The last time most people saw Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood at One Bills Drive his leg was buried in a cast and he was on crutches. Following his badly broken leg in the Week 11 game at Jackson...

How long has Carl Paladino been a “Real” Republican?  In various campaign videos on his website, he gives the impression that he’s been a longtime member of the party.  “I’m a registered Republican…and not just yesterday” he says in this video.

I guess by “and not just yesterday”  he means since 2005.  Prior to 2005, he was a registered Democrat, for 31 years.

Why does it matter?  Paladino is currently push polling information that potential opponent Steve Levy is really a Democrat in Tea Party clothing.  Carl is making political hay from Levy’s donations to the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, totaling $650 since 1999.

He’s also made vague threats that he is gathering ammunition to use against his rivals and sent out a press release yesterday that read:

The Paladino campaign pointed to campaign finance records showing several Levy contributions to the Silver-controlled Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (www.paladinoforthepeople.com/650PiecesofSilver).

“Time and again, Democrat Steve Levy contributed to the extension of Sheldon Silver’s rule in Albany – and Silver drove our state into the ground,” said Paladino, a Republican candidate for Governor of New York. “His longtime support for Speaker Silver is a fundamental problem for our party and a dealbreaker for most rank-and-file Republicans watching the governors race.”

Paladino said, “Monday I’ll join the Republican Govneror’s (sic) race against one professional politician who is still a pure Democrat and another who had a lot of chances and can’t get it done.”

Paladino also said his belief in core Conservative and Republican party values particularly sets him apart on abortion, gay marriage and the gun rights.

Essentially, Carl is trying to force a purity test between himself (a true Republican) and a guy who donates to Democrats.  Seems like an odd strategy when Carl was a registered Democrat for the better part of thirty years, don’t you think?

Certainly, people can change party affiliations, not a big deal right?  But did Carl also stop donating to Democratic candidates?  Certainly, he wouldn’t make a stink about Levy’s $650 if he had any Democratic donations lurking in his closet, right?  Well…

Carl has been one of the most loyal, reliable and generous donors to the Erie County Democratic Party and various statewide Democratic candidates for decades.  Note the use of the present tense in that sentence.  Carl still donates reliably to Democrats as a quick check of New York State Board of Elections Campaign Finance Reports would indicate.  Has he donated to Republicans?  Absolutely!  He has given a lot of money to local and statewide Republicans over the years, but that’s not the issue.  Paladino has forced the issue that a Conservative Republican doesn’t donate to Democrats, much less Sheldon Silver!

Carl has donated to many Democrats under his own name, including State Supreme Court Justice Tim Drury, Judge Diane Devlin, Judge Penny Wolfgang, Denise O’Donnell and Eliot Spitzer.  However, he also donates donates under various names and corporations in an attempt to hide his tracks.

Donations have been recorded in his name, under the name of his primary business, and various other business entities bearing his stewardship.  All of these organizations share the same address, 295 Main Street, Suite 210, headquarters of Paladino’s real estate development firm and legal offices.

These are just the corporate entities that Carl has established using the Ellicott Development offices, we’re still digging for more.

Staats Street Group, Inc. has given nearly $5,000 to local and statewide Democrats, including $150 to the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, which Paladino uses as evidence that Levy is really a Democrat.

Swan Group LP, has given nearly $27,000 to various Democrats, including Robin Schimminger, Byron Brown, Brian Higgins, the New York State Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, Erie County Democratic Party (ECDC), Len Lenihan, Jim Keane, and Dennis Gabryszak.

Mohawk Group LP, has given $9,600 to Democrats including David Paterson, Mark Poloncarz, Sam Hoyt, the ECDC and the Lackawanna Democratic Committee.

Niagara Group, LP has given $4,790 to local and statewide Democrats including Spitzer for Attorney General, Higgins, Dan Ward, Paul Tokasz, Hoyt and the ECDC.

Slade Group, LLC has given $10,500 to corrupt former candidate for Erie County Executive Paul Clark.

Michigan/Seneca Group, LP has given $14,750 to local and statewide Democrats including Spitzer for Attorney General, Paul Clark, Len Lenihan, the ECDC, Denise O’Donnell, Higgins, Paterson and Spitzer for Governor.

8246 Group, LP has given $6,600 to local and statewide Democrats including the ECDC, Spitzer, Paul Clark and Jim Keane.

2468 Group, LP has given $13,600 to local and statewide Democrats including Hoyt, Higgins, Denise O’Donnell, the ECDC, Jim Keane, Carl McCall,  Spitzer, Paul Clark, and Crystal Peoples.

