Farmers market spends winter at Buff State

The Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday from May to November. With the fall season setting in, the growing season, along with the farmers market, will be coming to an end. Kent Miller, owner of Plato Dale Farm in Arcade, has begun to take his chickens and turkeys off the pasture along with covering up vegetables. Mary Oakes Wilson, treasurer of Lynoaken Farms and Chelsea Pelsone of Tom Tower’s Farm, two Niagara County farms, explain that they will be transitioning to selling just apples for the winter months. The last day for the outdoor market will be Nov. 28. The market will move inside, to Buckham Hall, located near the Grant Street side of the SUNY Buffalo State campus, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. Saturdays from Dec. 5 to April 30. Free parking will be available on campus during market hours. By Troy Licastro and Tony Reyes

DaVinci students lend a hand to 'Friends'

Leonardo DaVinci High School students, from left, Lul Abdi, Olivia Edwin, Tyler Spivey, Unique Cathcart and Majeesty Willis, sort clothing for  the Friends of Night People, 394 Hudson St.,  a charitable organization aimed at providing food, clothing, medical care, counseling and hope to those in need. The students were participating in the clothing drive by sorting out and hanging up clothes that were previously donated to the organization for this upcoming winter. The students were volunteering to fulfill their community service hours that is required for all DaVinci students. By Darius Crolle and Shavella Saint Preux

Westside Stories continues its mission

Joe Petri, co-owner of Westside Stories, a  bookstore on 205 Grant St. Petri opened the shop with his wife after working with many refugees at Journeys End. The shop sells used books, bags and miscellaneous items. The book store contributes to the West Side  by having days where free books are given to refugees. By Alexis Burnett and HyDeia Walker

IN DEPTH: Credit union gets federal OK, needs $300k

The Good Neighbors Federal Credit Union, a proposed credit union on the West Side that is two years into development, received primary federal approval to become a credit union in September, but must still raise $300,000. Full story by Troy Licastro and Tony Reyes

Italian artifacts in St. Anthony museum

St. Anthony of Padua R.C. Church is a major cultural center for the Italian  community not only on the West Side, but all over Western New York. The Rev. Msgr. Fred Voorhes explains how the community's  pictures, statues and other artifacts have been assembled into a museum, which is in the basement of the church, 160 Court St.  By Marcus Trueheart, Greg Twarozek and Kayla Yarington

Journey’s End prepares for Syrian refugees

Journey’s End Refugee Services case managers, Mateo Escobar and Ryan Trubits, keep busy doing paper work in preparation for Syrian refugees coming to Buffalo. The organization hopes to assist 50-100 refugees in relocate. The Civil War in Syria began in 2011, when teenagers were arrested and tortured for their paintings of revolutionary slogans on a school wall. This triggered a nationwide protest for President Assad to resign. Protesters joined forces to fight against the government, causing Syria to break out into Civil War. The community can help out in this process by making donations, especially of winter gear. By Haley Gorman and Alexis Wilensky

IN DEPTH: Skate park helps revitalize waterfront

The Lasalle Park Skate Plaza has become a popular gathering spot for skateboarders since the first phase was completed three years ago. Now designers, skaters and others are coming up with plans to expand the park in a second phase of construction. Full story by Nick Malahosky and Jason Saul

New barbershop adds diversity to Elmwood

Envy Us Looks is a recently opened barbershop that caters to the multicultural diversity in the Elmwood Avenue area. More specifically, Don Carlos, a West Side native, is one of the master barbers that works at the shop, and specializes in cutting different textures of hair. This barbershop is unique in that it accommodates to the diversity that permeates throughout the West Side area. By Darius Crolle and Shavella Saint Preux

Wegmans’ $75k donation puts it on the MAP

MAP'S Farmhouse project is set to expand with Wegmans' help

            The Massachusetts Avenue Project,  389 Massachusetts Ave.,  recently received $75,000 in funding from Wegmans to be used towards its Farmhouse Project.

            The Farmhouse Project is a $1.8 million campaign, of which $1.1 million has been raised. The tentative plan for the project is to break ground in the spring and have the bulk of the construction done by this time next year. MAP also is aiming to have a grand opening late next fall.

            The funding will help MAP in a number of ways. It will help build a new farmhouse,  which will house office space, expand cold and dry storage and expand the farm. Over the years, MAP has built a strong relationship with Wegmans, this being their most recent partnership venture.

            “We’ve always looked at them as a strong partner,” said Heather Brooks Newton, MAP’s development director. “The synergy is there, they’re about fresh healthy food as are we and I think that we are certainly reaching, particularly on the east side of Buffalo where our truck is, a different population, and it's really great to have Wegmans’ support.”

            But, it’s not just a monetary partnership; the organic section of Wegmans is the home of MAP’s salsa, chili starter and salad dressing. The kids in their youth enterprise program are the ones who make those products. The program was started to show the younger people what the “farm-to-table” food system was about all about.

            MAP is dedicated to helping serve the youth and making sure there is fresh local food readily available. By Troy Licastro and Tony Reyes

Market Arcade welcomes Buffalo Adore shop

          Buffalo Adore, a shop that specializes in handmade gifts by local artists, opened the doors to its second location at 617 Main St. inside the Market Arcade Building on Sept. 1.

          The idea of opening this second location came after it participated in the Queen City Pop Up, a program that was set up by the owners of the building to attract more businesses to Main Street. 

          Owned by Andrea and Eric Dacey, the shop sells things like jewelry, art, apparel, home décor and beauty products that have a specific Buffalo theme.

          Their main shop, located on Abbott Road in South Buffalo, has been open for about three years.

           “My sister, Andrea, who founded the store, has always been a pro-Buffalo person,” Kristen Arends said. “Before even the boom of people wanting to be downtown and shopping local, she’s just always been a big proponent of supporting small businesses, shopping local, that’s how you really make change in your community. So she thought that doing a store would be a great way to be a part of that."

           Follow the shop on twitter @BuffaloAdore. 
                                                       By Troy Licastro and Tony Reyes