Niagara Gazette

0:00stability, which makes reading holding a book or turning a page difficult or impossible. The content is copyrighted by the respective publishers. For more information, please visit us on the web at nfradioreading.org. Hello, this is Kathy, and for the next hour, I'll be reading from the current issues of the Niagara Guys Gazette on the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service. On the September 2nd issue, setting the stage, Niagara Weed Field High School opens its new and improved Falcons Theatre by Robert Crenon. The Niagara Weed Field School District opened its new $25 million high school auditorium Monday, its first proper renovation in its nearly 70-year history. The opportunities that this auditorium is going to provide for our music students is just unbelievable, said Superintendent Dan Lillagianek.

1:00This new auditorium has been under construction for the past two years, featuring balcony seating and more modern acoustics. It seats around 1170 people, more than the previous theatre's 700-person capacity, and capable of fitting every student from the Niagara Weed Field middle and high schools. This stage is 30% wider and deeper, giving school performers and productions more room to work with. Dan Owens, project manager for Turner Construction, one of the company's contracted to build this, explained that the whole building that makes up the auditorium is completely new, having cut out three sides of the old building and getting down to the bedrock underneath it. The landing for its new balcony is where its old exterior wall was located. That was part of the vision to be able to fit the whole student body in one space, said Owens, about the auditorium's capacity. The old auditorium, dating to the when the current school building opened in 1958, had

2:04suffered in recent years, with its stage too small for large productions, causing some students to be off stage during shows. This has had to be moved to the SUNY Niagara campus. The district made sure this new auditorium got a proper opening, with the high school jazz band and choir students performing an old memento's on display. There were photo collages of past student productions, a vinyl record of a 1971 performance, posters from Iida and Les Miserables, and three bricks from the old auditorium. The Niagara Weed Field Class of 2026 also put together a time capsule represented above their class, with a dedicated plaque to be installed at its burial site. This new theater is the largest piece of Niagara Weed Field's $59 million capital project, which its residents approved in a referendum vote on November 29, 2022. New York State would cover approximately 80% of project costs, with the rest coming

3:07from district reserves. Lajonix said there is still one year before all the district's planning projects are complete. Other improvements part of this capital project include $5.15 million for Edward Town Middle School improvements, $6.15 million in other high school improvements, $1.1 million for reconstructing the middle and high school tennis courts, $4.6 million for interactive classroom display technology, $1.425 million for bus garage improvements, $4.05 million for colonial village elementary school improvements, $1.3 million for new HVAC units at West Street Elementary School, $1 million for a new storage building, $875,000 for Eric Road Elementary School improvements, and $500,000 for plumbing upgrades.

4:09County announces you matter coffee sleeve campaign, fourth year for suicide prevention and recovery month initiative. The Niagara County Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Deputy Director and Hope Speaks Niagara Community Coalition Chair, Merla Gibbons-Doxy, announced the launch of the You Matter Coffee Sleeve campaign as one of several September suicide prevention and recovery month activities organized by the department in collaboration with Hope Speaks Niagara. This is the fourth year of partnering with local coffee shops, stops, schools, and area businesses to distribute coffee sleeves with their hot beverages featuring Niagara County 24-hour crisis line, 716-285-3515 National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and Message You Matter. QR code directing the community to the Well Niagara Apps corresponding web page to learn

5:12how to download the app or to utilize the site to find valuable information on local supports and resources. In everyday places, businesses and community partners can make a powerful impact by meeting people where they are, said Laura Kelliman, NCDMH Director, showing compassion, facilitating connection, and sharing a hopeful message that remind every person they matter. Together we can end stigma, build hope, and save lives. Community partnerships turn hope into meaningful action, and action speaks volumes, said Gibbons-Doxy. When the community comes together to champion simple, visible efforts like this coffee sleeve campaign, they help create a culture where reaching out for support is normalized, encouraged, and celebrated. By participating in this simple initiative, the Niagara County businesses can collectively make a positive impact in the lives of thousands in our community.

6:16Approximately 16,000 coffee sleeves will be distributed to the following participating businesses. Lewiston, De Camillo Bakery at 535 Centres Street, Orange Cat at 703 Centres Street, and Village Bake Shop at 417 Centres Street. Niagara Falls, De Camillo Bakery at 7927 Niagara Falls Boulevard, De Camillo Bakery at 11 Linwood Avenue, and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center cafeteria at 621 Tenth Street. North Tonwanda, Coffee in Stone at 54 Webster Street, Coffee Holiday at 7296 Shultz Road, Little Black Heart Coffee at 321 Oliver Street. Thomas Day Counseling at 84 Sweeney Street. Platters Chocolate Factory at 908 Niagara Falls Boulevard, and Studio 14120 at 603 Division Street, number 31.

