Category: PostEvents

If you’re like me and you hate it when you go to your own kitchen for food and all you find is the ingredients, then Buffalo’s Restaurant Week is for you. Taking place April 15-21, this seven day celebration is aimed at getting you out of your own kitchen, and sampling a variety of delicacies at Buffalo’s best restaurants.

Visit Buffalo Niagara and Western New York Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association is bringing back this exciting event to encourage you to branch out and try something new, delicious and diverse at an affordable price.

So switch it up! hot wings or tex-mex? Trade in your week-night chef’s hat for some delectable honey walnut shrimp, spicy chili tofu tacos or a mouthwatering gumbo dip.

Below are a handful of restaurants participating, but be sure to check out the full list of participating restaurants and their special deals. 

FEATURED RESTAURANTS

May Jen Chinese Restaurant
Wed – Thurs (12PM–9PM) Fri – Sat (12PM–9:30PM) Sun – Mon (12PM–9PM)
Tues (Closed)
47 Kenmore Ave., Amherst 14226 
(716) 986-9866

The Leong family has owned and operated the May Jen Chinese Restaurant for over 40 years. Jim, an engineer at Moog Inc., and Sue, a cancer research scientist from Roswell Park, created this restaurant to offer friendly and efficient service with affordable meals from across Asia. Each order is made from scratch using wholesome and fresh ingredients.

Restaurant week offer:

 $30.00 per person includes:-

Soda or pot of chinese tea 

Soup: wonton, egg drop, vegetable tofu, or vegetable hot & sour

Appetizer: pork/shrimp egg roll or sesame noodles 

Main Entrée 

Signature Dishes:-

Ginger garlic chicken 

General Tso’s chicken

Mongolian beef

Honey walnut shrimp

Gluten free, heart healthy, and vegetarian options available.

East Aurora Co-Op Market
Mon – Sun (8AM–8PM)
591 Main Street, East Aurora 14052
(716) 655-2667

A community-owned grocery store in the heart of East Aurora featuring local, organic and seasonal produce, house-made baked goods and fresh prepared foods. East Aurora Co-op Market exists to create a vibrant, healthy community in the Southtowns by providing access to fresh, local and wholesome foods to everyone.

Restaurant week offer:

 $25.00 per person includes:-

One hot entrée*

Two hot sides 

*Excludes salmon entrées

Signature Dishes:-
Choose from these options

Hot whole roasted chicken

Mac & cheese

Mashed potatoes

Roasted garlic broccoli + more!

Hot entrées available starting at 4pm while supplies last.

Hombre Y Lobo Tacos & Tequila
Tues-Frid (4PM–9PM)
Sat Drag Brunch (12PM–2PM) Sat Regular Service (2PM–9PM)
149 Swan Street, Suite 1, Buffalo 14203
(716) 427-8703

A family run restaurant that is crazy about food and the way it brings people together. They source the majority of their ingredients from less than 10 miles away and you’ll never see margarita mix behind the bar. With options for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans! Fancy dinner and a show? Well, they also have trivia night and drag queen brunch (reservations recommended).

Restaurant week offer:

 $25.00 per person includes:-

Chips with guacamole or queso

2 tacos of your choice

Churros

Signature Dishes:-

Braised beef taco

Chiavettas chicken taco

Carnitas taco

Chili tofu taco

Chorizo taco 

Buffalo chicken taco

Clarksburg Cider
Wed – Thurs (4PM–8PM) Fri (4PM–9PM) Sat (3PM–9PM) Sun- Tues (Closed)
4493 Walden Avenue, Lancaster 14086
(716) 317-9779

Hand-crafted and homegrown, Clarksburg creates classics, seasonals, and signature hard ciders and pairs them with delicious pizzas, shareables and handhelds. 

Restaurant Week Offer:

$45 per person includes:-

2 Draft Pours: Cider or Beer 

2 Entrees: Pizza or Handheld 

1 Dessert to Share

OR

$65 per person includes:-

2 Cider Cocktails

1 Shareable

2 Entrees: Pizza or Handheld

Signature dishes:-

Margherita Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza 

Bacon Cheeseburger

Poutine

Gumbo Dip

The post 2024 Buffalo Restaurant Week | Good food is like a win – the more ya have it, the more ya want it (April 15-21) appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

We are three weeks away from the special election in NY26 to replace Congressman Brian Higgins.  Democrat/Working Families candidate State Senator Tim Kennedy is facing off against Republican/Conservative candidate Supervisor Gary Dickson.

