The Buffalo Sabres finished off the Dallas Stars, 5-3, in HSBC Arena. Mike Harrington is live blogging at Sabres Edge.
Sabres defeat Stars, 5-3
on March 10th, 2010
Paladino for the People
on March 10th, 2010
Carl’s in. The only thing we don’t have yet is a formal announcement.
The race for the Republican nomination for Governor of the state of New York just got equal parts interesting and curmudgeonly.
New Orleans Chow: Sandwiches, Sweets + Disappointments
on March 10th, 2010
Though virtually every New Orleans dining experience would be easy for a decent to good chef to replicate in Western New York, some of the biggest no-brainers are the city’s famous sandwiches and desserts: though there are sometimes substantial variations in recipes from restaurant to restaurant, they all tend to use ingredients that are as commonly available here as there. This second and final part of our look at New Orleans cuisines discusses everything from po’ boys to pralines and fried chicken, along with a few small disappointments and some brief comparisons with Western New York options. You can see the first part, discussing New Orleans drinks and seafood dishes, here, as well as a huge New Orleans food photo gallery with more details here.
Wednesday’s Show
on March 10th, 2010
Brad Riter, Scott Wilson, & Tom Schuh throw around topics such as Starburst jellybeans, Randy Michaels, & Tim Tebow. Finally, you do not want to miss out today’s trip down to the Korner.
Chris Smith from WNYmedia.net, joins Brad in studio to tackle all the local political news in Western New York.
Elmo is here, showing off his green thumb
on March 10th, 2010
Sesame Street Live's "Elmo's Green Thumb" opens at Shea's Performing Arts Center on Main Street at 7 tonight and will run through Sunday.
Making over the human body
on March 10th, 2010
Buffalo native Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, brought a simple message about health to WNED's Buffalo City Forum this afternoon. Rozien said a few simple changes in diet, inactivity and stress can have a "radical" impact on health.
FAA Reauthorization Act hits Senate floor
on March 10th, 2010
The FAA Reauthorization Act hit the Senate floor Wednesday evening. But before debate began, the legislation was held up by a Tennessee Senator. YNN’s Jennifer Bernstein tells us what Flight 3407 families did to ensure it wasn’t stalled.
Young Audiences Invites Families to Travel Around the World this Friday
on March 10th, 2010
Young Audiences of Western New York is teaming up with the Albright-Knox Art Gallery this Friday March 12 to give families the opportunity to go Around the World with Young Audiences through interactive experiences in art, dance, and storytelling. Presented as part of the popular Gusto at the Gallery series, admission to the gallery and participation in events are free to the public.
The programs offered with Around the World on Friday include interactive workshops and performances at the Albright-Knox from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the classrooms and auditorium of the gallery. Each activity explores a different culture or group of cultures.
"Gusto events are a great way for Young Audiences to share the diversity and talent of our teaching artists with the public," said Cynnie Gaasch, Executive Director of Young Audiences WNY. "Our programs are educational and artistically excellent. Because they are most often offered in school many people don't know about all of the fantastic programs we offer. We love presenting in the family-friendly atmosphere of the Albright-Knox."
Families will make avatars or cherry blossom out of paper in Kyoko Roszmann's Origami Workshop and Sarah Hooper's Family Dance/Salsa Workshop will kick-off the night's activities in the gallery's classrooms, followed by performances in the auditorium by Lorna Czarnota and Clyde Alifiju Morgan.
At 6:30 p.m. Czarnota will present This World of Ours: Stories from Many Cultures, a dynamic performance featuring stories from China, Ireland, Africa, and the Middle East. Czarnota's performance will be immediately followed by Morgan's Afro-Brazilian Dance & Music at 7:30 p.m. Morgan's fast-paced performance features a brilliant array of dance and music reflecting the multi-cultural traditions of Brazil.
Young Audiences WNY, is one of 30 Young Audiences affiliates across the country. They present hundreds of programs, plus dozens of residencies. Their teaching artists provide schoolchildren, their educators and families, with multi-disciplinary, multi-session education through the arts. These residencies create meaningful connections between artists and young people that might otherwise not be exposed to the arts--especially arts integrated into school curricula.
