Sources say state has turned down application for grants to turn around three failing schools, including Lafayette High School.

The Buffalo Board of Education today will consider whether the tenure of Superintendent James A. Williams ought to be cut short.

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As work is underway sprucing up the outside of this Grant Street building, brisk sales are being conducted on the inside. The street's newest business, Golden Burma, will help the neighborhood live up to its growing 'Market Place' identity. Originally the plan had been to open a market place under one roof. Rather than pushing a concept that might not have been ripe five years ago, there has been a natural grassroots movement that has seen a rash of Asian markets opening on Grant and Niagara. Each with its own character and charm.

Golden Burma is no exception. The market is filled with all sort of goods - canned, packaged, frozen, meats, fish, produce and even day to day sundries. To tell you the truth, when I walk into these types of places I am pretty clueless as to what many of the items are. I recognize some images on labels, an occasional product, some of the produce, but that's about it. Seeing the number of customers that frequent these types of markets assures me that the owners know what they are doing, and that it is me who is the ignorant tourist in my own city. It doesn't mean that I feel uncomfortable just because I like to browse items that are so foreign to me. Quite the opposite. I'm a curious person, so I find it enjoyable to walk down the aisles, picking up products, seeing if I can figure out what the heck it is, and occasionally buying something that looks like I might like it - usually some sort of juice and not the vacuum packed frog legs that I saw in the freezer section.

I'm also fascinated by the vibrant colors that appear on the facades of the building that scream "Life!" Just knowing that there is a Burmese population in the city that can support all of these new ventures is comforting. As if overnight, neighborhoods on the West Side of the city are going through welcome identity changes that are reawakening our senses and sensibilities. I can't wait for the first Asian kitchen accessory store to open. Yes, you can find pots and pans and woks - but I'm talking about the ones that are loaded with miso bowls, decorative silk napkins, Maneki Nekos (beckoning cats), etc... like the ones in Chinatown in Toronto. At this point, one step at a time is fine with me. Who would have guessed that there would be such a groundswell so quickly? Heck, you never know... maybe I'll learn how to cook some of this stuff... anything but the frog legs.

Golden Burma
92 Grant Street
Buffalo NY 14213
716-551-0175
 

He might not be the guy making all the highlight reel catches in practice at Bills training camp, but he’s also not the one dropping even the occasional pass. Second-year receiver Naaman Roosevelt ...

Sources say state has turned down application for grants to turn around three failing schools, including Lafayette High School.

Every Tuesday we gather at Nietzsche’s to make the funny. This week, we will be making many funnies. with many folks.

Some are new, some are pros, some are delusional-come down and decide for yourself who falls into which category.

See performances by:

Dan Grabowski
Joe Perlino
Jamie Bono
Paul Herberger
Carm Capello
Joe Perlino
Jake Robinson?(I was drunk when i wrote his name)
Sean Sicarf
James Ashbery
Jonathon Schuta
Chet Wild
Brian Herberger
Greg Bauch
Eric Lingenfelter
Mark Walton

That is 15 comedians! for $5! and since there is no headliner tonight, whoever has the best set, will win a treat!

yay treats!

**management reserves the right to define “treat” and any and all decisions on what said “treat” might be is the sole responsibility of show runner**

Doin’ Time comedy
248 allen street
Buffalo, Ny
14213
8pm
$5

After spending a good amount of time looking for a home for Wassie Mulugeta's Ethiopian Restaurant, I have learned a lot about the thrill of the hunt and the agony of defeat. While scoping out certain restaurant spaces on Elmwood, I can readily say that paying upwards of $6000 a month to lease particular unoccupied restaurants is ludicrous. I am also re-energized when it comes to looking off the beaten path, and am finding inspiration when it comes to staking claims in up and coming neighborhoods like Connecticut Street (see CSSS) and Amherst Street (see BRKB).

On one hand a restaurateur could purchase a building, apply for a change of use (most likely), acquire hardware and equipment, open for business, and would hopefully be happy knowing that he or she has made a difference in the neighborhood of choice. I firmly believe that customers are not only ready to explore the different neighborhoods, they are eager to explore new places. For years we've watched restaurants come and go out of the same locations... over and over and over. On the other hand, we have become accustomed to going to the same neighborhoods over and over and for many years that formula appeared to work. Unfortunately, a restaurant space can get dull and boring, especially when it flips too often because of greedy landlords. Paper goes up, paper comes down, paper goes up, paper comes down... there's only one way to combat the greedy landlords, and that's to drive down the demand for their buildings.