Both candidates were nominated by their respective parties in February.  Running on a parallel track the parties were proceeding with their regular schedule for the primary and general elections, which meant that petitioning to qualify candidates began on February 27.

The usual procedure in situations as we have this year with a special election and regular primaries and general elections would be for the parties to select a candidate who will carry the party banner in the special election as well as the general election.  That is what occurred with Tim Kennedy, who was first designated as the Democrats’ candidate in the special and then endorsed for the general election.

Not so with the Republicans.  Gary Dickson was selected as their candidate in the special in February.  But when petitioning began for the general election the name of the candidate on the petitions in NY26 was Anthony Marecki, a Buffalo attorney.

I’m hearing that Marecki is just a “placeholder” name, with the intention that the party will substitute someone else after the petitions are filed.  That process must be completed by April 12.  The someone else could very well be Dickson but the process is strange.  Why didn’t they just put Dickson on the general election petitions.

Or did Dickson just sign up to be the candidate in the special election?

There are some givens in the NY26 campaign.  Party enrollment by a margin of more than two-to-one strongly favors the Democrats.  There are actually slightly more voters unaffiliated with a party than there are Republicans in the district.

And then there is what the candidates bring to table in terms of name recognition.  Kennedy has been in public office for 14 years, first as a county legislator and then as a state senator.  Dickson was just re-elected to his second term as West Seneca Supervisor in 2023.

Kennedy’s fundraising accomplishments are legendary.  Over his terms as state senator he has raised multi-millions of dollars, and at least as of last January still had more than $1.3 million in his state campaign treasury after spending more than one million dollars over the last six months of 2023.  He cannot directly use money from his state account in the congressional election, but he has been able to expand his political contacts farther than his current 63rd Senate district with the state account money.

In just the first six weeks of his congressional candidacy at the end of 2023 Kennedy collected three-quarters of a million dollars.  The next financial report for the special election will be on April 18th and it will not be surprising to see that Kennedy has raised additional hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Dickson reportedly first had a goal of raising $200,000 for the special election.  He is likely to report considerably less than that on April 18th.  It has to be discouraging for him to see that many Republicans have already made substantial contributions to Kennedy.

With the realties of party enrollment, campaign contributions, and the relative lack of earned (not paid for) media, Dickson certainly has a tough road to travel.

I sent an email to Erie County Republican Chairman Michael Kracker this past Friday asking about why, at least technically, the party has two candidates for Congress in NY26.  I have not received a reply but will edit this post if I hear from him.

One other note:  Kennedy and Nate McMurray have both filed petitions with the state Board of Elections as candidates in the NY26 Democratic primary.  Kennedy’s petitions were in five volumes totaling 958 pages.   McMurray filed one volume with 73 pages.

Petitions filed

The New York Election Law requirements for political parties petitioning to qualify a candidate for office, as anyone who has run for office or helped in a campaign knows, are complicated.  The law comes with obstacles that the uninitiated deal with at their peril.  While party leaders are usually adept at navigating the process, even they are running into difficulties as they begin the 2024 election process.

Part of the problem is the political calendar for the year which is dictated by running party primaries at the end of June.  That date means that petitioning must begin at the end of February with an April 4th filing deadline this year.  The schedule requires party activists and other interested parties to do most of the signature gathering in March.  You may have noticed that March weather is sometimes bad and unpredictable.  Getting a potential signer to open their door can be a challenge.

Anecdotal information among party folks indicates that it is also difficult to recruit volunteers to do the door-to-door signature gathering.  In olden days (okay, maybe as recently as the 1980s and ‘90s) parties could rely on men and women who have acquired jobs through the party’s assistance to do the petitioning.  That system doesn’t seem to work as well as it used to.

A quick review of petitions filed for party committee membership shows just a handful of contests on the Democratic side.  On the Republican side there are competing committee candidates in nearly all election districts on Grand Island.  Stefan Mychijliw has competition for a committee seat in Elma, as do other candidates in the town.

The parties have also had some difficulty recruiting temporary Board of Election workers to work at the voting locations.  There are also many more days to have staff available with the early voting requirements. Some portions of Erie County will have four scheduled early voting dates related to elections this year – the presidential primaries on April 2; the special election in NY26 on April 30; the June primaries on June 25; and the general election on November 5.