7:17In Sanborn, Buffalo Coffee Roastery at 85844 Buffalo Street, and Niagara Reed Field School District at 2292 Saunders Settlement Road. In Youngstown at Sanger Farms at 852 Lockport Road. In Pendleton at Craft Coffee House at 6612 Campbell Boulevard. And in Ransomville at Wandering Gypsy at 3301 Braille Road. About 2,000 more coffees leaves are available for other interested Niagara County entities who wish to participate. We send an email to ncdmh at Niagara County.gov with the subject line Coffee Sleeve Campaign with your contact information. If you or someone you know is in need of help, call the Niagara County Crisis Services 24-hour phone line for free confidential support, guidance, information, referral, and interventions as needed at 716-285-3515 or 988.

8:23There is help. There is hope. Recovery is possible. Pedal for Parks 2026 to Roll Again. The third annual Pedal for Parks non-competitive family-friendly ride will take place on September 20th. The ride starts at Fort Niagara State Park with three different routes with various lengths that will take riders through Art Park, Joseph Davis, Four Mile Creek, Wilson, Tuscarora, Devils Hole, Whirlpool, and Niagara Falls State Parks. The 100-kilometer ride goes to Golden Hill State Park. More information and registration can be found at HTTPS, colon, backslash, backslash, W-W-W-W, dot naturalheritagetrust.org, backslash, sponsor, dashpedal, dash4, dash parks,

9:33or contact angela.brti at parks.ny.gov. From the September 3 issue, Wicked Weather, tornado hits Alcott as severe storms strike Niagara County by Rick Fyfer. A tornado reportedly made landfall near Alcott just before 7pm Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Buffalo confirmed that a water spout reported on Lake Ontario near the village had transitioned onto land and was being tracked. The Niagara County Sheriff's Office said they received a report of a tornado crossing a property on Johnson Creek Road. A storm chaser posted videos on social media of what he described as a tornado in the vicinity of the intersection of routes 78 and 18 in Alcott. The video shows heavy rain and debris being swirled in the air. Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filichetti said 911 dispatchers were flooded with calls

10:37reporting trees down, lines down, and property damage. He said his office was not aware of widespread power outages. Between 6.15 and 8.15pm, dispatchers handled 317 total calls, including 124 calls to 911. Filichetti said the calls for service were initially centered in the northeast portion of the county before shifting west to Niagara Falls and south to North Taanwanda. Niagara Falls police said they responded to numerous calls of trees down in parts of the north end and the Hyde Park. There were no reports of flash flooding. After 36 years, Car Show is last for Father and Son. Alcott Beach event brings generations of automotive fans together by Heidi Trussel Light, New Fame. The Alcott Beach Car Show at Crawl Park, which has become a tradition for families, could

11:38be coming to an end after last Saturday after 36 years of enormous popularity. My father and I have been involved in running the shows for 31 years, said Joe Hanchoek's Jr. It's my dad's pride and joy. With both Hanchoewskis moving into new chapters of their lives, Joe Jr. said he has been fielding inquiries from interested organizers. There's no club involved with it anymore. Hanchoewskis said, we want to make sure that if somebody is going to do it, they're going to keep it for 37 years. This is one of the largest car shows on this side of the state. Some of the people who have already expressed interest run car shows and cruise nights. Hanchoewskis said nearly 10,000 people were expected to attend the free event, which occurred last Saturday in Alcott. You get a thousand plus cars throughout the park, he said. The inhibitors at the show pay $20 per vehicle, with proceeds going to Ronald McDonald's house

12:40this year. The Hanchoewskis aren't the only father and son team geared up for the car show. You talk to anybody in the state of New York, and this is the show, said Cory Rider, who has entered the Alcott event with his family each year since 2013. His father Wayne Rider brings his 1976 Corvette along with newer models. Cory brings his 1966 Ford F100 pickup truck and his uncle Ronald Lumin, enters his 1969 Ford Dharino. I've been all around the country, Cory said. We've entered a lot of shows. Some shows are just chasing trophies. The Alcott one feels like home. It's shaded with the pretty trees and breeze off the lake. It's very family oriented. You see kids running around. It's like a family reunion for each group. Families will have a cute little picnic behind their cars. It's a different vibe than thousands of shows I've been to.

13:41When asked whose car and the family gathers a crowd at the show, Cory said it was his. Usually my pickup gets the most attention. It has Rider and Son's motor sports on the door, which shows it's a generational vehicle. I'm kind of young for this car world. Calling me as the younger generation involved in it, it's a high focal point for people to pick my brain. Cory said when he was a teenager, when he fixed his Ford F100 with his dad, it was pretty old and beat up when we bought it when I was in high school. We did a lot of work on it. Cory got ownership of the truck when he got his driver's license. Cory said he recently told his preschool son, Braden, that the truck is already his. This truck is my four year old world, Cory said. We take it to the first day of school. We were a race car family. Grandfather Jack Lloyd was one of the originals at Ransomville Speedway, he said, and his father raised street stocks at Lancaster and Holland Speedways.