Ellicott Development has given over $12,500 to local and statewide Democrats including Denise O’Donnell, Gary Parenti, Joe Nicoletti and Spitzer

Ellicott Group has given $700 to local Democrats including Hoyt and Higgins.

Ellicott Group, LLC has given $1,200 to local Democrats including the ECDC.

Ellicott Group A Partnership has given $5,600 to local Democrats including the ECDC, Hoyt, Paterson and Mickey Kearns.

JP Group has donated nearly $20,000 to local and statewide Democrats including Spitzer, Bonnie Russell, the ECDC, Paul Clark, Alan Hevesi, Lynn Marinelli and Joe Mesi.

Jefferson Utica Group, LP has given $1,200 to local Democrats.

9274 Group, LP (Who by the way have won 62 GSA contracts for a total of $738,171 in government money) has given $4,200 to local Democrats.

Paladino and his various shell companies and associations have donated over $135,000 to Democratic candidates since 2000, including several hundred dollars for Sheldon Silver’s Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.  We’d have to consult paper records to go further back than that.

I think there’s a lesson in all of this for Mr. Paladino…

The Ellicott Square Building, where Paladino has his corporate headquarters is a world renowned architectural masterpiece which features a majestic glass skylight.  Perhaps he should remember not to throw stones from inside that glass house.

What a difference a month makes! When March began, there were piles of snow everywhere. Now it's ending and we've got green grass, crocuses and even a few daffodils. What's more, we have another slightly better-than-average day. The National Weather Service is promising sunshine, light winds and afternoon temperatures in the low to mid-50s in the Buffalo metro area, upper 50s away from the lake. April, on the other hand, is going to start off by pretending it's another month. Like May. The forecast says Thursday should be mostly sunny with a high around 60 in Buffalo, near 70 inland. Friday, you're likely to think it's June or July. More sunshine is expected, with near- record heat — around 70 in Buffalo, close to 80 elsewhere. Sunshine and summerlike warmth should continue on Saturday. Alas, it ends on Easter Sunday, when a cold front arrives, bringing April showers with it and dropping temperatures back into the 50s.

Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson has had quite the past 12 months.  A year ago he was little more than a special teams player trying to carve his way into a prolonged NFL career.  The converted wide receiver went from practice squad member to valuable depth in three seasons with the team, but only amassed [...]

Tomorrow is Holy Thursday and with that comes the visitation of seven churches…

My phone has been ringing off the hook the last few days with people calling about BFA’s One Night and Seven Churches brochure to visit B-F’s incredible houses of worship on Thursday.

If you have never gone, you should…it is truly a unique experience that will touch you on a number of different levels.

[click here for more info and get brochure]

Have an event or story you want to share about the neighborhood?  Got a press release?

You can submit them to BFA through our new online form system.

The links are available on the left…quick and easy.

We can’t cover everything though we try, but you can help ensure we do.  Whether it is a personal story or something from a group or organization, SEND IT!

Alive!

What does this mean? According to Kitty Lambert (OUTSpoken for Equality) it's a great step, but at the same time it's not enough. And why is it not enough? Because there are still politicians who continue to deny equal rights to the LGBT community. From Kitty:

First, I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of both Councilman Rivera and Councilman LoCurto. Progress in our city has been slow and arduous.

We are the LAST major municipality to have this benefit offered to it's employees in NY State.

Initially it was just the registry that had been approved, but now the benefit end of it has been passed (with one 'NO' vote.... Thanks Demone Smith). The benefit provision excludes opposite gender couples. The registry is open to both same and opposite gender couples.

The registry was never signed into law by the Mayor... but there were enough votes that his signature was not required. It became automatic after 30 days... tomorrow (Wed. March 31st, 2010) it begins.

The Benefit end of this does not immediately go into effect. The Mayor may, again, let the benefit package "fall" into law. If not it would go into effect when it was signed into law.

My partner, Cheryle Rudd and I are suppose to be the first to register tomorrow. I will be staying at City Hall all day to see how many people actually take advantage of the REGISTRY end of it. It will not (ever) give the two of us anything more that a $40 "note" that says we are registered as domestic partners... Cheryle finds this VERY funny as she knows that getting me to do ANYthing domestic is rare. It WILL benefit anyone who is considered a City Employee... eventually... IF they are in a same gender relationship. The Mayor feels opposite gender individuals should marry. (This makes me really glad I am gay! I would really hate to have some guy that didn't pay my bills, or know my reasons why I can't/won't marry to tell me I must.... whoops, the Senate is telling me just the opposite and it's because I AM gay!)

