Latest news with #CommonCouncil
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City's west side looking for support
As the city celebrates progress in revitalization projects, some residents are asking when the west side will get any attention. As 200th anniversary events for the Erie Canal approach, 3rd Ward residents are quick to point out that West Avenue is attached to the downtown corridor. 'This is a major artery into the city,' said Joe DiPasquale who is running for the 3rd Ward alderman's seat. '(Route 31) brings people in from Niagara Falls. We are going to have visitors from all over the world. We need to have positive, permanent spin-off from that event.' 'There's no reason it has to look dirty and unwelcoming,' added Kathy O'Keefe, owner of Windsor Village Artisan & Antique Market at 43 Stevenson St. 'My grandma lived over here when I was growing up. So it kind of hurts me that it goes totally ignored.' DiPasquale, who purchased his grandmother's home on Bright Street, echoes the sentiment. 'When I was growing up, we had car dealerships, a grocery store, and an Italian import store,' DiPasquale said. 'It needs to be picked up. We're not doing any of those wonderful businesses on West Avenue any favor by turning our back on how it looks.' Roland O'Malley III, a Park Avenue resident running for the 3rd Ward seat, has similar memories. 'Years ago, Pelicanos had a meat market on West Avenue,' he said. 'It's a unique little area. There were five or six car dealerships. On South Niagara Street, there's a lot of work that could be done there. There's a lot of shops and they have employed people.' Mark Devine, 3rd Ward alderman, could not be reached for comment. Devine has missed a number of Common Council work sessions this year and has decided not to run for another term. All three residents point to the many businesses that continue to operate along West and Park avenues and deserve the city's support. O'Keefe said revitalization efforts need to continue from the Pot-O-Gold Bar and Restaurant and go down West Avenue. Having written grants, O'Keefe questions why city grants can't benefit the west end. 'The excuses are that none of the grant funds can go to the west end. The west end just doesn't qualify,' she said. 'Yet it has the largest base of businesses and employees. It's absolutely a false statement, 100 percent. You've always got to balance things. You've got to think — what is going to create a tax base?' 'All they focus on is three blocks of Lockport,' O'Keefe said. 'They never focus on incorporating a bigger area for commerce and business and tying it in together. I think the key to look into is industrial heritage and create an industrial heritage zone and get grant funds,' O'Keefe said. 'There are industrial buildings there from the turn of the century. You could tell those stories. We have a bike lane on 31 and we have the trail right here. We could literally just do a loop.' While there are a number of unoccupied homes and buildings on the West Avenue corridor, O'Malley points out that a number of successful businesses continue to operate, such as Precision Cycle Shop and Candlelight Cabinetry. He said vacant properties could be turned around. 'You could have a restaurant. There's some smaller buildings out there,' O'Malley said. 'There could be bed and breakfasts. Little by little, working with these people who are already there, we can create an environment where people will want to come.' O'Malley said code enforcement is another tool for correcting problems like accumulating junked cars and unmaintained exteriors. Speaking of property near New York Street with wrecked cars, he asked, 'How is a junkyard allowed to be there now? It's unsightly.' DiPasquale also noted a location on West Avenue. 'You've gotta take care of that pile of tubing,' he said. 'I know there's industry on the west side, but we have to work hand-in-hand to clean it up. You can't expect this part of town to rejuvenate with it looking like that. We've got to work with all of them to make it look better.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Milwaukee street takeover on city's southside; police say no arrests
The Brief Milwaukee police say they broke up a street takeover on the city's south side on Sunday evening, June 8. The takeover happened at 13th and Burnham Street. Officials said there were no arrests or injuries. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police confirmed for FOX6 News there had been a street takeover at 13th and Burnham Street on the city's south side on Sunday evening, June 8. Events like these are often fueled by social media, city officials have said. What we know Officials said there were no arrests and no injuries at the location on Sunday evening. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android FOX6 News has a crew on the scene – and we will update this post when more information is available. What we know To address the problem of street takeovers, the Milwaukee Police Department told the Milwaukee Common Council back on May 22, that they will be doing what's called directed patrol missions. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Five teams of police officers will be dedicated to the north side and five to the south side, along with two tow trucks to crack down on the takeovers and those involved. MPD created a map of 52 locations where these takeovers are happening. What you can do Milwaukee police say if you see street takeovers happening, call and report them so officials can send officers. The Source The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department and a FOX6 News crew on the scene.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
South Milwaukee to install public bicycle repair stations complete with tools