When I go to Toronto or NYC, I love exploring the different neighborhoods, not only to find new food types, but also to find new buildings in unfamiliar neighborhoods. These days, thanks to the Internet, business owners have the ability to market themselves in ways that no-one ever dreamed possible. People are not only thirsty for the onslaught of microbeers that we see pouring into Buffalo, they are also bored of going to the same establishments with different names. Not to say that a clever restaurant owner can't change the look of a place... it's just that he or she rarely does it successfully. Remember when Subway on Elmwood transformed into Europa? Now that was brilliant.

This past weekend, when my friend and I arrived to Black Rock Kitchen and Bar (photos) and realized that we could not get a table, I was not upset at all. We waited to find a couple of seats at the corner of the bar and sat, staring in awe, at the place that had once been a hardware store. When a couple of friends joined us, we stood up and gave them our seats while we walked outside to sit on a couple of modernist chairs that had been placed in front of the building. As we sat there we talked to just about everyone who walked inside... the place just got fuller and fuller. Soon there were people hanging around outside on the sidewalk with us. I thought to myself that the Goldman's could have opened on Elmwood in a $6000 space if they wanted to play it safe. Thankfully they chose to go a different route. The building on Amherst Street had been purchased by an enterprising young woman by the name of Sue 'Frenchy' Cholewa. The Goldman's are leasing the space from her, although they have invested in the building. In the end, a wise investment with an option to buy sure beats paying $72,000 a year on Elmwood! Just look at Rohall's Corner - Greg Rohall bought a mothballed bar for cheap (compared to other parts of the city), fixed it up, opened the doors and has a steady business. He made an investment into the area and that alone helps to attract others. For those still looking on Elmwood, there are still opportunities, even if it means buying a house and converting it, just like Organic 3 did. Blue Monk struck gold when it opened in the old Merlin's, but these advancements only lend more credence to the building owners on the street that just want to stick it to you.

 

The important thing to consider is that there are different directions to take and we are not limited to opening businesses solely on Elmwood, Allentown and Hertel. "If you buy your own building you can choose your destiny," Frenchy told me. "That's how America started - people purchased buildings in neighborhoods that they could afford, and then they lived upstairs. They invested and lived in the neighborhood. Just look at the immigrants who are opening businesses on the West Side. People want to rally behind the building and business owners that are making a go of it. It's not Pollyanna, it's hard work, but there are so many opportunities to look at. People will go anywhere for food... just look at the Viking Lobster Company. He serves great food and people search him out. If you have the right idea in any neighborhood, people will support you. Even a turnkey operation in an undiscovered neighborhood is different. I have found that a lot of times a building isn't even for sale. I'll walk up to a building owner and ask if it's for sale. You'd be surprised to find how many times an owner is more than happy to sell to you."

I'm having a lot fun these days re-imagining what neighborhoods could look like. To look at a building in a sleepy neighborhood and think what it must have been like back in the day... what's on the inside? What's the history? Who else is looking at it? I can't wait to see what's next. Who's the next Frenchy? Where's the next street? I'm also learning about the history of our city thanks to our adventurous urban pioneers. To see a neighborhood revitalizing right before your eyes is powerful. In the last five years I've seen it a number of times. Each time it's different, because each neighborhood has its own identity, and those identities are not fading away with parking lots and cookie cutter Rite Aids (for the most part)... the character of these neighborhoods are being thoughtfully restored one building... one business at a time.   

Invented the term "hipster" before it was cool...

(Editor’s note: The first taker of the Tommunisms “Pay for Play” challenge has stepped forward with a cash donation. As a result, I have taken my payola (25 bucks!) and made sure it went to a worthy cause: myself the Buffalo Animal Shelter. So now, time for some great coverage of someone who truly deserves it (or at least has the receipt to prove such a claim). Want to pay me for positive coverage? Check out the article here that will give you all the details on my lack of scruples)

What is the definition of “Renaissance Man”? Is it someone who is limitless in their capacity for development, whose thirst for self-betterment is only matched by their desire to seek the betterment of all humankind? If that is the case, then WNY had been blessed to have had the opportunity to know a true polymath, Math Bova.