To register at City Hall on the 13th floor, a couple must provide $40, BOTH of their birth certificates, Social Security Cards, and Picture IDs, something that shows that they cohabit and are financially interdependent (such as a bank statement with both names on it, Utility bills with the same address on them, a landlord statement, a mortgage or rental/lease agreement).

THIS IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT. It is filed with the City and kept until the couple voids the registration.

Part of me is thrilled. But a greater part of me is saddened by the fact that this was done with a vein of discrimination and exclusion, the very thing that we as LGBT Americans are fighting.

We, in the LGBT community, do not want special treatment. We don't want different treatment. We want to be included in the SAME laws that include STRAIGHT-SEX couples. Equally.

BRO: Here's the list of councilmembers. You know who to thank and who to admonish. If you have two minutes to speak for your rights, or the rights of others, then by all means (I added the links), send off your approvals or disapprovals. For good measure, here's the Mayor's email address: Mail@ch.ci.buffalo.ny.us... if anyone has a better one, then please add it. 

Demone A. Smith - Masten District
Phone: 716-851-5145 ♦ Fax: 716-851-5443
Email: dsmith@city-buffalo.com

Richard A. Fontana - Majority Leader, Lovejoy District
Phone: 716-851-5151 ♦  Fax: (716)851-5141
E-mail: rfontana@city-buffalo.com
 
David A. Franczyk - Council President, Fillmore District
Phone: 716-851-4138 ♦ Fax: (716)851-4869
E-mail: dfranczyk@city-buffalo.com
 
David A. Rivera - President Pro-Tempore, Niagara District
Phone: 716-851-5125 ♦  Fax: 716-851-4970
Email: darivera@city-buffalo.com 
 
Micheal P. Kearns  - President Pro Tempore, South District
Phone: 716-851-5169 ♦ Fax: (716)851-4294
E-mail: mkearns@city-buffalo.com 
 
Curtis Haynes, Jr. - Ellicott District
Phone: 716-851-4980 ♦ Fax: (716)851-6576
Email: chaynes@city-buffalo.com
 
Joseph Golombek, Jr. - North District 
Phone: 716-851-5116 ♦  Fax: 716-851-5648
Email: jgolombek@city-buffalo.com 
 
Michael J. LoCurto - Delaware District
Phone: 716-851-5155 ♦ Fax: (716)851-4553
E-mail: mlocurto@city-buffalo.com 
 
Bonnie E. Russell - University District
Phone: 716-851-5165 ♦ Fax: 716-851-4580
Email: brussell@city-buffalo.com  

Pretty sure I only know one song by tonight’s “mentor” Usher…  and they’re playing it to start the show.  I’d like to like him, but he strolled into the room to meet everyone wearing dark sunglasses.  Ridiculous, but whatever.  Seacrest just mentioned that Usher’s new album came out today without using the word “dropped.”  I didn’t know that was allowed anymore.