Young Audiences also appeared at the Buffalo Powder Keg Festival with some of their teaching artists, and you can view a slideshow of the fun families had with Kyoko Roszmann, Cindy Hanna, Jen Russo , and Glenn Colton there, here. To learn more about Young Audiences programing, visit their website at www.yawny.org.
NFTA Bus Route Hearing
on March 10th, 2010
Five years ago, during my career as a media specialist for the Erie County Legislature, I became involved with a group of citizens and government officials lobbying for the establishment of an NFTA bus route along Route 62 in the Southtowns.
The call for the public transportation was largely based on the fact that a significant percentage of the population living between Hamburg and Gowanda exist at a socio economic level that makes ownerhsip of a car prohibitive. Therefore a number of people in southern Erie County struggle to maintain jobs, attend school and receive medical treatments, as they have no way to travel to any of those destinations.
During the many public and committee meetings held on this issue, the NFTA willingly mapped out the lenghty bus route and meticulously charted the most effective run times. They also acknowledged that due to the 20 plus mile distance of the route, it would probably never be cost effective. Yet, they agreed that the route was an important link for the southtowns community and a needed public service, as is their federally funded mandate.
Since the route was established, a regular ridership has developed, including students attending Erie Community College, corrections officers working at the Gowanda Correctional Facility and riders making connections to destinations well beyond the southtowns, such as downtown Buffalo. And as the NFTA forecast, the ridership has not come anywhere close to balancing the costs.
And so I wonder why all of a sudden the NFTA is suggesting that the Route 62 bus route is in danger of being eliminated….especially when it has only been running for two years…not really long enough to develop a significant ridership pattern. NFTA officials knew the terms when they signed on, and they accepted those terms in full.
Perhaps eliminating transportation that primarily serves the working class is easily done because they do not have a power base, political or otherwise, to lobby on their behalf. And lacking that power base, perhaps the people who ride the Route 62 bus are nothing more than faceless, nameless numbers on a statistical ridership graph, thumb tacked to an NFTA bulletin board…in other words, easily eliminated.
Thursday evening at ECC South Erie County Legislator Lynn Dixon will hold a public hearing on this issue. Based on the 7pm start time, bus transportation will not be available, as by then the Route 62 bus will have completed its final run for the day. So the people who most need to attend this hearing and lobby on behalf of the bus route most likely will not be there.
In their stead, perhaps those of us blessed with the good fortune to own cars will show up at ECC South tomorrow night….take an hour from our busy lives and speak for those who cannot….stand up for those who are in need….help to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors who need the Route 62 bus route to complete their education, earn a living, attend to their health care needs.
And if that happens, perhaps the NFTA will learn that dollars and cents are not the only measure of true value in a community that cares.
Hometown News at Noon: Wed 3/10/10
on March 10th, 2010
Massa makes noise….Firings at the Holding Center….Lockport schools to close…
Anchored by Tom Schuh:
Jobs Bill Includes $205 MILLION IN AID FOR UPSTATE
on March 10th, 2010
- Image via Wikipedia
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today said that the Senate is expected to pass the Senate jobs bill that includes billions of dollars in budget aid for Upstate communities and all of New York State. The legislation includes a boost in federal Medicaid reimbursements, through a formula called FMAP, which was originally passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Schumer said the proposal will send the State an estimated $2.3 billion over the first six months of 2011, with Upstate New York and Long Island counties in line to receive an additional $200M. In ARRA, Schumer successfully fought to include the “county-local share” policy, which ensures that localities receive budget aid directly, in addition to aid given to the states, and that provision will to be in effect in the Senate jobs bill. Schumer said this money will help mitigate possible tax hikes and reduce the severity of budget cuts. In total, New York State and the counties together will receive an estimated $3 billion in relief for the first six months of 2011.
“Unemployment is already too high and unless we get fiscal aid directly to our beleaguered county governments during this downturn, they will be forced to raise property taxes, layoff vital workers and make thing worse, instead of better,” said Senator Schumer. “This money will be a tremendous shot in the arm for taxpayers across New York because it will help prevent property tax hikes, mitigate the impact of service cuts, and reduce layoffs during the worst financial crisis in generations. This support will help alleviate, though it will not eliminate, the tough choices facing the State and counties during these difficult times.”
