Get culture all day at M&T First Fridays at the AKG

Charlie Garling, director of Learning and Creativity at Buffalo AKG art museum, says the $195 million in renovations have taken the M&T First Fridays experience to a whole new level. The renovations, which took three years and wrapped up in 2023, included the addition of a town square where cultures and creativity unite. First Fridays run from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. when attendees can explore the entire museum, take in an array of performances, visit a drop-in art activity or just socialize. Admission to the event is pay-as-you-wish. The AKG, 1285 Elmwood Ave., First Fridays have been a staple of the West Side experience since 2011. By Alex Miley

W.S. Community Services to serve as warming center

 

The West Side Community Services, 161 Vermont St., is the West Side’s warming center for the 2024 winter season. Each city district is allocated a warming center by the City of Buffalo, as listed on the 2024-2025 Winter Plan. Previously Asarese-Matters Community Center was listed as a warming center for the West Side, it has been replaced by the Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Ave. Director of Operations for West Side Community Services, Mary Schaefer, says it's important to have resources, such as generator-provided heat, blankets, food and water. “Having a warming shelter within each city district is an important step toward accessibility of resources during intense winter storms. As we know from the Christmas blizzard of 2022, energy failures can put our neighbors in dire situations in their own homes." By Tofsekul Ahmed

Trolleys, holiday markets bring festive vibe to West Side

By Jim Tammaro

    The Christmas season is fast approaching and to help people shop for gifts or get in a festive mood, Allen Street Hardware Café, the Elmwood Village, the Buffalo History Museum, and the Richardson Olmsted Campus are making the season a little bit more merry and bright. 

     There will be three holiday trolleys traveling around the West Side this season to help people get to various events and markets, including the annual holiday market that is taking place at the Richardson Olmsted Campus on Forest Avenue.   

    The Buffalo Holiday Market will take place weekends between Nov. 29 and Dec. 22, on the south lawn of the Richardson Olmsted Campus.  There will be two trolleys going between the campus and other locations around Elmwood to help people shop and travel to the various markets taking place this Christmas season. 

    “Some items you can find at the Buffalo Holiday Market include Bills sweaters, Christmas ornaments, food, and Buffalo-themed items,” Patrick Ryan, cultural curator for the Richardson Olmsted Campus, said.  “We will also have about six to eight food trucks on site, as well."

    On Nov. 29 and 30, there will be a holiday trolley going between the Richardson Olmsted Campus and the Buffalo History Museum.  That weekend, to promote Small Business Saturday, the history museum will be having a Maker’s Market running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.  The trolley that weekend will run both days from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The two markets will be running concurrently at the two locations that weekend.    

    “Their own little artisan’s vendor fair combined with ours,” Ryan said.  “The trolley can bring visitors back and forth between the two locations.”

    On Dec. 7, a trolley will be running up and down Elmwood Avenue between noon and 6 p.m.  The Elmwood Village will be holding a holiday shopping event that weekend.  The trolley will travel from the Richardson Campus to Forty Thieves, at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Breckenridge Street, and back.

    “The idea is to have a trolley that runs back and forth from our campus to the Elmwood village so people can shop at the stores up and down Elmwood,” Ryan said.  "This can hopefully bring some people and some customers to the Elmwood village.” 

     Area businesses are excited for these weekends.  Plus, it will help to drive some economic action into the local shops.   

Starting point for the BYOB holiday trolley

 

    A third trolley, more for the adults, will be taking place around Allen Street and Elmwood Avenue.  A BYOB holiday trolley will start at Allen Hardware Café, 245 Allen St., and travel around the area.  The trolley will take place every Thursday to Sunday, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 22.  There will be two trolleys per day, one at 1 p.m. and one at 5 p.m.  This is the second year that the BYOB trolley will be running and Tony Cafaro loves that the trolley starts at Hardware.

    “The ladies that run it came in just on a whim and explained that they were shopping the idea of a holiday trolley and I thought that Hardware would be a great hub,” Cafaro said. 

     Not only can passengers imbibe on their favorite libation, but they can also look at the neighborhood all adorned with festive decorations. 

     “Christmastime is always the best time in my book, so people can have a good time, look at all the houses all decked out with Christmas lights and have fun,” Cafaro said.    

    There are plenty of events around the West Side for people to enjoy and lessen the stress from the Christmas season.

    “I would like to do this holiday trolley as many years as possible,” Cafaro said.  “Not just the trolley, but anything that brings people down here and lets people do something different.  I would like to see people get out and about, not just stay in the bar."        