The Erie County Board of Elections has dealt with the early voting/election day staffing needs by consolidating election districts.  Dozens of districts have been affected.

At some point the state Legislature will need to deal with how the new realities concerning petitioning and voting location staff bump into the schedule that the Election Law requires.  Reducing the number of signatures might allow for a more practical schedule.  The parties might see that as opening the door for easier challenges to endorsed candidates.  Nonetheless something needs to be done to modernize the political schedule and candidate qualification requirements.

X/Twitter @kenkruly

Threads   kenkruly

The post What’s going on in NY26?; petitions filed appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Bibliophile and bookworms will be happy to hear that Buffalo’s Downtown Central Library is hosting a Massive Used Book Sale, from Thursday, April 11 to Saturday, April 13. This is the perfect opportunity to load up on all sorts of books, for unbelievable prices.

Over 12,000 books will be available for purchase, for 25 cents each, with additional opportunities to bag books for a buck. Aside from boatloads of hardcover and softcover books, the sale also includes DVDs, CDs, vinyl, and audiobooks, along with print materials that have been either discharged from or donated to the Library’s collection. Ultimately, the sale – last held in 2021 – will allow the Library to purchase additional reading materials for all 37 Buffalo and Erie County Public Libraries.

Following are the dates of the sale, with guidelines:

Thursday, April 11, from 3 – 6 p.m. (Early Bird Sale, $5 donation for entrance, everything is 25 cents each).

Friday, April 12, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., everything is 25 cents each, fill your own bag for $1.

Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., everything is 25 cents each, fill your own bag for $1.

2024 Used Book Sale @ the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library’s Central Library – 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo

Returns April 11-13

The Used Book Sale will be held on the Central Library’s second floor, which is fully accessible.  The library is located at 1 Lafayette Square bordered by Washington, Broadway, Clinton, Ellicott, and Oak Streets.  Enter and exit the building through the Library’s main entrance from Washington Street and Lafayette Square.  All are required to go through a weapons detection system at the Library’s entrance.

Cash, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted for payment.  A minimum purchase of $5 is required for credit card use.

For more information call 716-858-8900 or visit www.BuffaloLib.org.

Lead image: Photo by freddie marriage

The post Downtown Central Library’s Massive Used Book Sale appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

When it comes to fashion, it’s important that everyone is included in the conversation. That’s why Alexa Jovanovic created Aille Design (pronounced: eye) – a clothing and accessories brand based in Buffalo that caters to the blind and visually impaired.

Jovanovic’s internationally recognized and award-winning braille fashion brand started off as a final University research project that is based on apparel that features fully legible braille in the form of beadwork. She began the process when living in her university dorm room, where she would hand sew each bead onto her products. Today. Jovanovic works with the blind and visually impaired to create the brand’s merchandise lines, which are fully functional. Each article of clothing makes a statement, from physical descriptions to empowering statements.

The designs are functional for braille readers, but so beautiful that they can be loved and worn by anyone. 

Aille Design has been making some pretty big waves as of late. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who has been blind since the age of 12, recently chose to wear an article of clothing on stage, which was a huge win for the brand. Also, Aille Design was featured as a clue on Celebrity Jeopardy, which was another welcome boost for the company. Adding to the momentum, Jovanovic has been busy fulfilling orders for some heavy swinging clients, including Amazon, Wendy’s, and the NBA-G League.

“It has been incredible to see the local and nationwide impact that Aille Design has had on the disability community and the inclusive fashion industry,” says Jovanovic, who donates a percentage of profits to visually impaired organizations. “Just a few years ago people questioned why inclusive fashion was important. Now, major brands and organizations are reaching out to us as experts on the topic and looking to collaborate with our brand”.

In an exciting twist, Aille Design has been named a top 10 finalist in the Barclays ‘Small Business Big Wins’ nationwide contest for small business owners that have “shown exceptional innovation and resilience, particularly in adapting to the dynamic economic landscape.” The contest is based on popular voting, which means that Jovanovic is counting on the Buffalo community to help push her over the finish line.