South Milwaukee bicycle riders will soon be able to repair their bicycles for free. That's assuming they can do the repairs themselves, because the city is installing two public bicycle repair stations that come complete with a bicycle stand and tethered tools including screwdrivers, wrenches, and hex tools. The stations also include a bicycle pump, according to city documents. South Milwaukee's Common Council approved the installation of these two stations, and one new bicycle rack, with a 5-2 vote on June 3, according to City Administrator Patrick Brever. Here's what you need to know. Two bicycle repair stations will be installed. The first will be near the Bucyrus Commons/Crusher statue. The second will be at the South Milwaukee City Hall, 2424 15th Ave. If there is a lot of positive feedback and requests for more, the program could be expanded in the future, according to the council's information sheet. As part of the approval, a bicycle rack will also be installed in front of Bakehouse 23, 1309 Milwaukee Ave., after the owner made a request for it. The council voted that this project does not exceed a cost of $3,250. Money for this project is coming from the Bucyrus Foundation fund which is money granted to South Milwaukee from the Bucyrus Foundation focused on funding institutions and infrastructure in the city. The Village of Bayside added a bicycle repair station in 2024. The council's information sheet notes Bayside staff said the station has been well received and there have been no concerns. Focus groups, interviews, surveys and events were hosted by health departments in the south shore including the South Milwaukee/St. Francis Health Department in 2022 and 2023. The community was asked how the city could be healthy and thrive, and one response was to add bicycle repair areas, according to city documents. South Milwaukee first rallied to get Milwaukee County to install the stations in the city during the summer of 2024 through a Community Development Block Grant request. Earlier this year, that request was denied, according to city documents. The initiative was revisited in May 2025 by the city's Board of Health and then by the council. City documents said South Milwaukee's application to Milwaukee County for CDBG funding noted the installation of bicycle repair stations will "provide significant benefits to our low-to-moderate income residents, promoting equitable access to transportation, and improving health outcomes.' South Milwaukee's comprehensive plan uses a bike score to determine how good an area is for biking. It takes into account bicycle lanes, road connectivity, trails, hills and destinations. South Milwaukee's overall bike score is 46 out of 100 while the downtown area is 56 out of 100, per city documents. Contact Erik S. Hanley at Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: South Milwaukee will add two public bicycle repair stations
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Preview: Buffalo mayoral candidates to face off in debate Tuesday night
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Five Democratic candidates for Buffalo mayor are set to take the stage on Tuesday night at D'Youville University's Kavinoky Theatre ahead of the primary election on June 24. The mayoral debate begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday live on WIVB, and WIVB+, our free connected TV app. Beginning at 8 p.m., the debate will shift to WIVB+ and as a town hall format. The candidates taking part in the event are Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon, State Senator Sean Ryan, University District Buffalo Common Councilman Rasheed N.C. Wyatt, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, and Buffalo native Anthony Tyson-Thompson. Chris Scanlon took over as Buffalo's acting mayor on Oct. 15, 2024, following the resignation of former mayor Byron Brown. Scanlon, 43, has deep roots in South Buffalo, having served as the district's councilman beginning in 2012. He was promoted to Common Council president in January 2024. In Scanlon's time as acting mayor, he has focused on improving the lives of those who live in the city and who work in the city. Under his watch, the Common Council approved the city's $622 million budget for 2025-26 last week. About $30 million in cuts were made to the budget, including $10 million in departmental cuts, however, a key highlight of the budget is that no city employees are being laid off. 'I'm not downsizing the City of Buffalo,' he said. 'The City of Buffalo's going forward, we're gonna improve, we're gonna continue to invest in the City of Buffalo. We're gonna maintain our services, we're gonna maintain our workforce and we're gonna provide the services we need to the City of Buffalo.' Sean Ryan has been a member of the New York State Senate since 2021, serving the 61st district, which includes the Elmwood Village, Upper West Side and much of North Buffalo. Before serving in the State Senate, he spent over nine years in the New York State Assembly. Ryan, 60, earned the endorsement of the Erie County Democratic Committee in February. Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner cited his belief that a 'change in culture' is needed in city hall and believes Ryan can do that. 'We heard a lot about people wanting change,' Zellner said in February. 'We heard a lot about people saying we need to change the culture in city hall and I think they thought Senator Ryan was the one to do that. People are tired of the status quo and they want something different.' Ryan has suggested bonds in order to solve the city's budget issues and is aiming to reduce crime in the city. Rasheed Wyatt has represented the University District in the Buffalo Common Council since 2014. Wyatt has been a vocal critic of both Brown and Scanlon and was one of two council members to vote against the 2025-26 budget. He was the only member to vote against Brown's budget for 2024-25. In May, he called for cuts to police and fire overtime in order to help address the budget. 