           

Council takes up short-term rental issue

 Delaware District Councilmember Joel Feroleto is opposed to the recent proposal to temporarily ban short term rentals that has been raised by four councilmembers. He says there is a procedure in place and deems the issue as unnecessary, though he is concerned about the existing issue with many Airb nb units out of compliance with city code. In 2019 there were 580 Airbnb units in all of Erie County, and now there are over 1,000 in Buffalo alone. The moratorium was tabled during a recent meeting for greater discussion. By Matt Szucs

Elmwood Bidwell apartments expected to open in April

 

Douglas Development Property Manager Joe Konze is looking forward to the completion of the new Elmwood Bidwell apartments. Construction for the new apartment building started in the summer of 2022 and is expected to be completed in April of 2025. “We were able to remove the steel braces that were holding up the historic facade back in March and since then, we have been able to work our way up to working on floors three through five. Apartments have been laid out and we are excited at the progress that has been made,” Konze said. The building is expected to have around 50 apartments. By Rylee Shott

Italian group pursuing Christopher Columbus bust

 

 

Neighborhood Health Center Communications Director Ginger Geoffery stands beside the former location of a bust of Christopher Columbus, which was removed during construction in 2020. There are efforts being made to ensure the bust is put in the hands of the Federation of Italian American Societies of Western New York.  Federation President  Peter LoJacono says says the organization wants to preserve its history by restoring and relocating the bust. The bust was life-sized and installed on a pedestal that included four bronze plaques with names of notable hospital officials. The removal of the bust from 300 Niagara St. corresponded with the removal of the full-body Columbus statue located at Prospect Park, which was vandalized and damaged. Lojacono wants to keep the Columbus bust safe. Geoffery says the statue was part of the purchase for the building replacement back in 2020. It was removed during construction, and it is in storage. By Emmanuel Rogers

West Side schools ahead of state with cell-phone policies

Erin Clifford, principal of the West Buffalo Charter School, with a cell-phone home

 By Alexander Miley

Violence is on the rise, students' test scores are dipping, and students are just not paying attention in schools. Many believe these situations can be attributed to the increasing use of cell phones in schools.

Teachers and administrators do not want them in the classroom, it is a distraction, but students want to be on their phones and parents want to be able to contact their kids in case of an emergency. This is a struggle that schools have been dealing with for years. 

In New York State this is becoming a big topic of discussion as there is a bill that will be debated in the Senate in January that will ban smartphones from schools. Flip phones will still be allowed so parents can keep in contact with their kids. 

According to govtech.com Gov. Kathy Hochul went on a listening tour across New York to get input from teachers and parents about the potential bill. 

New York State United Teachers is in support of this bill with  85% of NYSUT members supports banning cell phones and personal electronic devices for the entire school day with approved exceptions. 

Schoharie Central School District, west of Albany, banned cell phones along with ear buds and smart watches two years ago and district officials have seen a decrease in violence and increased academic scores.

West Side schools have their own policies. 

At West Buffalo Charter School, from kindergarten to eighth grade, has a no cell-phone policy. Students have two choices: either put them in their locker or put them in a cell phone home, which is a locked-up transportable box, that travels with the students from class to class in case they need their phone due to an emergency. 

There are medical exceptions to this policy, such as for diabetic students who use a phone to track their levels. 

“I think that the students are doing well without having their cell phones attached to them,” Erin Clifford, West Buffalo Charter principal, said. 

If parents need to contact their children, they are allowed to contact the main office, and the administration will get a hold of the student. This calmed down a lot of parents who were worried they wouldn't be able to contact their children in the event of an emergency.

Clifford is not totally on board with the looming cell phone ban because she believes that it is important for students to have access to their phones in case of emergencies.

At Lafayette International High School, students are allowed to have their cell phones but are only allowed to go on their cell phones at breakfast from 8 - 8:20 a.m. and during their 30-minute lunch period. Individual teachers are allowed to collect students’ phones at the beginning of class periods if they choose.

There are exceptions to this rule for emergencies but if you’re caught abusing it then you lose that ability.

This is a new policy that was just implemented this year and there is an adjustment period for the students as many people are addicted to screen time, but overall, it has had a positive impact.

“The teachers feel heard,” Walter Diaz, assistant principal of the Lafayette International, said.

Diaz, who made the jump from teacher to assistant principal this year understands the struggle of teaching students who are constantly being distracted by their cell phones and supports their new policy.