“We have an even bigger opportunity coming up this year with a globally recognized brand and need to quickly expand our team and local manufacturing capabilities,” says Jovanovic. “Winning the $60,000 would provide immediate relief as we scale, but it’s so much more than that. This win has the opportunity to create ample growth and employment opportunities in Buffalo. It’s a win for the entire city.”

The public is invited to cast their vote daily for Aille Design, from April 8 through April 19. Vote daily for Aille Design at BarclaysSmallBizBigWins.com and help them bring home a big win for Buffalo! The winner will be announced during the week of May 1 to coincide with National Small Business Week. Learn more about Aille Design and their products at ailledesign.com.

The post Help Aille Design Cross the Finish Line appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Help raise awareness and critical funds to prevent child abuse in Western New York! The Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf has a month-long calendar of events planned throughout April, Child Abuse Prevention Month.

A Sea of Blue Pinwheels Marks the Start: To symbolize the fight against child abuse, volunteers planted 3,000 pinwheels at 768 Delaware Avenue. Each pinwheel represents the number of children who report abuse in Erie County annually.

This Month, We Stand Together: Throughout April, BestSelf is spotlighting a cause dear to our hearts and one vital for the well-being of future generations. Here’s how you can get involved and support the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf:

Run or Walk for a Cause | The Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf 3rd Annual 5K Fun Run!

On Sunday, April 28, join BestSelf for a morning of fun and fitness supporting children and families affected by child sexual abuse, violence, and trauma. Sign up for a team with loved ones, or as a business! After the race, enjoy refreshments at the Parkside Lodge in Delaware Park, including a complementary beer from Resurgence Brewing Co. and our signature Cookie Monster® donut from Paula’s Donuts.

Trophies will be presented to the overall male and female finishers. All participants receive a finisher medal. Custom finisher certificates and finish line photos are also available online.

Time:

1.3 Mile Walk starts at 9 am (Family and Friends with dogs and strollers welcome)

5K Run starts at 9:30 am (Pets and strollers are not permitted)

Location: Delaware Park (Southside Corner of the Park, near “The Indian Hunter” statue); 84 Parkside Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214.

Parking: Plenty of street parking is available.

Cost:

5K Registration (9:30 Start): $30/$35 on race day

1.3 Mile Walk (9:00 Start): $15.00

1.3 Mile Walk (9:00 Start): $50 Family (up to 5 walkers)

5K Virtual Race Entry: $25 through 4/21/24 (includes mailing of custom finisher medal)

5K T-shirt: $15 (purchased during registration)

Registration: https://bestself5k.itsyourrace.com/

Additional Ways to Show Your Support:

Support Local and Enjoy a Sweet Treat: Purchase the signature Cookie Monster Donut at Paula’s Donuts throughout April. Proceeds benefit the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center!

Light Up the Night: Look for iconic landmarks across Western New York, including Niagara Falls and the Peace Bridge, to be lit in blue throughout April.

Stay Informed and Empowered: BestSelf will be sharing survivors’ stories, providing education on child abuse prevention, and offering resources throughout April. Stay tuned for updates on these powerful initiatives.

Every action counts! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children in our community.

For more information on these events and how to get involved, visit the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf website.

The post Stand Up for Kids This April: Events Supporting the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

The Elmwood Village Association (EVA) has announced that registration is now open for the upcoming Buffalo Porchfest on Saturday, May 18. Maybe you are a musician that is looking to play, or you have a band that you think would be a good fit for a porch? Or maybe you have a porch, and you’re willing to offer it up for a performance?

Buffalo Porchfest is the original Porchfest in the region. For over ten years, this event has been a cultural catalyst for the Elmwood Village. The successful grassroots nature of the undertaking has earned Buffalo Porchfest a reputation of one of the best community-centric events around. And why not? Elmwood is loaded with beautiful porches and talented musicians. Put them together, and it’s a winning combination for all participants – musicians and homeowners alike.

“Buffalo Porchfest, a highly anticipated community event, has been a staple since its inception in 2013 and has garnered a significant following. Our team at the Elmwood Village Association has been diligently working to accommodate all requests from hosts and bands, ensuring a seamless experience for all participants. Please note that the schedule is subject to change without notice, as is customary with live events. We look forward to welcoming everyone back this year and delivering an exceptional event.” – EVA

For more information, and to sign up for some fun, click here.