14:45All of our cars have a family tied to them, Cory said. Our entire family, there's probably 15 of us that get together and go. We do our own little parade down in Alcott. With Braden, we get up really early when it's dark and go to the gas station and get snacks. This is like his Christmas. This year, everybody went around 4.30 am because we knew it was going to be crazy. Usually, there's 500 cars waiting to get in, all up and down, Lockport Alcott Road. Anashaski said the event ran from 8 to 11 a.m. with show cars parking in the order they came in. So you'll have a new Camaro next to an old Mustang next to a Rusty truck, Anashaski said. People come in as groups and they picnic. The show presents 175 awards, such as original, modified, race, best of each decade, best

15:46hot rod, and participants' choice. Many trucks are usually vintage, Anashaski said. It's called Patina. People enjoy seeing that. This is something that survived for 70 years. This is what it looks like. You could have a brand new shiny paint job in an old truck or you could have a Rusty Patina. As an old truck like that gets a lot of attention. It's about realistically getting more people involved and interested in the hobby. For many years, Anashaski said his dad brought a 1957 Chevy Bel Air and he had a Camaro. We would just talk to people and hang out, he said. Niagara moves to demolished blighted properties. Town says it is taking a new hard line against landowners who don't maintain their properties by Rick Fyfer, town of Niagara.

16:47When Rob Burnt saw the construction workers show up at the property next to his in the 3000 block of Rhode Island Avenue on Tuesday, he could hardly contain his joy. I said, oh thank god I've been waiting years for you guys, Burnt said. Owned by an absentee landlord, the two story Woodframe duplex had slowly rotted away over the past 10 to 15 years. It's been abandoned, it's been gutted, stripped of all its metal and electrical, Burnt said. Someone took the kitchen cabinets and even the toilets. Well they did leave one toilet on the second floor. Burnt said he had worried that the rear of the structure might fall off and land on the workshop in his backyard. And then there was the private zoo that had been created inside and outside the vacant home. So were raccoons, skunks, possums, Burnt said. When they cut some grass we found groundhogs. I saw a raccoon leading her babies out of there and the squirrels were constantly going

17:49in and out of it. As his dad and other neighbors gathered to watch the demolition around 7.30 a.m. Wednesday, Burnt said he brought out coffee and donuts for the onlookers. I've been waiting for years to see that come down he said. The demolition on Rhode Island Avenue is one of five being undertaken by the town. Three are in Belden Center, one is on military road and one is on edge water drive. All of the properties are homes that have fallen into extreme disrepair. Four are owned by absentee landlords. They've all been condemned for 12 to 15 years, said town of Niagara Supervisor, Sylvia Virtuoso. We gave them time to fix their properties up. It's been long enough for them to deal with this blight. Virtuoso said the town was initially limited in what action it could take because the homeowners were paying their property taxes on time. But ultimately, the dangers created by the dilapidated structures allowed the town to tear

18:54them down. How much longer could we wait because it was a danger, Virtuoso said. Blight brings down property values and we just reassessed and people deserve to have the full value of their homes. This is a sign that we're not tolerating this any longer and we will take action. Virtuoso estimated that the cost of demolishing the five properties will range between 16,000 and 20,000 each. The cost of the demolitions will be added to the owner's property tax bills. Town of Niagara police make arrest in road rage incident. 80-year-old man sent to ECMC following Monday afternoon incident on military road by Robert Crenon. Town of Niagara police arrested a North Taanawanda man Tuesday following a reported road rage assault on an 80-year-old Grand Island resident. According to Town of Niagara police, David Reinhardt, 24, turned himself into the police

19:56and was later charged with second degree assault, a Class D felony. At approximately 315 PM Monday, a town officer was flagged down on the 2400 block of military road by a witness who reported an elderly man had been assaulted. At the same time, dispatchers received calls for a road rage assault near third avenue and military road. Officers found the 80-year-old man in front of the fashion outlet's mall in his vehicle with witnesses providing assistance. He sustained serious facial and head injuries. It was transported to Erie County Medical Center. Further investigations into this are pending. Lockport in standoff with County over defective and dangerous stairs by Heidi Trussel Light. Nearly two months after a county attorney sent a notice of defective and dangerous condition to the city for the crumbling outdoor stairs at 111 Main Street, no action has been taken

20:56to remedy the situation. The cracked and crumbling concrete stairs lead from curbside parking on Main Street down toward the lower level entrance of the county's Department of Motor Vehicles Office. In mid-summer, the passageway received a yellow caution tape and was blocked off with a chain link fence in orange traffic cones. Mayor John Lombardi III did not respond to a request for an update on repairing the stairs, which also runs along the building that houses the Niagara County Board of Elections and the office for the aging. The notice letter was entered into the Common Council's minutes on July 22nd in a meeting over which Lombardi presided. City Finance Director Daniel Cavallari said Tuesday that no city request for proposals for contractors to do the repair work has been advertised. A letter to the city of Lockport dated July 7th from Catherine D. Alexander, first assistant county attorney, detailed the repeated communications major the city requesting that the damaged

21:59walkway be addressed. The County of Niagara has enumerous occasions over the last several years, including but not limited to December 4th, 2024, February 12th, 2025, March 10th, 2025, June 16th, 2025, and March 13th, 2026 put the city on notice of deteriorating conditions of the stairs. This was also communicated to the city via numerous emails and phone calls to the city, Alexander wrote. It appears that the city continues to fail in addressing the ongoing hazards to prevent an inevitable injury from being suffered by either county employees or the public who are exposed to these conditions on a daily basis, she stated. Referring to an attached photo, Alexander wrote, these conditions are only getting more severe and often the barriers the city put up continue to be moved, fall over, or have blown off.