Schumer today said that the Senate Jobs bill, that is expected to pass this afternoon, includes a provision that extends for an additional six months the two-year increase in FMAP that was passed as part of the stimulus package. The original FMAP increase sent all states $87 billion for 2009 and 2010.
“The bottom line is that economists of all stripes recognize that, during a severe downturn, supporting our cash-strapped local and state governments gets significant bang for the buck because it keeps people working and prevents tax hikes that, if enacted, mean consumers will have less to spend to support the economy,” said Senator Schumer.
The proposal will extend the FMAP boost passed in the stimulus for an additional six-months covering the first six months of 2011. All data is based on preliminary projections provided by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and is subject to New York State Social Services law, Medicaid claims experience, and other economic conditions.
The total nationwide boost provides states with $24.7 billion. New York State is estimated to receive as much as $3 billion based on estimates of the New York State Association of Counties and New York State. Of that, the NYSAC preliminary estimates that Upstate New York and Long Island counties are in line to receive upwards of $200 billion. All data is based on preliminary projections provided by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and is subject to New York State Social Services law, Medicaid claims experience, and other economic conditions.
The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is a matching rate enacted in 1965 that determines the federal funding share for state Medicaid programs. The federal government matches state funds spent on Medicaid, based on the state’s FMAP. The FMAP varies from state to state; and New York’s FMAP is 50%. Thirteen states have FMAPs equal to the 50 percent floor in 2009 (CA, CO, CT, DE, MD, MA, MN, NV, NH, NJ, NY, VA, WY). By law, the FMAP cannot be lower than 50 percent, or higher than 83 percent. The FMAP formula is designed to account for income variation across the states and is based on rolling three-year average per capita income data for each state. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis calculates FMAP annually.
Schumer released the following projections, produced by the New York Association of Counties, for what the Senate jobs bill will mean for each region in New York:
The Senate jobs bill will provide the Capital Region with a projected $21 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide Central New York with a projected $20 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide the Rochester Finger Lakes Region with a projected $24 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide Western New York with a projected $29 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide the Southern Tier with a projected $13 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide the Hudson Valley with a projected $43 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide the North Country with a projected $10 million in budget relief.
The Senate jobs bill will provide Long Island with a projected $45 million in budget relief.
During an economic downturn, as state revenues become stagnant or decline, the number of Medicaid beneficiaries increases because of job losses and the health care coverage that comes with employment. The temporary FMAP increase provides assistance to states and localities during economic downturns.
Schumer successfully fought to include a legislative language (the “county-local share” policy) that ensures that Upstate counties and local governments across New York State receive their fair share of the FMAP relief for their Medicaid programs. Since the enactment of the Medicaid program in 1965, counties in New York have been required to share in the costs of services. In New York, local governments share with the state in Medicaid participation. Counties are mandated by the state to contribute approximately $7 billion annually or about 32 percent of the non-federal share of the State’s Medicaid Program.
Recognizing that all of New York is in dire need of direct fiscal aid and are forced to share the cost of Medicaid, Schumer – a member of the Senate Leadership and the Finance Committee which has jurisdiction over Medicaid – fought to ensure that a “county-local share” provision was included in the stimulus to ensure that New York State counties and localities received the billions in direct aid from FMAP as part of the economic stimulus plan.