None of the readers of WNYMedia.net could ever forget their most treasured blogger, Matthew Patrick Declan Horatio Bova (aka “The Bova” ) who blogged on the site about Buffalo Bandits Lacrosse, where he served as General Manager for five years, and as their top goal scorer for the last two seasons. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued when Matt decided it was time to move on from Western New York, and spread his gifts to a larger base of people in California. The area has never been the same, but those who follow him on the Tweeter know that he still imparts his Solomon like wisdom for us lowly denizens here, even though he is not in our midst (much like Superman’s father, Jor-El used technology to guide his only son through his trials and tribulations).

A veritable “Wunderkind”, this son of simple asparagus farmers showed his talents early by designing, constructing, and mastering his very own Theremin, delighting crowds at concert halls with his hauntingly beautiful symphonies of electrical oscillation. Matt quickly learned multiple languages (and at last count can speak 17 different languages, including Klingon and Welsh) At the age of twelve, while his parents were at the Buffalo Convention center for an Asparagus Farming Equipment Expo (“Spargel Shoot Fest”) Matt had wandered off from his parents, and was missing for several hours. His folks finally found him in one of the subsections of the Convention Center, lecturing a group from the local Mensa Society, where all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

After coming up with an alternate proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem (that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two), Matt quickly turned his mind to civics and politics. After exploiting a loophole in local regulations, Matt was able to run and win the election for mayor of North Tonawanda at age 13, and served two successful terms. Under his administration, his diplomatic skills shone, and he was able to bridge the gulf of hatred that existed between North Tonawanda and Tonawanda. After the tearing down of the “Tahnawá•the” Wall (built from fortified leatherboard erected by the Spaulding Fibre company in 1912) he successfully negotiated the re-unification of the Tonwandas into a single unit, where it enjoys unprecedented prosperity to this very day.

After spending time fasting in quiet meditation, Bova returned to active politics, where he beat George Maziarz for NY State Senate. Before the term (and the science behind it) was created, he introduced legislation that would ban hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking”) from all of NYS. And succeeded in removing the unfair tollbooths along the Niagara section of the NYS Thruway, by staging a non-violent “car sit-in” before the National Guard was called in to disperse the crowds.

Leftist Pinko Chris Smith falls before the physical might of The Bova

Now focusing on sports and athletics, he turned to his second greatest passion, lacrosse. Running the Buffalo Bandits and becoming one of their top players (all while blogging about it at WNYMedia.net, where he also released emails sent by Carl Paladino, thereby torpedoing his gubernatorial campaign), Matt felt the call of the West Coast.

This past summer, Matt Bova announced he was going to travel away from Western New York, so that he can spread his gifts on the other side of what he calls “Our Great Nation”. His plans for that region remain a mystery to us at this time, as his work as a part-time alpaca shepherd allows him the quiet meditative time he needs before launching another of his projects to improve all mankind.

Matt Bova: America’s Backup Plan for Troubled Times….

(Want to “pay for play”?! Bribe a blogger today! I challenge either Mark Poloncarz or Chris Collins to pay me $25.00 to blog about either or both of them in a positive light, and/or to put down their opponent! I will then give it to worthy cause, either myself or the Buffalo Animal Shelter. I’ll even kick in the difference of PayPal fees so they get a nice round $25.00…. )

Tonight, 7-9pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church (695 Elmwood Avenue), David Cobb of the activist group Move to Amend will discuss the US Suprme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case, which further opened the floodgates on corporate spending in an election system already awash in cash. Cobb is an attorney and a former Green [...]

Invented the term "hipster" before it was cool...

(Editor’s note: The first taker of the Tommunisms “Pay for Play” challenge has stepped forward with a cash donation. As a result, I have taken my payola and made sure it went to a worthy cause: myself the Buffalo Animal Shelter. So now, time for some great coverage of someone who truly deserves it (or at least has the receipt to prove such a claim). Want to pay me for positive coverage? Check out the article here that will give you all the details on my lack of scruples)

What is the definition of “Renaissance Man”? Is it someone who is limitless in their capacity for development, whose thirst for self-betterment is only matched by their desire to seek the betterment of all humankind? If that is the case, then WNY had been blessed to have had the opportunity to know a true polymath, Math Bova.