23:00David Blackley, city corporation counsel, was copied on the letter along with Garrett Meal, commissioner of the Niagara County Department of Public Works, Richard Up to Grove, county manager, and Jennifer Pedersi, director of the Niagara County Risk Management Department. Blackley also serves as second assistant public defender for Niagara County. When asked about the stairs on city property, Niagara County clerk Joseph Dostomsky, who oversees the Department of Motor Vehicles office said they should be fixed. There's no doubt about that. Concerning client reactions when going to the DMV office, Dostomsky said, it really doesn't seem to be an issue. I haven't had any complaints from anybody. From the September 4th issue, new notification app for Town of Niagara. The Town of Niagara has launched the Niagara New York Connect Citizen Notification mobile application powered by GoGov.

24:04The app is designed to keep residents informed and connected with timely updates directly from Town of Niagara. With Niagara New York Connect, residents can receive push notifications for community news and announcements, local events and activities, service updates and interruptions, emergency alerts and other important information. In addition, the app provides quick access to important links and resources on the Town of Niagara website. By utilizing this platform, municipal staff can deliver accurate and timely information more efficiently, ensuring that citizens stay informed and engaged. The app is free and available now. Please search for Niagara NY Connect in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to download. Waiting for relief on the front lines of Rastano's state of emergency by Mark Shear. Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Rastano has now twice extended a state of emergency he declared

25:08more than a month ago in response to what he described as impending and urgent threats or dangers to public health and public safety, stemming from neglected private properties and deteriorating road conditions across the city. In the days since the mayor's original July 20 declaration, some residents say they're still waiting for the city's emergency response to kick in. Frustrated residents who answer the newspapers online call to share their emergency survival stories described in some cases years long attempts to compel the mayor's office, city officials and department heads to address public safety hazards on their streets and in their neighborhoods. As of Thursday afternoon, the newspapers post on Facebook generated 119 comments with several people expressing concerns about uncut grass, potholes, dead trees, or garbage on properties. A few posted photos and videos.

26:11Some people who have contacted the Gazette directly had complaints that were in line with Rastano's reference to uncut grass. The bulk of the residents who called or emailed the Gazette registered this week cited lack of attention to dead or dying trees and inability to obtain help through the city's 311 public information system as their biggest complaints. The dead tree is very dead and still up there, said Amy Canneap, a North Avenue resident whose family has been complaining to the city about a dead tree near their home to no avail for 16 years. Canneap said she recently moved back to the falls after living in Tennessee and found the same tree in the same condition in the 2600 block of North Avenue. To my surprise, when I moved back home, it was still here and with every storm the tree grows weaker and weaker until eventually it's going to fall over, she said. I think they could use the state of emergency as an excuse to take care of it now if they

27:13wanted to go that far with it, she added. Don Amato, a 77-year-old resident who lives on Frontier Avenue between 86th and 87th streets, has had a similar problem. She said she's been contacting the city for about five years in an attempt to get someone to have a suspect tree removed. Her efforts included complaints logged on the city's 311 information system and to national grid as the tree's branches are leaning on electrical lines. I don't know what else to do, she said. From her view, Amato said she thinks the whole city is in a state of disrepair. She described the mayor's emergency declaration as ridiculous. Your listening to your reading of articles and features from the Niagara Gazette on the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service. Nothing is being done, she said.

28:13If you have these people that can do these jobs, why aren't they doing them? I think it's absolutely ludicrous. Jennifer Medina said she has both problems, a tree in questionable shape near her house and frequently uncut grass on a nearby private property. Medina moved into her home on Norwood Avenue 11 years ago and has been complaining about the condition of a tree on the city's right of way pretty much since she arrived. She said her calls to 311 and the city continuously end up in the same rotation of transfers, offering no real answers or solutions. I just can't keep calling and doing this, she said. What am I paying these tax dollars for if nobody is doing anything? I'm just so afraid that the tree is going to fall on somebody she added. Maria Chamberlain, a 93rd street homeowner, said the mayor's state of emergency has not yet made a difference in her neighborhood, where both she and her husband have been registering

29:14complaints with City Hall for months about overgrown grass on a neighboring privately-owned lot. Chamberlain said she has logged several complaints on the city's 311 system and has called the Department of Public Works directly without any success. She said she also attempted to obtain an email for current DPW director Jim McDonald and has been told she is not entitled to what a city worker told her was private information. I said, I'm not asking for his Gmail or his Yahoo email, I'm asking for his city of Niagara Falls email, she said. I keep getting the same run around she added. As to the mayor's emergency declaration, Chamberlain said she doesn't see where it's made a difference. I think it's ridiculous, she said. The city sent out all these notices to 3,000 homeowners telling them they have to pay their back taxes, but it's not taking any actions against these private owners who have left these properties go?

