Melting snow, robins and crocuses--all signs of spring in Western New York.

Jose G. Figueroa, a former Puerto Rican drug gang hit man who admitted killing a Buffalo teen in a drug underworld dispute 12 years ago, was sentenced Friday to serve an 18-year-to-life prison term.

More rain is in the forecast today, with a high temperature of 44 degrees. It will also be a bit breezy, with winds from the east at between 17 and 24 mph. Areas of fog will persist tonight, with more rain, a low of about 36, and stronger winds from the east, between 22 and 30 mph. Gusts could be as high as 43 mph. A flood watch is in effect throughout the region, with puddling and ponding galore.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Before Friday afternoon's Atlantic 10 Championship quarterfinal against No. 17 Temple, St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt stressed the importance of playing with the lead.

WASHINGTON -- The Seneca Nation's lucrative mail-order cigarette business appears doomed.

For the majority of sports craved men, there’s precious few things in life greater than the mixture of beautiful women and football.  Of course, for the most part it rarely if ever meant enjoying the two simultaneously.
That changed with the formation of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) in 2009.  The eight team league featured big [...]

You can tune in here or over at Corpus Christi’s site on Sunday to see the live broadcast of 11:30 am Mass.

http://corpuschristibuffalo.org

Today  I voted to support new research projects that will help address the problem of harmful algae blooms. The bill, which was approved overwhelmingly, authorizes $41 million annually to research the harmful effects of algal blooms, which affect waterways across the United States, including the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes represent 20 percent of the world’s fresh water supply, and are critical to the economies of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and Rochester. Our beaches are often closed when algae accumulates and decays causing bacteria growth and foul odors.  This legislation will help us address this problem so that families can safely use our beaches and our communities can better leverage this natural resource.

Harmful algal blooms and hypoxia cost the American seafood and tourism industries alone approximately $82 million annually, up from $50 million in 2004. The Act reauthorizes funding for research into the causes and potential solutions for the blooms, and creates a National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program to reduce the effects of the problem.

In Rochester, these types of efforts will be critical in helping to address and eliminate the overabundance of algae that decays and accumulates in Charlotte at Ontario Beach Park. Algae is a persistent problem in Lake Ontario, and particularly at Monroe County’s primary public beach in Charlotte.  Often the high levels of decaying algae and associated bacterial growth cause the County Health Department to have to close the beach to swimmers, shortening the already brief swimming season. Moreover the odor produced by the algae is an impediment to increased recreational and commercial development in the waterfront area. Often families are less likely to attend summer concerts, have family picnics, or enjoy recreational activities like beach volleyball leagues because of the foul odors produced when the algae accumulates and decays.

In Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo has already participated in research of the blooms’ effect on the Great Lakes, where they have been responsible for the closure of beaches, death of wildlife and contamination of drinking water supplies.

On March 5,  I introduced H.R. 4755 the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation will build upon President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by authorizing an annual funding level of $475 million for FY10-FY14. The legislation aims to address the following areas of concern to Great Lakes health: toxic substances, invasive species, near source health, nonpoint source pollution, habitat restoration, and wildlife preservation.

My legislation was introduced in conjunction with my fellow co-chairs Reps. Vernon J. Ehlers, (D-MI), John Dingell (D-MI), and Mark Kirk (R-IL). It already has support in the Senate.

Mayor Byron Brown today released findings of a final report on air quality and other related environmental issues by Leader Professional Service, Inc. at the Buffalo Police Department’s D District building on Hertel Avenue.

The final report confirmed earlier preliminary findings that there was “…no visible evidence of fungi overgrowth on the readily accessible areas of the main floor building materials. The air sampling results for fungi indicate that the air quality is not being adversely impacted by fungi.”

In addition, the final report found that, “Airborne asbestos was not detected at the Site.”

The final report also contained analyses on:

• Radon (“…below the applicable USEPA action level.”)
• Airborne Volatile Organic Compound concentrations (“…below applicable OSHA Permissible Exposure Levels.”)
• Drinking water quality (“…exhibited concentrations of analytes below the applicable NYS Department of Health MCLs)
• Water samples from the building’s basement (“Fecal coliform was not detected in the sample, indicating that localized groundwater is not likely being influenced by nearby sewage systems.”)
• Women’s Locker Room, Break Room and Men’s Locker Room (“The fungi samples collected …indicate four types of fungi, including Stachybotrys (“black mold”) and Mycelial fragments. However, air sampling results for fungi indicate that the air quality is not being adversely impacted by fungi.”).