None of the readers of WNYMedia.net could ever forget their most treasured blogger, Matthew Patrick Declan Horatio Bova (aka “The Bova” ) who blogged on the site about Buffalo Bandits Lacrosse, where he served as General Manager for five years, and as their top goal scorer for the last two seasons. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued when Matt decided it was time to move on from Western New York, and spread his gifts to a larger base of people in California. The area has never been the same, but those who follow him on the Tweeter know that he still imparts his Solomon like wisdom for us lowly denizens here, even though he is not in our midst (much like Superman’s father, Jor-El used technology to guide his only son through his trials and tribulations).

A veritable “Wunderkind”, this son of simple asparagus farmers showed his talents early by designing, constructing, and mastering his very own Theremin, delighting crowds at concert halls with his hauntingly beautiful symphonies of electrical oscillation. Matt quickly learned multiple languages (and at last count can speak 17 different languages, including Klingon and Welsh) At the age of twelve, while his parents were at the Buffalo Convention center for an Asparagus Farming Equipment Expo (“Spargel Shoot Fest”) Matt had wandered off from his parents, and was missing for several hours. His folks finally found him in one of the subsections of the Convention Center, lecturing a group from the local Mensa Society, where all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

After coming up with an alternate proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem (that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two), Matt quickly turned his mind to civics and politics. After exploiting a loophole in local regulations, Matt was able to run and win the election for mayor of North Tonawanda at age 13, and served two successful terms. Under his administration, his diplomatic skills shone, and he was able to bridge the gulf of hatred that existed between North Tonawanda and Tonawanda. After the tearing down of the “Tahnawá•the” Wall (built from fortified leatherboard erected by the Spaulding Fibre company in 1912) he successfully negotiated the re-unification of the Tonwandas into a single unit, where it enjoys unprecedented prosperity to this very day.

After spending time fasting in quiet meditation, Bova returned to active politics, where he beat George Maziarz for NY State Senate. Before the term (and the science behind it) was created, he introduced legislation that would ban hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking”) from all of NYS. And succeeded in removing the unfair tollbooths along the Niagara section of the NYS Thruway, by staging a non-violent “car sit-in” before the National Guard was called in to disperse the crowds.

Leftist Pinko Chris Smith falls before the physical might of The Bova

Now focusing on sports and athletics, he turned to his second greatest passion, lacrosse. Running the Buffalo Bandits and becoming one of their top players (all while blogging about it at WNYMedia.net, where he also released emails sent by Carl Paladino, thereby torpedoing his gubernatorial campaign), Matt felt the call of the West Coast.

This past summer, Matt Bova announced he was going to travel away from Western New York, so that he can spread his gifts on the other side of what he calls “Our Great Nation”. His plans for that region remain a mystery to us at this time, as his work as a part-time alpaca shepherd allows him the quiet meditative time he needs before launching another of his projects to improve all mankind.

Matt Bova: America’s Backup Plan for Troubled Times….

(Want to “pay for play”?! Bribe a blogger today! I challenge either Mark Poloncarz or Chris Collins to pay me $25.00 to blog about themselves, and/or to put down their opponent! I will then give it to worthy cause, either myself or the Buffalo Animal Shelter. I’ll even kick in the difference of PayPal fees so they get a nice round $25.00…. )

Everyone else can sit down now. Your band may rock. Your tunes might be memorable and fun to hear live and loud. But you can't play like these guys. Forget it.