30:15Why hasn't any action been taken there? I would just like the grass cut. After declaring the state of emergency last month, Restano authorized a pair of contracts with private vendors, including one with the landscaping firm KJ Smith Enterprises and a second with Ocino Corp, a West Sonica company hired by the administration to pave streets. In announcing his decision, he cited the city council's failure, if not outright refusal to approve the contracts, which he said would help address pressing landscaping and road conditions in the city. Under state law, the emergency order allowed the mayor to suspend three portions of the charter relating to requirements for the city council to approve or ratify contracts while lifting a restriction on budget expenditures. As a result of these suspensions, the mayor entered into contracts with two vendors to provide grass, weed and brush removal and to resurface roads.

31:19The law allows the mayor to extend such declarations in five day intervals while the underlying emergency is addressed. On Monday, he authorized his second five day extension since the original July 20 declaration. The Niagara Gazette sent an email to the mayor, city administrator Anthony Restano, and all five members of the Niagara Falls City Council asking several detailed questions, including how many lots have been cut or trimmed and how many roads have been paved since the July 20 declaration. The Gazette also asked Restano how much longer he anticipated the declaration would need to remain in place and what other contracts or agreements he has authorized under the emergency powers extended to his office. As of press time, last Thursday, the mayor's administration did not respond. When asked in a telephone interview about the city's ongoing emergency status, council chairman Brian Archie said he thinks it's important for all parties involved, the mayor

32:21and the members of the city council to avoid the atrix and stay focused on doing the work that needs to be done for residents and taxpayers. He acknowledged overgrown grass and neglected trees and potholes have been persistent problems in the city for years, adding that he put some of the responsibility on the minutes of the party and some of it on private individuals who failed to keep up with their obligations as property owners. As to the possibility of calling on Governor Hocal to help the city address its current emergency, Archie said he didn't think it was a bad idea. If the emergency declaration allows the mayor to ask the state for help for X, Y and Z, Archie said what would it hurt to ask? She also said he believes the city can and should do more to help itself, through better planning at the front end of issues to ensure community issues are addressed. We need to remember what the charge is. It's not about me being elected or getting elected or running for another office.

33:25It's about doing the work that's in front of me right now. State completes $1 million in upgrades to Fleischmann Park in North Tunwanda. It's about to work a part of downtown revitalization initiative. Upgrades have been completed at Charles R. Fleischmann Park and Webster Street as a part of North Tunwanda's downtown revitalization initiative, DRI. The city was awarded $1 million from the DRI for enhancements that have created a welcoming, iconic gateway for the community and visitors alike. Not among the enhancements are a clock tower, new shade trees, landscaping and other green infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, new accessible walkways and sidewalks and lighting. Investing in public spaces like Charles R. Fleischmann Park is an investment in the people and future of North Tunwanda, said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.

34:25Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, we are helping communities create welcoming, accessible and vibrant places that strengthen neighborhoods, support local businesses and give residents and visitors more opportunities to gather and enjoy all their community has to offer. These improvements have transformed this important downtown gateway into a space that North Tunwanda can be proud of for years. North Tunwanda has also received and implemented several other grant awards from DOS, including $130,000 to update the plan for the city's local waterfront revitalization program, LWRP, a total of $1.35 million for LWRP's implementation projects over the past 13 years, $423,450 for its Brownfield Opportunity Area, BOA, plan for the redevelopment of vacant and underutilized areas with no one or suspected contamination.

35:26$100,000 Smart Growth Community Planning Program grant to develop a Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan. North Tunwanda was selected as the Western New York winner of the fifth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative in 2021. Other DRI winners in the region include Jamestown, Oliann, Lockport, Niagara Falls Bridge District, Buffalo's Broadway Filmore Neighborhood, Duncerc, Tunwanda, and Cataragas. Mayor of North Tunwanda Austin Tilex said, this completion of this project brings new energy to our downtown while preserving its charm and historical character. Through Smart Growth 2.0, we are investing in infrastructure that supports walkability, attracts small businesses, and creates spaces where people want to gather. In addition to the upgrades to Charles R. Fleishman Park, some of the projects also funded by the DRI in North Tunwanda include, develop a mixed use building at 122 Weber Street,

36:30$1.36 million. The project involves developing a two-story mixed use building with commercial storefronts on the first floor and apartments above. Improve the walkability and streetscape of Oliver Street, $1.5 million. The project includes sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements, bump-outs, green space, pedestrian scale lighting, and other amenities to improve the walkability and appearance of Oliver Street. Update and expand the Riviera Theatre, $1.2 million. The project, which has already been completed, helped modernize and expand the National Register-listed Riviera Theatre through a 6,000-plus square foot expansion that includes new ADA restrooms, concession area, box office, and artist merchandise area. Renovate $27 Main Street, $1 million. The project will convert a vacant former furniture store into a commercial prep kitchen, a seasonal