The post Buffalo Porchfest: Registration open for Porches and Performers appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

SunCliff on the Lake has become a legendary summer destination for numerous reasons, including weddings, conferences, dining, spa services, and workshops. Another thing to add to the ever-growing list is a music and fine arts summer camp for high school and college students, as well as adult lifelong learners. The SunCliff Educational Foundation is now offering a camp like no other, featuring eight five-day sessions that will take place on the stunning grounds at Suncliff on the Lake (6892 Lakeshore Rd. Derby, NY 14047). Sessions are as follows: woodwind, reggae, fine arts (painting), strings, saxophone quartet, brass, jazz (instrumental and vocal), creative writing and storytelling. Click here to learn about coinciding dates.

“Suncliff on the Lake is a fabulous location to refresh one’s senses and engage in learning activities that enhance one’s being,” said Camp Director Dave Wasik, who joins a world-class faculty including several BPO musicians, a screenwriter, a painter, and other musicians from WNY’s leading school music programs and from across the country. “I’m honored to be a small part of an amazing and diverse team/family of artists/musicians ready to serve our young people of Western New York with quality and innovative music education programming.”

“World class BPO musicians will collaborate with renowned artists and writers to instruct engaging and inspiring courses, against the serene, picturesque lakeside backdrop, Suncliff on the Lake, said Sal Andolina, Artistic Director. “The BPO musicians will join well known artists and writers to create and teach in a beautiful lakeside resort – the perfect formula for interactive relaxed yet intense learning.”

“Learning to be an artist or musician is learning perseverance, patience, wisdom, time management, developing a strong work ethic, and becoming a problem solver and a critical thinker,” mentioned David Johnson, Board Chair, SunCliff Educational Foundation, Inc. “At Suncliff, we understand that there is so much more that goes into being an artist or musician than hours in a practice room.”

Suncliff on the Lake is built on innovation and entrepreneurship, along with a deep sense of caring about the betterment of the area: Built in Derby, NY in 1914 by Helen Schoellkopf and her husband, Hans Schmidt, Suncliff on the Lake bears the legacy of the Schoellkopf family; pioneers for harnessing hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, as well as building tanneries, flour mills, a chemical and dye company, and serving on the boards of an insurance company, several banks, and Buffalo General Hospital, and presiding over a gas company and the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia Railroad.

The post SunCliff on the Lake announces a music and fine arts summer camp appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Mrs. Kasha Davis, of RuPaul’s Drag Race® and All Stars Season 8 has quite a history with drag.  She, and her “drag sisters,” Darienne Lake, (also of the aforementioned franchise), Aggy Dune, and Ambrosia Salad,, have been the reigning queens of Rochester since before drag hit the mainstream. The quartet is bringing Drag Me to Dinner to Salvatore’s on Saturday, April 13, 2024. But, Drag Me to Dinner is no ordinary drag show; It’s an immersive celebration of drag culture, with dazzling costumes, and high-energy performances filled with laughter and surprise.

Mrs. Kasha Davis is excited to come to Buffalo and to perform at beloved venue.  “Is there a better place for drag?” Davis mused. “When you drive past Salvatore’s and you see all the statues, you think, why isn’t one of them in drag? It’s just a fabulous location and the Bellamore Ballroom. I mean, listen, I don’t know any drag queen that wouldn’t like a little extra ball room, and that’s what the place is. It’s extra and it’s fun. It’s dinner. It’s cocktails. It’s a show.”

Davis understands the growth in popularity of drag performance, and feels that the art form is something that everyone can relate to. 

“Drag allows an audience member to watch a performer showcase themselves, and their individuality, and their uniqueness, in such an extreme way, that [audience members] can somehow, in that extreme performance and expression, see our similarities versus our differences. I think sometimes one of the best parts of say, for instance Drag Race is Untucked. When you hear the stories of people… their coming out stories, or the relationships with their families, all of a sudden you think ‘Well, I’m not so different than this person. They may decide to express how they want to dress in a certain way, but I’ve had that difficult time with my mother or my father or I’ve had that situation of bullying in school or my sibling has had that, and wow, we are all quite similar, aren’t we?” Adding,

And I think that sometimes we get caught up in trying to understand the differences so much, when really the easiest thing we can do is to make an effort to be kind.” 