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today said that the Senate is expected to pass the Senate jobs bill that includes billions of dollars in budget aid for Upstate communities and all of New York State. The legislation includes a boost in federal Medicaid reimbursements, through a formula called FMAP, which was originally passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Schumer said the proposal will send the State an estimated $2.3 billion over the first six months of 2011, with Upstate New York and Long Island counties in line to receive an additional $200M. In ARRA, Schumer successfully fought to include the “county-local share” policy, which ensures that localities receive budget aid directly, in addition to aid given to the states, and that provision will to be in effect in the Senate jobs bill. Schumer said this money will help mitigate possible tax hikes and reduce the severity of budget cuts. In total, New York State and the counties together will receive an estimated $3 billion in relief for the first six months of 2011. “Unemployment is already too high and unless we get fiscal aid directly to our beleaguered county governments during this downturn, they will be forced to raise property taxes, layoff vital workers and make thing worse, instead of better,” said Senator Schumer. “This money will be a tremendous shot in the arm for taxpayers across New York because it will help prevent property tax hikes, mitigate the impact of service cuts, and reduce layoffs during the worst financial crisis in generations. This support will help alleviate, though it will not eliminate, the tough choices facing the State and counties during these difficult times.” Schumer today said that the Senate Jobs bill, that is expected to pass this afternoon, includes a provision that extends for an additional six months the two-year increase in FMAP that was passed as part of the stimulus package. The original FMAP increase sent all states $87 billion for 2009 and 2010. “The bottom line is that economists of all stripes recognize that, during a severe downturn, supporting our cash-strapped local and state governments gets significant bang for the buck because it keeps people working and prevents tax hikes that, if enacted, mean consumers will have less to spend to support the economy,” said Senator Schumer. The proposal will extend the FMAP boost passed in the stimulus for an additional six-months covering the first six months of 2011. All data is based on preliminary projections provided by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and is subject to New York State Social Services law, Medicaid claims experience, and other economic conditions. The total nationwide boost provides states with $24.7 billion. New York State is estimated to receive as much as $3 billion based on estimates of the New York State Association of Counties and New York State. Of that, the NYSAC preliminary estimates that Upstate New York and Long Island counties are in line to receive upwards of $200 billion. All data is based on preliminary projections provided by the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) and is subject to New York State Social Services law, Medicaid claims experience, and other economic conditions. The Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is a matching rate enacted in 1965 that determines the federal funding share for state Medicaid programs. The federal government matches state funds spent on Medicaid, based on the state’s FMAP. The FMAP varies from state to state; and New York’s FMAP is 50%. Thirteen states have FMAPs equal to the 50 percent floor in 2009 (CA, CO, CT, DE, MD, MA, MN, NV, NH, NJ, NY, VA, WY). By law, the FMAP cannot be lower than 50 percent, or higher than 83 percent. The FMAP formula is designed to account for income variation across the states and is based on rolling three-year average per capita income data for each state. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis calculates FMAP annually. Schumer released the following projections, produced by the New York Association of Counties, for what the Senate jobs bill will mean for each region in New York: The Senate jobs bill will provide the Capital Region with a projected $21 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide Central New York with a projected $20 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide the Rochester Finger Lakes Region with a projected $24 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide Western New York with a projected $29 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide the Southern Tier with a projected $13 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide the Hudson Valley with a projected $43 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide the North Country with a projected $10 million in budget relief. The Senate jobs bill will provide Long Island with a projected $45 million in budget relief. During an economic downturn, as state revenues become stagnant or decline, the number of Medicaid beneficiaries increases because of job losses and the health care coverage that comes with employment. The temporary FMAP increase provides assistance to states and localities during economic downturns. Schumer successfully fought to include a legislative language (the “county-local share” policy) that ensures that Upstate counties and local governments across New York State receive their fair share of the FMAP relief for their Medicaid programs. Since the enactment of the Medicaid program in 1965, counties in New York have been required to share in the costs of services. In New York, local governments share with the state in Medicaid participation. Counties are mandated by the state to contribute approximately $7 billion annually or about 32 percent of the non-federal share of the State’s Medicaid Program. Recognizing that all of New York is in dire need of direct fiscal aid and are forced to share the cost of Medicaid, Schumer – a member of the Senate Leadership and the Finance Committee which has jurisdiction over Medicaid – fought to ensure that a “county-local share” provision was included in the stimulus to ensure that New York State counties and localities received the billions in direct aid from FMAP as part of the economic stimulus plan.
Rochester: “We learn from each other”
on March 10th, 2010
With her master’s degree in business from Medaille’s Accelerated Learning Program, Yvonne Thorne started to apply what she learned in her evening classes to what she worked on during the day. She highlights three concepts that had an impact: “Analytical concepts, for use in writing proposals and business plans showing financial benefits and outcomes; research [...]