37:32ice cream shop restaurant, and include multiple retail spaces. Revitalize 78 Bridge Street, $750,000. The project will create public access to the waterfront on Tanoanda Island, adjacent to a site planned by the city for new private development. Funding will be used for shoreline stabilization, safety improvements, including railings and outdoor lighting, a public walkway, benches, trash receptacles, and landscaping. From the September 5th and 6th issue, Restano 400-plus properties cleaned. Resciting emergency, Mayor says 30 blocks of Niagara Street will be paved by Mark's sheer. Mayor Robert Restano said Friday that more than 400 blighted lots and properties have been cleaned since his office executed a contract with a private landscaping company under the citywide state of emergency imposed on July 20th.

38:32Restano also said another vendor who was also hired under a contract his office authorized after the city council failed to approve it earlier this year is preparing to move forward with paving a 30 block section of Niagara Street between Hyde Park Boulevard and Portage Road. During an interview with a reporter from the Niagara Gazette following a press conference at Niagara Falls State Park on Friday, Restano said the 400-plus properties addressed under the city's contract with the private vendor are in addition to clean up work being done citywide by the in-house clean up team with the Department of Public Works. Restano also acknowledged that when it comes to addressing unkempt lots and properties and paving roads, the city has way more work to do. We are coming towards the end of the season where this work must be completed before winter hits and asphalt plants close and conditions won't allow grass cutting and tree trimming, and that is why our clean team and contractors are continuing to work so hard to get as much

39:36done to beautify our city. Restano said an oppressed press release issued by his office Friday morning. We know there is much more to be done and that is why we encourage residents to continue to visit the city's 311 portal regarding any blighted properties or areas that need to be cleaned up. When asked during his interview with the Gazette, how long he anticipated the state of emergency which his office has extended twice by two five day intervals, Restano said he did not know. He described the state of emergency as a function of the fact that two council members, rigid miles and Vincent Cawley did not support the contracts with the private vendors who he said are now doing important work, property maintenance and road repair, the city would not be able to do otherwise. It's the only vehicle we have to be able to tackle these problems that are out there that are even impacting residents and still continuing. Had they simply authorized those contracts, there was no need for this, he said.

40:41Restano disclosed on August 21st that he declared a state of emergency on July 20th due to unpaved roads and blight caused by abandoned properties. The mayor argued that the conditions posed a risk to public health and safety. When announcing the move, he also cited the council's failure if not outright refusal to approve the contracts. Under state law, the emergency order allowed the mayor to suspend three portions of the charter relating to requirements for the city council to approve or ratify contracts while lifting a restriction on budget expenditures. On Friday, Restano said Ocino will focus on the section of Niagara Street because paving work requires a little bit more staging than what's involved in cutting grass and cleaning up properties. Ocino Corp, a West Sonica company, was hired by the administration to pave the streets.

41:41With Stano noted that before any paving can be done, the project will require installation of catch basins and other prepaving work. Instead of all the streets that we hope to have because the season is shortened, we're going to get a street done, he said. Councilman Jim Perry, who also attended Friday's press conference at the state park, said he understood why the mayor declared the state of emergency while also citing the council's failure to approve the landscaping and paving contracts as a motivating factor. The council did not take action on these items that we really needed done in the city Perry said. It's the council's own fault. He should have approved the contract to get this stuff done, but because of lack of communication, because of local politics, which I disdain, it was a necessary step. During his interview with the Gazette at the state park, Perry said he was not aware of who has done what by the two vendors hired by the mayor following the emergency declaration,

42:41but said he was aware of some properties on the city's complaint list already being addressed. He was stuck between a rock and a hard space, so what do you do, Perry said. I don't know if I should say this, but I kind of applaud him for taking the necessary steps. I know a lot of people don't agree with him, but what are you going to do? Let the grass grow, let the trees grow. Restanos said he is not authorized to any other contracts or agreements without council approval since the emergency declaration has been in place. Perry concurred. Wells said both she and Collie had good reason to reject approval of the two contracts when they were first presented to the council. On the last paper contract, she said they had questions about the company having an inactive LLC and whether that would have any impact on the city entering into an agreement. She said the paving work was the subject of a dispute involving the city's DPW union and council members who did not want to approve the deal without getting more information

43:42about the status of the administration's talks with the union first. Miles said the administration has still not answered her questions as they related to the two contracts. It's called communication, she said. He needs someone to blame it on. He's not going to blame it on himself. It's just as simple as showing up at the council meetings and answering questions. Collie agreed. He also said, Ristinos comments confirmed to him that the mayor called the state of emergency because the council was doing its job. It's an unnecessary unjustified state of emergency when we have things like radiation and chemicals going on. We call an emergency for grass cutting and paving. It's just preposterous. Collie said the administration could and should have done a better job attending to grass cutting and paving months ago, but did not get bits out for the work during winter in order to make that happen. He added that DPW crews have now finished the 10 streets on the city's in-house paving

