WASHINGTON -- Rep. Chris Lee, R-Clarence, returned today from a two-day trip to Afghanistan with other lawmakers, and he said the trip made him more inclined to support an increase in U.S. troops there.

Four people were killed shortly before 8:30 p.m. Sunday when the sedan they were traveling in ran a stop sign and was struck by a van at the intersection of County and Strickler roads in Clarence.

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcus Stroud hosted the inaugural “Pins for HOPE” bowling fundraiser to benefit the Marcus Stroud Charitable Foundation (MSCF) on Friday, October 30th, at Manor Lan...

In an effort to compile their own StoryCorps of sorts, The Tonawanda Castle invites the larger community to take part in "A Day of Memories: Remembering the History of the Armory at the Tonawanda Castle."  Regionally, the organizers feel there are a lot of stories out there that pertain to this part of Western New York.  Everyone is welcome to participate.

On November 22, the completely restored armory of the 25th Company of the New York State National Guard--now known as the Tonawanda Castle--will be open to the community to come and share their experiences and personal memories of this historical building.  By participating, the community will be an integral part of the Tonawanda Castle's important efforts to record and preserve the building's magnificent legacy.

The Tonawanda Castle is one of the Tonawandas' most prized historical gems, operating as an armory and then community center from 1897 to the late 1990s.  For decades this building housed the New York State National Guard and hosted community celebrations and sporting events.  Purchased privately from New York State in 2004, the owner restored the massive 38,000 square foot armory with the sole intent of reviving the building's early 20th century grandeur.

Doors will be open between 1PM and 4PM on the 22nd of November, and light refreshments will be served.

An emailed RSVP is not necessary, but much appreciated.  The event is free of charge.

The Tonawanda Castle is an historic armory built in 1896.  Listed on both the National and New York State Historic registries, it was home to the 25th Division of the NYS National Guard. The Castle was purchased privately in 2004 and has been beautifully restored into an event and conference center.

 69 Delaware . City of Tonawanda . 716.743.8544

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon /
Going to the candidates debate /
Laugh about it, shout about it
/ When you've got to choose
/ Every way you look at it, you lose.

This is how a lot of people may feel, looking over the upcoming regional elections with its obvious slam-dunks or otherwise scant offerings of candidates.

Buffalo Mayor's race: Incumbent Byron Brown runs against no one.  A campaign that eliminated fellow democrat Mickey Kearns in the primary decided this race in September.  Adding insult to injury, Erie County Democratic Chairman, Len Lenihan, whose party withheld an endorsement of Democrats Brown or Kearns prior to the primary, was quoted in The Buffalo News as saying, "Not to be able to find one human being to run for mayor of the City of Buffalo is a pretty odd situation." 

Erie County Sheriff:  Current sheriff, Republican Tim Howard is being challenged by John Glascott, the Democratic Police Captain of Cheektowaga.  It's a nasty race in which both seasoned law enforcement veterans are pointing to the fact that although their opponent may "get their man," they also lose them--from murderers too rapists.  With Glascott's 12 cells, compared to Howard's 25,000 inmates a year, each has made erroneous releases (to disasterous consequences), and had suicides and escapes under their watch--the highest profile one being that of trooper killer Ralph Bucky Phillips from Howard's county jail.  Still, the State Police are endorsing Howard.

In a debate held a few weeks back (see this Phil Fairbanks story in The Buffalo News), Howard justified allowing a Hollywood film crew in, but has denied the Department of Justice access to the jail for investigative purposes.  Howard says he doesn't trust the Department of Justice. 

Erie County Legislature: 5 of the 15 legislators is running unopposed this year. Timothy Kennedy (2nd District) , Barbara Miller-Williams (23rd District), Maria Whyte (6th District), Betty Jean Grant (7th District) and John Mills (13th District), have no challengers.  Last week's Buffalo News accused incumbent legislator Michelle Ianello, who is being challenged by Republican Kevin Hardwick, of being racist for asking that members of her canvassing crew be removed.  The two African American representatives of the Working Families Party were going door to door, asking voters to sign a pledge stating they would vote for Ianello.

Ianello's quote in The Buffalo News, stating that it was a "difference of opinion," looks like it was an answer to the charge of bigotry, but in context, it was Ianello's feelings about the tactics used with voters. Hardwick's campaign is being partially financed by It should be mentioned that County Executive Chris Collins offered campaign help to Hardwick when he recruited him to run against Ianello.  According to Hardwick, Collins offered help, "financially, politically," though there is no record of any funds coming from Collins to date.

This Buffalo News story by Bob McCarthy examines the ways in which Collins inserted himself into the campaigns of fellow Republicans, including Hardwick.

In tomorrow's election, with obvious slam-dunks and otherwise slim pickin's, is the number of races that are already decided a sign of everything going right, or general apathy?  The numbers at the polls will tell in the end, along with any major shifts, particularly those between Howard and Glascott and Hardwick and Ianello.

For the second time in four days, New York State Senators sat at a table in Western New York to listen to locals beg for money. On Friday, Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Martin Malave Dilan held a hearing at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society to hear idea on how the state should spend [...]