“These tests have proved that there has been no adverse health impact to our Police Department personnel and support staff, based on the numerous analyses that have been conducted at D District since early last month,” said Mayor Brown. “Our first and highest priority was for the health and safety for all personnel that worked in D District and that’s why, when it was confirmed on February 12^th that mold was detected underneath indoor ceiling panels, we closed the building immediately and relocated all D District personnel to a temporary location. When preliminary results of Leader’s testing were available we announced those preliminary findings on February 16^th and shared that information with the Police Benevolent Association.”

Mayor Brown added, “I promised that we would share the final report of all testing on that site with the PBA, which we have done, as well give them the opportunity to conduct additional, independent testing of the site. In the meantime, based on this final report and its recommendations, we will have expert vendors provide their recommendations on remediating the D District building, detail the scope of work and then the city’s Department of Public Works will issue formal bid documents for the necessary abatement work in the building.”

The recommendations of the Leader Professional Services, Inc. are:

• Perform routine HVAC maintenance …to maintain acceptable air quality. Intake filters should be maintained and changed regularly.
• Periodic standing water in the basement should be addressed.
• Fungi-affected building materials should be cleaned to remove existing fungi growths, or, if not possible or cost-effective, properly removed.
• Areas above the first floor ceiling should be monitored for roof leakage to alleviate potential moisture sources that may have promoted fungi growth.

In addition to receiving the D District analysis final report, Mayor Brown also announced that the City of Buffalo has reached an agreement with All Saints Roman Catholic Church Society of Buffalo to house all D District personnel on temporary basis. The temporary location for D District will be in the former All Saints Catholic School, which is located at 127 Chadduck Avenue (between Tonawanda and Ontario Streets) in the Riverside section of the city.

“I thank North District Councilmember Joe Golombek who has worked tirelessly to help us find a suitable temporary location for D District operations,” said Mayor Brown. “With his commitment to the residents living within D District, the Councilmember has helped to ensure that all D District operations will take place in a location that is accessible, offers ample parking and will be best suited for the temporary home of D District.”

The space allocated to the temporary D District operations will include the lower level of the school, two offices on the first floor and parish parking lot.

The News hosted a double-header chat today.

Former Niagara County Treasurer David S. Broderick used his position as public administer of estates to benefit friends and family, according to an audit released this morning by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Olympic bobsledder and gold medalist Steve Mesler came back to his high school this morning. Watch Mesler speak at City Honors by going to BuffaloNews.com Live at http://blogs.buffalonews.com/live/2010/03/gold-medalist-comes-back-to-city-honors-1.html

BILL O 031210-1

BILL O 031210-2

BILL O 031210-3

BILL O 031210-4

BILL O 031210-5

BILL O 031210-6

BILL O 031210-7

BILL O 031210-8

Work on Canal Side is expected to start as soon as mid-August.  An update on the Canal Side project was provided at the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation's (ECHDC) Board of Directors Meeting this morning.  The Board unanimously adopted the Statement of Findings for the project as well as the overall inner harbor General Project Plan, a necessary step before construction can begin.  The documents must also be approved by the Empire State Development Corporation.  A vote could occur as soon as next week.

A design/build Request for Proposals (RFP) will be going out to four firms at the end of the month for the public infrastructure work that includes below grade parking under Bass Pro, Canal Side hall, park and canals.  The ECHDC.  When the environmental review process is complete, the ECHDC will have legal authority to begin land transfer negotiations with the City.

Benderson Development's role in the Canal Side project appears to be in doubt. 

"We're at a crossroads with the other development parcels, we are either going to enter into an agreement with Benderson or we're going to RFP those parcels to individual developers in Buffalo," said Larry Quinn Chairman, Canal Side Development Committee.  "We'll probably want to address that at our next meeting, because, without making more progress with Benderson we probably will.  When all that's done, we're looking at a start of construction of pretty much of everything in phase one the second week of August."

"It's a real project, it's all really going to happen now," said Quinn.

A draft lease agreement is ready to send to Bass Pro for review.  Once the environmental document is adopted, ECHDC will have legal authorization to enter into a contract with Bass Pro.  Negotiations on the contract are expected to take "a few months."

According to Thomas Dee, ECHDC President, Bass Pro has invested over $1 million to date designing their store. 

"They are fully engaged, they just turned over load designs necessary to finish the design of the below grade parking," said Dee.