44:46list and asked why the administration didn't work with the union to try to do more instead of bringing in outside vendors. Why did we have to outsource this work? Researchers being sought for false clean mobs by Mark Sheer. While the city of Niagara Falls continues to operate under a state of emergency imposed by mayor Robert Restano amid hazardous level landscaping and paving problems, several local groups are calling on residents and business owners to join them in a series of scheduled clean-ups. The Niagara Futification Commission, along with the Niagara Falls City Market and the Pine Avenue redevelopment project, has scheduled four work days in September where volunteers will descend on several areas of the city to pick up garbage, trim weeds, malt trees, and generally tidy up. The groups are calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach and are encouraging residents to help out during their first scheduled clean-mob, which happened last Saturday on Pine

45:48Avenue. The Poletti family, owners of Market Side Restaurant, have agreed to feed all volunteers. We're asked to help out from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Pine Avenue with Castellani Columbus Square Park at 15th Street and Pine Avenue designated as the starting point. Volunteers were also needed to help load mulch at Hyde Park between 730 and 8 a.m. Work days will also be held at the same times and places for the next two Saturdays, September 12th and September 19th and on Sunday, September 20th. Another clean-mob gathering has been scheduled for September 26th at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, a 25-Depot Avenue West. A park place clean-mob session will take place starting at 6.50 park place on September 29th. The groups and volunteers are also invited to take part in a Green Acres Potluck Garden Party, which will be held at 5 p.m. on September 13th at 401 Ferry Avenue.

46:57You are listening to your reading of articles and features from the Niagara Gazette on the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service. From the September 8th issue, tourism takes a hit. The Niagara County subvisitors spending decline in 2025 by Robert Keenan. Niagara County has officially seen less tourism spending in 2025 than the year before. Contrary to the fears of some operators, though, the decline does not seem as bad as expected. A new state commission study from tourism economics showed the visitors spent $1.105 million in the county in 2025, a 5% decline of $60 million from the year before. While that year still had the second most tourism spending this decade, and the third year in a row with more than $1 billion in spending, it was the only county of the five county greater Niagara region seeing a decline.

47:59I'm happy to still see us in the $1.1 billion range, said John Percy, President and CEO of Destination Niagara. We were concerned it would drop further. Percy attributed the decline to economic concerns from the traveling public and federal government actions throughout 2025, including President Trump's tariffs imposed on the majority of imported goods and derogatory remarks toward Canada. Canadians responded with a general boycott of American-made goods, with the trade war between the U.S. and Canada still ongoing. The American dollar had also remained strong against the Canadian dollar. All that combined produced apprehension and a concern of travel, which hurt our numbers overall, Percy said. The state comptroller's office reported in April that New York State saw about 176,000 fewer visitors in 2025, a 3% decline that was second in the country only to California.

49:02People from Canada to New York fell by more than 21%, a decline of nearly 3.6 million people. International visitation to Niagara County dropped by 6.3%, mostly due to a decline in Canadian visitors whose own spending dropped 28%. Percy noted there was a 4% to 5% decrease in visitors from India, with Germany and the United Kingdom also seeing declines due to apprehension. When you combine all that, it's going to produce a negative number for the destination. Percy said, adding that many major attractions in Niagara County, like the Aquarium of Niagara, Old Fort Niagara and Art Park, have seen double-digit attendance declines. It is something other local tourism operators had expressed concerns about before this year's tourism season started, with businesses like site sea rentals and destinations like the Underground Railroad Heritage Center seeing upward of 30% business declines.

50:07Local chambers of commerce have also reached out to their Canadian counterparts to see how they could get cross-border visitation going again. Overall, visitors spent $4.1 billion in the greater Niagara region, with two-thirds of that happening in Erie County. Niagara County spending amounted to 27% of the region, with Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties making up the remaining 7%. Niagara County's employment was also the most dependent on tourism, supporting 15,145 total jobs, 22.1% of its workforce. The spending decline could also be felt in tax collection, with tourism contributing $54.4 million in state taxes, a .7% increase, and $61.7 million in local taxes, a 1.6% decrease. Still, the revenue coming in from tourism resulted in average tax savings of $1,264 per Niagara

51:12County household. Point wide, 321.2 million people visited New York State in 2025, a 1.1% increase during primarily by domestic travelers. Destination Niagara had shifted its marketing efforts to attracting more close-by domestic travelers, with its motor coach business being up 131.1%, and convention business up 12.1%. If we didn't have that focus on domestic, the loss number could have been larger, Percy said. The World Travel and Tourism Council reported this past May that the United States, as a whole, soft 5.5% increase in international arrivals in 2025, with a 4.6% decline in tourism spending. The latter is expected to rebound this year in part due to the FIFA World Cup. So far for 2026, Percy projects that visitor spending will rebound, as travel to the country

