not be cast aside as developers lure big box retailers.
The West Seneca Town Board gave the thumbs up for a one-year lease with a new non-profit group at the Burchfield Nature & Art Center on union Road. The Gardenville Campus at Burchfield has agreed to pay the town 600 dollars a month as sets up a number of art classes beginning April 1st.
A Buffalo filmmaker has admitted to embezzling from his employer to pay for his movies. 53-year-old David Williams pleaded guilty to stealing 265-thousand dollars from VWR International, a company producing scientific equipment for schools. Williams faces up to 15 years behind bars plus full restitution when sentenced June seventh. The owner of Red Scream Films was released on a 30-thousand dollar bond.
Area residents can now receive digital alerts when a moderate to high-risk sex offender has moved into their neighborhood. The state Division of Criminal Justice Services is making the alerts available via e-mail, text message, fax or phone. It’s the latest step to keep people aware of the movements of previously incarcerated sexual offenders.