Davis feels that the keys to a great drag show are simple.  She shared that a show, like the one at Salvatore’s, needs a dynamic host to keep the energy high and ensure the show stays engaging. She also shared that mixing up performances with different styles of music and comedy, and more avoids monotony… so the audience might see an Arianna Grande song next to something unexpected, like an Annette Funicello number.  “You’re going to see a little bit of everything… But most importantly, what I love, no matter how people believe politically, where they grew up, their age … .If you look across the room of one of our shows, you’re going to see people all gathering together to simply have a good time.” 

The venue is looking forward to the queen’s arrival. “We are thrilled to host this event,” said Josette Hickey-Salvatore, Executive Vice President of Banquets and Catering at Salvatore’s Hospitality. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the vibrant drag scene while offering guests delicious food, world-class entertainment, and a spectacular setting.”

Tickets include hors d’oeuvres, a three-course meal, a drink ticket, and access to the cash bar. Drag me to Dinner is sure to be an unforgettable night of glamor and entertainment.

For ticket information and reservations, visit Salvatore’s website or contact the venue directly.

The post Don’t miss an unforgettable night of drag in Buffalo: Drag Me to Dinner at Salvatore’s on April 13, Plus, listen in on our interview with Mrs. Kasha Davis! appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

Phil Ranallo died in 1986. The Courier-Express, where he was a beloved sports columnist, died four years earlier. Many of his columns for the morning paper quoted a stable of richly imagined characters, including Honest Harry and Sam the Immigrant. One subject that Phil never wrote about, of course, was personal seat licenses (PSLs). Safe to say, though, he would have hated them.

                                      ***

“What’s new, Harry?”

“I’ll tell you what’s new, Sam. It’s these damn PSLs. They call football fans around here ‘Bills Mafia’ nowadays. Well, Terry Pegula is the one who’s acting like a Mafia don.”

“What do you mean, Harry?”

“He’s telling his best customers, ‘Hey, nice season tickets ya got there. Be a shame if anything happened to them.’ It’s the old protection racket, Sam. ‘You pay me — or else.’ “

“Come on, Harry. It’s not like that. Lots of teams use money raised by PSLs to help defray the costs of building a new stadium.”

“We’re already paying for it, Sam. There’s $850 million of taxpayer dollars going into the new joint.”

“Yeah, but that’s only half the cost. The rest is coming from the Bills and the NFL. What’s wrong with having the people who are going to sit in those seats help to pay for them?”

“It used to be team owners set a price for football tickets, and then you paid it, or you didn’t. Now they want you to pay a price just for the right to pay again for the tickets.”

“Well, how much?”

“That’s the thing, Sam. They won’t say. Never trust a salesman who wants to sell you something but won’t tell you how much it’s going to cost.”

“Then why get so bent out of shape, Harry? Maybe the cost won’t be so bad.”

“Word is getting around that the Bills want $50,000 per for high-end seats. And who buys just one? That’s $100,000 for two.”

“Yeah, Harry. I can do the math.”

“Other prices we’ve heard are $20,000 per and $15,000 per, depending on the seats.”

“I thought you said the Bills haven’t announced PSL prices.”

“They haven’t. We don’t know yet what PSLs will cost for the cheaper seats. The only prices we’ve heard are from fans who have already been to the so-called Stadium Experience Center.

“Experience Center? Sounds like a euphemism straight out of ‘1984.’ “

“Yeah, and the Bills went 2-14 that year.”

“So, you’re telling me season-ticket holders go to the Experience Center to experience sticker shock.”

“That’s about the size of it.”

“Who’s running this operation?”

“The company calls itself Legends. Seriously. And guess who owns a big share of it.”

“Who?”

“Jerry Jones.”

“What, Darth Vader wasn’t available?”

“Exactly. And we’re supposed to feel good somehow that the PSLs here will cost less than they did in Dallas.”

“Did you see where the county exec called out the Bills for their PSL prices? He says the governor is mad, too.”

“Yeah, but they had leverage during negotiations on all that public money. They should have spoken up for the fans when it could have made a difference. Now it’s just grandstanding.”

“Well, grandstands are what they’re helping to build.”

“Yep, and that’s a lot of public money for private profit.” 

“Don’t be so hard on Terry Pegula, Harry. He saved us. The Bills and Sabres both might have left town but for him. We owe him.”

“We do, Sam, that’s true. We owe him our everlasting thanks. We owe him for the tickets we buy. But why should we owe him for a made-up license to buy said tickets?”