52:14was much stronger this summer based on the rate of occupied hotel rooms. Canadian Visitation looks to have somewhat recovered, as the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission consistently reported higher numbers of U.S. bound visitors across its three bridges this summer, though they are not back to 2024 levels. Other confidence played a more positive role in the uptick, Percy said, with international travel slightly rebounding and destination Niagara's motor coach and convention business still doing strong. These more positive factors are moving us in the right direction. The full report that covers each state region can be found on the Empire State Development website. Happy Trails Tom Dorrow by Mark Sheer Birthdays are my favorite. I celebrate mine for a week. I'd take a month if my wife and family would let me. This year on September 21st, I get one more on air birthday wishes from local radio talk

53:17show host Tom Dorrow, and that's it. As many readers already know, Tom's retiring at years end, stepping away from the radio microphone after a hall of fame broadcasting run that started 62 years ago. I'll miss the annual birthday nod during viewpoint on W.E.B.R.A.M. 1440. The Falls community after Tom's final show on December 24th will lose a whole lot more. I believe local is good. I must. I work at a newspaper. Tom understood this too. Yes, his show has strayed into the inevitable conversations about Trump and Biden and America in the world, but its uniqueness has always stemmed from its focus on local news and on the regular appearances by local newsmakers, people like the mayor, the sheriff, the district attorney, and more. Tom managed to get guests from diverse backgrounds and did what any good host or reporter does.

54:18Let them talk so people could hear what they have to say. But having a straight news program wouldn't work for decades, like viewpoint has under Tom's management. His show had other things great, great talk radio needs, and that's personality, humor, and buy-in from people. Regular people who listened, called in, and offered their own input and opinions. Yes, residents wanted to hear what the mayor had to say, but we all liked hearing what our neighbors had to say more. Tom's personal touch brought listeners in and convinced many of them to stay. He helped many viewpoint fans connect with one another, even though most of us never met in person. And then there's the birthdays. Somehow Tom knew and remembered mine and countless others. Each and every workday he marked the turning of another year older with wedding anniversaries, and yes, sadly, death notices of public officials and friends we lost along the way.

55:21I don't know how he kept it all straight and I don't want to know. But by the way, I certainly liked the program and I always appreciated it as many listeners. Tom also loved something I do, and that's baseball. Like people's birthdays, he can rattle off box scores and batting averages and historical dates about America's pastime with great ease. I always enjoyed hearing him talk about his personal interactions with New York Yankees like Phil, the Scooter, Rizudo, and Bill White, or that time George Steinbrenner fired Billy Martin for the umpteenth time. Then of course, there's the history. Tom knew all the important dates because he reported on it in this area for decades. His Almanac reminded people daily about what happened and when. In what I'd classify as my one B favorite thing about the program, just under my annual birthday wish, Tom put on an hour long special celebrating this birthday of Frank Sinatra.

56:23A full hour of Sinatra on air on traditional radio. It became part of my Christmas holiday season routine, an hour long mid-December moment to pause, listen, and reflect on a bygone era when the music of the rap pack ruled the airwaves. I always listened to the program and always loved it. Finally, Tom gave this newspaper guy extended airtime behind his guest microphone and I always appreciated the opportunity. He even came up with a cool opening theme introducing The Mind of Mark's Sheer, which made it sound like I had my own show or something. Like so much of the other parts of the program, it was fun. Time marches on and now I feel like I'm writing Tom's obituary, which was not my intent at all. From The Mind of Mark's Sheer, I believe newspapers should print living obituaries, honoring those among us before they die, so they can actually hear for themselves how much they are loved and appreciated before they are no longer with us.

57:26Tom's got plenty of shows left until Christmas Eve. There are still more chances to listen. One more birthday wish on its way and one less Sinatra special coming in December. And then that's it folks, the end of a stellar era in local radio. It will be the final goodbye for a false kid who turned a local radio talk show program into a platform for entertaining listeners while elevated in conversation about what was happening in and around the city for many, many years. I know Tom is going to miss it deeply. He should understand a lot of people are going to miss his presence on the air too. As we await Tom's curtain call, there's really only one thing left to say to him. Happy Trails and thanks for the memories. You've been listening to your reading of articles and features from current issues of the Niagara Gazette. We read from the Niagara Gazette every Saturday at 11 a.m. Your reader has been Kathy. Thank you for listening.

58:27Coming up next in the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service, we have a reading of the Dunkirk Observer. Following that at one o'clock we have a reading of some of our North Town B papers including Amherst, Clarence, Cheek to Auga Lancaster and DePieu. And then at two o'clock we have the South Town B's which includes Orchard Park, the Hamburg Sun, the East Aurora and West Santa Cappapres. Stay with us for these readings and more. You're listening to the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service. Radio Reading broadcast daily readings 24 hours a day of newspapers, magazines and books to people who are blind or have a print disability and are provided reading radios. Radio Reading broadcast signals provided no charge by WNED. From broadcast to the OSA of 1199 Harlem Road, radio reading continues our almost 40 year tradition of award-winning service. For more information on the Niagara Frontier Radio Reading Service call 716-821-5555.

59:45The following program is intended for listeners who are blind, have low vision or have another