Image by Hawk Eyes via Flickr

If anyone is going to miss the histrionics of former CBS play-by-play man Gus Johnson more than the average Buffalo Bills fan, it is analyst Steve Tasker.
The life of the former Bill is changing because his TV partner bolted CBS in the offseason to work for Fox.
CBS is expected to announce in a few weeks that Tasker will be teamed with play-by-play man Bill Macatee this coming NFL season.
In a telephone interview, Tasker said his schedule will be reduced from the 17 games he worked with Johnson last year to 12 with Macatee.
But the downgrade in his schedule won’t cost him any money (he has a contract and isn’t paid by the game) and his reduced schedule is expected to have the side benefit of giving him several weekends to watch one son, Luke play football at Cornell University and another son, Tap, play at St. Francis High.
He’ll miss working with Johnson, whose exuberant style has made him one of the more talked about announcers on TV.
“He’s a good friend,” said Tasker, who was aware that Johnson’s over-the-top style had its critics as well as its fans.
“Even at his most over-the-topness, he meant it,” defended Tasker. “He is real. He didn’t manufacture anything. People like that.”
Macatee couldn’t be more different than Johnson. He’s a low-key versatile announcer, who may have as many tennis fans as football fans.
“Bill is not as high profile as Gus,” said Tasker in one of the understatements of the year.
The departure of Johnson has led to CBS reshuffling its NFL lineup. It hired Marv Albert to replace Johnson’s spot on the roster and work some high profile games. He is expected to be paired with Rich Gannon, who has done his share of Bills games.
Tasker also will work Bills preseason games with another former Bill, Ray Bentley.
“I think they will be much improved, especially on the defensive side,” said Tasker.
But he adds the key to the season could be whether the Bills stay healthy since he is unsure of their depth.
* Buffalo News subscribers will be able read sports columnist Jerry Sullivan kicking around the Bills for another season. One doubts he’ll be as positive about the Bills as Tasker will be during the preseason.
Sullivan, who toyed with the idea of signing up for a new buyout offer, confirmed Monday that he is staying with the newspaper. According to sources, The News made Sullivan happy by giving him a raise, something that is in short supply at One News Plaza or any newspaper these days.
The loss of Sullivan would have been a big blow to The News, which needs to keep as many of its so-called “brands” as possible. Sullivan is arguably the biggest brand at the paper, with his frequent work on WGR radio making him a bigger personality.
In these days of diminishing readership, it is unlikely that anyone will ever again have the following of Sullivan or the lead sports columnists he followed — Larry Felser and Steve Weller.
Staffers at The News have until Friday to decide whether to sign up for the buyout and then they have to wait to see if they have enough seniority to be among those allowed to take it.
Some of those who qualify may return as part-timers, but taking the buyout does come with some additional risk since they will lose their seniority. Seniority would be especially valuable if The News ever decides to cut costs with layoffs.
News editor Margaret Sullivan has raised the possibility of layoffs in the last few weeks without being asked about them, which surprised staffers and may have made a few of them less likely to take the buyout.
According to sources, metro columnist Donn Esmonde and investigative reporter Jim Heaney haven’t decided whether to sign up for the buyout or not. Sources say those who have signed up include veteran reporters Dan Herbeck and Brian Meyer. It is uncertain if Meyer has enough seniority to get the buyout. Sources believe Herbeck is likely to be asked to come back to work part-time.
* While we’re on the sports beat, caddie Steve Williams has been taking a deserved beating for comments he directed at his former boss, Tiger Woods, Sunday after carrying the bag for Sunday’s golf winner, Adam Scott.
To their credit, CBS announcers Nick Faldo and Jim Nantz quickly noted that Williams’ claim that Scott’s win “was the biggest of his life” despite the 13 majors Woods won with him on the bag was “a dig” at Woods and would be talked about on the tour.
But CBS deserves some criticism, too. It spent more time interviewing Williams than Scott and almost made it seem like the caddy actually was the guy hitting the shots. Of course, I suppose CBS shouldn’t be blamed for staying with a guy making news by making a fool of himself rather than give us just another extended interview with a winning golfer talking about his putting.
Williams has since distanced himself from his absurd claim that Sunday’s win was the biggest of his life. Now he should go back to doing what caddies are supposed to do – stay out of the limelight.
* Overexposure: Had to laugh when I read this from Maryalice Demler via Facebook: “I anchored five newscasts (Monday). Lev (Scott Levin) called in sick. Even my own parents don’t want to see me on TV that much. Sorry, folks.”

pergament@msn.com

Kaleida Health announced Monday it will close the Judge Joseph S. Mattina Community Health Center on Niagara Street on Nov. 1.

A quick look at what's happening today in Western New York