“But Harry, no one has to pay for a PSL if they don’t want to. This is just the free market at work. What’s the problem?”

“The problem is the Bills are a public trust, Sam, not just a trust fund for the super-rich. Let the Bills pay for their own stadium. They make enough money to do that.”

“George Carlin used to tell a joke about why a dog licks his, uh, nether regions: ‘Because he can.’ Why do NFL teams blackmail us into paying for their stadiums? Because they can.”

“Yes, because we love the product too much. The Bills know we’ll complain, but then we’ll pay whatever it takes.”

“We can’t help it, Harry. We’re hooked.”

“Maybe so, but the vein of anger runs deep on this one. I think deeper than anyone can see just yet.”

“The NFL has a license to print money. James Bond had a license to kill. And the Bills, well, they have a license to drill.”

“Yeah, they’re drilling into the ground beneath Orchard Park and hoovering up all the dollars they can from their very best customers. You know what I call that?”

“Oh, no, Harry. Don’t say it.”

“Fracking! They’re fracking us, Sam!”

“There’s no need for that kind of talk, Harry. We’re in heaven now. God doesn’t charge us for PSLs up here.”

“Don’t give Him any ideas, Sam.”

Lead image: See stadium renderings at www.buffalobills.com – renderings are subject to change

The post What’s New, Harry? These damn PSLs, Sam! appeared first on Buffalo Rising.

April is Earth Month. That means that we should all be thinking about ways that we can help the planet. Maybe it’s by participating in a neighborhood cleanup? Maybe it starts with trying out Community Supported Composting?

There are virtually limitless ways that we can make a difference, but sometimes it all starts with some helpful suggestions. Fortunately, the City of Buffalo has been busy putting together a litany of ways to get involved with Earth Day projects, including attending an Earth Day Market or a Dare to Repair Café.

Earth month was created 53 years ago – it is the world’s largest environmental movement and it helps demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Mayor Brown stated, “Throughout April we will be recognizing the significance of our natural resources to our environment and economy. I’m proud of my Administration’s efforts to make Buffalo a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city. I encourage city residents to take part in any one of the activities the City of Buffalo has planned this year.”

The City has compiled a calendar of environmental events and activities which will occur across the City of Buffalo throughout the month of April. Below is the schedule.

Ongoing Through April 15, 2024 Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Sale Purchase Online by Monday, April 15 – Learn more.

Saturday, April 6 • 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM Electronic Waste Site Open
City Engineering Garage
1120 Seneca Street

Saturday, April 6 • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Dare to Repair Café
Crane Branch Library
633 Elmwood Avenue

Monday, April 8 • 3:18:19 PM
Total Solar Eclipse
Be prepared! To stay best informed, Text ECLIPSE to 38276

Friday, April 19 • Deadline to Register
Buffalo Public Schools
Environmental Champions Program
Register At: buffalorecycles.org/buffalo-public-schools

Saturday, April 20 • 10:00 AM – NOON Buffalo Niagara Water keeper
2024 Spring Sweep bnwaterkeeper.org/cleanups

Sunday, April 21 • 9:00 AM – NOON
Tifft Nature Preserve
Stewardship Volunteer Day
Cut Branches & Maintain Trees. All ages welcome!

Monday, April 22 • Earth Day 2024 – Join the world’s largest environmental movement to end plastic pollution. The top of the historic Buffalo City Hall will be lit GREEN for Earth Day 2024. HONOR THE EARTH – plant a tree or garden, pick up litter, pledge to create less waste!

Earth Day, April 22 – 5:00 – 7:30 PM
JOHNNIE B. WILEY SPORTS PAVILION
Reinstein Woods is partnering with the Omega Mentoring Program, and Leveling the Playing Field. Erie County will offer a chance for youth to connect with environmental resources!

Friday, April 26 • 1:00 PM
NATIONAL ARBOR DAY
Annual Ceremonial Tree Planting Niagara Square near Buffalo City Court building.

Saturday, April 27 • 9:00 AM – NOON Community Shredding Event & Clothing Recycling Donation Drive.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR PARK
North Parade Parking Lot

Saturday, April 27 • 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM EARTH DAY MARKET
TIFFT NATURE PRESERVE
Discover many of Buffalo’s eco-minded small businesses.

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