A dismal performance on the turf Sunday inside Ralph Wilson Stadium might have yielded an unexpected benefit: just 14 arrests in and around the stadium.

The first major exhibition of furniture and decorative art by influential Buffalo craftsman, artist and designer Charles Rohlfs began its 5 venue national tour at the Milwaukee Art Museum in June. The Milwaukee Art Museum, along with the Chipstone Foundation, and the American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation partnered to put the show together.  It is based on Rohlfs family archives and newly discovered period sources, and it includes over 40 pieces from 10 museums and several private collections. The exhibition's tour finishes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the fall of 2010.  The show will NOT be coming to Buffalo.

Charles Rohlfs' style was related to Art Nouveau along with other historic precedents from around the world that gave it a strange otherworldliness. His work was of the craftsman period but wasn't in the Arts and Craft style.  Rohlfs was known to have more that a few derisive words for his Western New York contemporary and influential Arts and Crafts master, Elbert Hubbard.  His work was his own style and was truly unique.  Though his work did influence the Arts and Crafts movement, he thought of his furniture pieces, as works of art in the way art is a personal expression of its creator. A chair recently presented on PBS's Antique Road Show appraised between $80,000 and $120,000 indicates the growing importance of his work.  Rohlfs is not widely known, but you can bet that his prominence will become much greater in the near future.

Charles Rohlfs lived from 1853-1936. He was the son of a cabinetmaker in Brooklyn. He trained in drafting and design at the Cooper Union in New York City. I believe he worked for a stove maker when he came to Buffalo, where he married famous mystery novelist Anna Katharine Green. They lived in Allentown, in one of the neighborhood's most distinctive houses--designed by Rohlfs of course. 

The exhibition will be at the Dallas Museum of Art through January 3, 2010. It will then travel to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh from January 30, 2010-April 25, 2010, followed by the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens from May 22, 2010-September 6, 2010 and ending its tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for a stay, from October 19, 2010-January 23, 2011).

If you can't get to any of these venues you can still purchase the exhibit catalogue titled The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs, by Joseph Cunningham, with a foreword by Bruce Barnes and an introduction by Sarah Fayen. The book is the most comprehensive publication on the artist to date, and includes a complete set of unpublished illustrations of over seventy works. 

The Burchfield Penny Art Center would have been a natural stop for this show. I am not sure how they missed this one.  They have a strong collection of local artists' work, including a large collection of Hubbard's work.  It would then be natural for them to also concentrate on the work of Rohlfs.  I looked around the Internet but could not find anything about their Rohlfs collection except for the fact that they have Rohlfs' candlesticks.  (Still, I am sure they must have more Rohlfs pieces if you want to see his work in person.) You can see more about his house here http://buffaloah.com/a/archsty/a-c/rohlfs/index.html.  Also here are a few more images of Rohlfs work including an amazing picture of his Buffalo Living room, filled with his own designs.

No more curtains to close. No more levers to pull.

Buffalo Arts Studio's Annual Artists Exhibit and Sale will be on view November 21, 2009 through January 2, 2010.

Voted "Best Place to Buy Cheap Art" in Buffalo Spree's Best of Western New York 2007 issue, this exhibit showcases the extensive and multi-faceted talents of over thirty artists in residence at Buffalo Arts Studio. Affordable works will be on sale just in time for the holidays, in a range of media including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, and more.

Artists featured: Joanna Angie, Dennis Bertram, Jo Ann Brenner, David Buck, Robert Budin, Scott Bye, Jennifer Clark, William Y. Cooper, K. Cornelius, Valerie Dunne, Katherine Gaudy, Bryan Hopkins, Candace Keegan, William Koch, Jeffrey Lane, Margaret McGowan, Roberto Pacheco, Betty Pitts-Foster, Devora Primack, Margaret Raab, Bol Rai, Thomas Rojek, Kathi Roussel, Jody Selin, Kathleen Sherin, Chris Siano, Rosemarie Bauer Sroka, Deborah Stewart, Rodney Taylor, Nancy Thayer, and Milton Weiser.

A free public opening reception with tasty homemade hors d'oeuvres and desserts, a cash bar, and live bossa nova and Latin jazz by Chris Campos will take place on Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 7-10PM, with a performance by K. Cornelius starting at 10PM. 2495 Main Street in the Tri-Main Center.

Top image: paintings by Joanna Angie, oil on canvas.

Crossing a busy suburban road can be a problem for anybody, but that problem is compounded when the crossing signal control is out of reach.

It was a game many people thought the Bills needed to contain a highly productive Houston Texans passing offense to pull out a victory. Holding quarterback Matt Schaub to zero touchdowns, the Bills...

Marylouise Nanna and Buffalo's Ars Nova Musicians launched Viva Vivaldi XXXI with supreme style Sunday night in the new Buffalo Religious Arts Center, formerly St. Francis Xavier Church, in Black Rock. A full house turned out.

The state Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration will host the second in a series of public design workshops on the future of the Scajaquada Expressway from 6:30 to 8:30 p. m. Wednesday in St. Mary's School for the Deaf, 2253 Main St.