'I think the acting mayor is showing that he is Byron Brown 2.0, doing these types of antics that really don't help the residents of the City of Buffalo,' Wyatt said earlier this month in criticism of Scanlon. Garnell Whitfield became a member of the Buffalo Fire Department in 1984 and served in the department until he retired in 2017. He spent the final seven years in his tenure as fire commissioner. After Whitfield's mother, Ruth Whitfield, was killed in the Tops mass shooting on May 14, 2022, he has become an activist for gun control and has worked with policymakers to combat white supremacy and domestic terrorism. He has also spoken about 'irresponsible budgeting' and 'decades of broken promises' in criticisms of city government. His areas of focus include bettering the city's education, workforce and development of neighborhoods and local businesses without displacement. Anthony Tyson-Thompson served as an aide to State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and has experience with the Erie County Democratic Committee and the American Cancer Society, but has never held public office before. Thompson said he lives by the motto: 'We are stronger together.' Economic growth, access to good quality food and education, affordable housing and support for small businesses are at the forefront of his campaign. Tuesday night's debate is for the Democratic primary. There is only one Republican in the race. That is James Gardner, a former assistant district attorney and law clerk for Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case. He unsuccessfully ran for Erie County District Attorney last year, losing to Mike Keane. Gardner has expressed concern with the 'devastating border crisis, rising crime, and reckless bail reform laws.' As the only Republican candidate, Gardner said he is giving city taxpayers a 'real choice' in the election. In November, Buffalo will elect a new mayor for the first time since 2005. Former mayor Byron Brown stepped down on Oct. 15, 2024, to become the CEO of Western Regional Off-Track Betting in Batavia. He served as Buffalo's mayor for nearly 19 years and won re-election four times. The primary election is on June 24. Early voting begins on June 14. The general election is on Nov. 4. Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lockport looking into new sites for fire headquarters
City officials are in the early stages of possibly providing a new home for the Lockport Fire Department. The city published a request for proposals last week for an engineering feasibility study to evaluate a building for purchase as headquarters for the fire department. Fire Chief Luca Quagliano said he has identified a centrally located building in the city that could also provide space for another department. Quagliano said city hall was not designed to house a fire department, and the current location on two floors with limited garage and storage space impacts nearly every aspect of the fire department's routine operations. 'Chief Quagliano is looking for other options,' said Mayor John Lombardi III. 'Let's see what it would cost to build a facility out. We can see if we could move forward from there.' Common Council President Kathryn Fogle, who represents the 4th Ward, said was in favor of the RFP but is concerned about the costs of purchasing an additional city building. Fogle said she is waiting to see what additional information can be provided by the mayor's team. The fire department's current location has five garage bays, but Quagliano said only one bay can fit two ambulances back to back, and none can fit two fire trucks. That has left the fire department keeping its reserve engine, an ambulance, extra equipment and supplies at Outwater Park. This includes the department's oxygen generator that provides the oxygen supply to the ambulance. Quagliano said staff need to go to the park three times a week to refill the onboard oxygen. 'Whenever there's a fire that goes to a second alarm, we have to go over there,' he said. Over time, ambulances and fire engines have become larger, Quagliano said. Now, 'you can't open the doors on the fire trucks without hitting a column.' The city hall location also offers limited pavement space to perform maintenance on vehicles, he said. 'The ramp down to the road beats the hell out of the trucks because it twists the chassis.' Staff spaces are also problematic, Quagliano said. Currently, responders' living quarters are on the second floor above the garage. 'There should be a formal separation between living quarters and apparatus, but now there's an open stairway,' he said. This allows diesel fumes to reach firefighters for extended periods. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, diesel exhaust is a cause of cancer in humans. The department has a vent system, Quagliano said. 'It's done by hoses and if the hose rips, you expel diesel particulate throughout the building.' Firefighters are also exposed to cancer-causing substances when fighting fires. Modern buildings contain PVC, foam, and treated fabrics. According to the website FireRescue1, 'Fires now release carcinogenic compounds like benzene, hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde.' To address this, firefighters need to decontaminate by removing soot, smoke particles, and toxins from themselves and their gear after a fire or incident with hazardous materials. City hall does not accommodate this need, Quagliano said. 'There's no decon rooms — that's another push in the industry with all the cancer awareness.' A new building would also solve the problem of no women's restroom or living quarters at the current building. 'They have to lock themselves in the existing bathroom after they knock,' he said. Margaret Lupo, 5th Ward alderman, had heard Quagliano's concerns during a presentation to the council. 'City hall is kind of outdated,' Lupo said. 'But I want the big picture scenario from the mayor, which we don't have.' Lupo said space vacated by the fire department could be used by court personnel. 'We need room for the courts,' she said. 'The mayor should have a plan for what the future looks like — like who moves where. It's the very beginning phase.'