1. Siobhan.  Her rehearsal glasses are from the Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie collection.  I noticed a trend toward giant glasses during Idol auditions and I’m here to tell you, this is not a look that should return.  (That includes you, Andrew Garcia.)  The notes she’s singing in this song that I’ve never heard before don’t sound like the notes that were written.  Alternating between “pitchy” warbles and the to-be-expected weekly screams…  awful.  It’s the first time she’s been bad, but she was really bad.  Wow, they really talked for a LONG time after she finished reminding me that we’re about to hear ten ninety-second songs spread out over 2 hours.  Yikes!
2. Casey.  Hold on…  he’s coming!  Despite this wonderful news, please wipe the cheesy smile off of your stupid face.  He should also probably stop bringing his guitar out there because it’s distracting him AND me.   He looks like the least natural singer/guitar player this side of…  well, I don’t know anyone else that looks that uncomfortable with the electric guitar.  The judges liked it.  Whatever.
3. Mike.  When this guy holds an acoustic guitar, I keep waiting for him to break it over his knee like Bo Jackson.  He’s doing some super slow song by india.arie.  I think that’s how her name is spelled, right?  What a stupid way to spell/write a name.  He sounds good and I can totally picture turning this guy off when he comes on the radio in my car.
4. Didi.  I bet Ryan touches her a lot.  It happens every week.  She cried when she sang for Usher.  I don’t blame her.  That happened to me the time I sang for him, too.  Also, she sounded like she was auditioning for Annie in rehearsal.  Is that bad?  I think yes.  The actual performance is slightly better but it’s just a’aight for me, dawg.  (Note:  A’aight i’in’t actually a’aight.  A’aight means it reminded me of Star Search, which sucked.)    Didi is in trouble.  Ryan held her hand/wrist for a LONG time (1 minute and 26 seconds, followed by 8 more seconds of arm around her/shoulder rub) and revealed some sort of “pillow talkesque” inside info that nobody else seemed to know.  My wife wants to start her own Ryan and Didi blog.  I think she thinks they’re doing it.
5. Tim.  Tim Urban versus Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love”–  what could possibly go wrong?   I think Usher told him to make love to the camera with his eyes.  Uh oh.  He’s so so so bad every week that I’m actually starting to root for him to win the whole thing.  I wonder if votefortheworst.com is still around.  That’s the site that took credit (rightfully so, I bet) for keeping Sanjaya alive for WAY too long.  It is.   So he’ll be back, right?  Also, what’s with his eyes looking as if they’re being held open with toothpicks.
6. Andrew.  Usher took off his sunglasses during rehearsal because he thinks that’s what you do when you are serious about something.   He’s clearly got it backward.  This is the song from that cool wedding video from last year and also from Jim and Pam’s wedding.  It’s the best he’s been in a long time.  That said, he’s got about 2 weeks left in his run.
7. Katie.  She seems like she decided not to go out without a fight.  I bet she’s sort of mad that she gets no credit every week for being decent.  She had a bitchy growl that I liked.  She should be back.  There’s a chance she isn’t, though, because she has yet to really secure herself in the top half of this group, but I like her.  Oh, and Simon blasted Katie while discrediting the other judges.  That’s probably not a good sign.  Once again, two hours is too long for 10 people to each sing one shortened song.
8. Lee.  Slick Rick’s “Treat Her Like a Prostitute” is certainly an interesting choice.  He’s going to have to get creative to make it work with an acoustic guitar.  Oh.  It’s “Treat Her Like a Lady.”  My bad…  this song makes way more sense.  Also, he’s kicking its ass.  I like Lee.  No question that was the best performance of the night and any judge who disagrees shouldn’t be allowed back next week.  They all agreed.
9. Dirtysox.  Going to commercial, she just pointed at her feet as if to say “look, I washed them!”  I don’t believe you, Crystal.  Why does a girl who “hasn’t played piano in years” feel the need to play piano during a nationally televised singing contest?  Stupid.  The whole song went by and nothing happened.  She’s safe and all, but that was weak.
10. Aaron.  Ain’t No Sunshine.  Honey, I shrunk  k.d. lang!  There is absolutely nothing to cling to in this performance.  He made the mistake of picking a song that was done well by last year’s winner, Kris Allen.  Not terrible, not memorable, not anything.

ALBANY -- More than $2 billion in state aid payments to public school districts across the state are being delayed, possibly until June, because of the state's worsening financial crisis, Gov. David A. Paterson said Tuesday.

LOCKPORT -- A Niagara Falls man forced to back away from his story that he killed his ex-wife accidentally last year while engaging in gunplay during sex was sentenced Tuesday to spend 12 years in state prison.

Buffalo would extend employee benefits to same-sex couples under a compromise that sailed through the Common Council on Tuesday.

Young trees, pieces of asphalt and a big mound of dirt have fallen into Tonawanda Creek because of a landslide that sheared away part of the Amherst bike path, forcing closure of a section across from the Amherst Museum.

At the regular meeting of the City of Buffalo Common Council held today, the Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance amendment sponsored by Council Members David Rivera and Michael LoCurto establishing Domestic Partnership Benefits for city employees.

After a thorough review of the potential costs associated with the domestic partnership benefit, the Council Members voted to approve the amendment with the following stipulations:

• Both domestic partner members are of the same sex
• Both persons currently share or have shared a common residence for at least six months as evidenced by proofs of residency required by the City’s medical insurance provider
• Both persons are financially interdependent as evidenced by proofs of financial interdependence required by the City’s medical insurance provider.

This legislation extends to the registered domestic partner and eligible members of the families of city employees health, medical and dental benefits, and will take effect in 30 days.

(From a Common Council Press Release)

Governor Paterson ordered the state to delay $2.1 billion in payments to schools across the state. The payments were expected to go out Wednesday, but due to declining revenues Paterson is holding onto the checks.