NEWS & INFO

A new statewide survey suggests New York’s gubernatorial race may be tightening, even as a large share of voters remain unfamiliar with Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman. According to the latest poll from the Siena Research Institute, incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul now leads Blakeman by 13 percentage points, which is a noticeable drop from the 20-point advantage she had over him in February. Despite her narrowing margin, Hochul’s overall standing with voters has remained

A sharp and sustained drop in Canadian visitors is reshaping the economic landscape of Niagara Falls, NY and surrounding border communities as new data and regional reporting point to one of the most significant cross-border tourism slowdowns in decades.      The downturn, which accelerated into early 2026, is being linked to a combination of trade tensions, shifting consumer sentiment, and changing travel patterns. For communities that have long depended on Canadian day-trip

State Analysis Warns Climate Law Compliance Could Raise Energy Costs for New Yorkers by Thousands      A newly disclosed state analysis suggests New Yorkers could face significant increases in household energy costs as officials grapple with how to fully implement the state’s sweeping climate mandate, intensifying debate over the future of New York’s landmark environmental law.      Governor Kathy Hochul said in February that complying with the state’s climate requirements co

New York State has indefinitely halted the issuance and renewal of certain commercial driver’s licenses for non-citizens after federal officials threatened to withhold millions in transportation funding, marking a significant shift in state licensing policy amid escalating immigration and regulatory disputes under Governor Kathy Hochul.      The pause affects New York’s non-domiciled commercial driver’s license (CDL) program, which previously allowed individuals who were not

Community Missions of Niagara Frontier will receive $694,280 in state funding to continue its work through the SNUG Street Outreach program, part of a nearly $21 million statewide investment announced by Governor Kathy Hochul.   Community Missions is one of 15 organizations selected to receive a portion of the $20.9 million allocated to support SNUG operations in 2026. The program, administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, focuses on reducing g

Niagara Falls could receive a significant boost in state aid under a proposal unveiled by Governor Kathy Hochul. In her executive budget, Hochul is seeking $150 million in new assistance for municipalities outside New York City including a $100 million increase in Temporary Municipal Assistance If approved by the state Legislature, the funding would be distributed based on existing Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) formulas. Under the proposal, Niagara Falls would r

Buffalo Police officials have suspended a department captain who met in person with Officer Lance Woods hours before he was arrested and charged in the fatal shooting of his wife in Sanborn. City and police officials confirmed Wednesday that the captain – whose name has not been released – has been placed on paid suspension pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The department said the captain spoke with Woods at the D-District station on Hertel Avenue Saturday eve

By: Scott Yerger      Healthcare spending is reaching unprecedented levels, with national expenditures projected to surge to $8.59 trillion by 2033, accounting for more than one-fifth of the total U.S. economy. While medical innovation continues to reach new heights, the financial burden on employers, families, and public health systems is creating a critical affordability crisis.  Addressing this challenge requires a dual understanding of the modern drivers behind these spik

Mayor Sean M. Ryan today testified before the New York State Legislature at the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2026 Executive Budget Proposal, where he laid out the City of Buffalo’s fiscal condition and called for a partnership with the State to restore long-term financial stability.      In his testimony, Mayor Ryan described a city operating under the weight of years of unrealistic budgeting practices and one-time revenue solutions that have depleted City reserves

A long-fought battle in downtown Niagara Falls has entered a quieter phase, but the stakes for local taxpayers may be higher than ever.      For more than two years, the City of Niagara Falls and a private development firm known as Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR) have been locked in a legal and political conflict over the future of a multi-million stretch of land near John B. Daly Boulevard, directly across from Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. At the heart of the dispute ar

Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino traveled to Albany on Wednesday, February 12th to formally request $200 million in state funding for his proposed Centennial Park events center, using his appearance at a joint legislative budget hearing to press lawmakers for what he described as transformational investment in the city’s future.      Speaking before state legislators during the annual budget session – often referred to as “Tin Cup Day” (i.e.: begging for money) because of

By: Sumit Majumdar, CEO of Buffalo Biodiesel & Limited Partner of Verite Capital Partners As New York State pursues aggressive decarbonization, the answer may not lie in abandoning gas infrastructure, but in changing what flows through it. PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME: "Why are you so passionate about the environment? Why are you building an RNG plant and what the heck is RNG? How is it different, and why is it so important?" To answer that, I have to go back to the beginning. As a li

By: Sumit Majumdar, CEO of Buffalo Biodiesel & Limited Partner of Verite Capital Partners Special Report: The 2026 Venture Outlook INTRODUCTION: A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE Many people have asked me recently: How did you get into venture capital, and why did venture capital invest in your company? To provide clarity, I want to explain what venture capital looks like today for a deal like mine. There is no question that this article does not cover the entire universe of investment

In what it portrays as an effort to remedy reputational harm rather than seek a payday, Buffalo Biodiesel, Inc. (“BBD”), a Buffalo-based company that collects used cooking oil from more than 28,000 restaurants across the Northeastern United States, has filed suit in Erie County Supreme Court against The Buffalo News (“BN”) and Manhattan-based attorney Michael Collesano. BBD claims it’s seeking to restore its reputation and confront a coordinated smear campaign against its bus

A New York State trooper was injured Thursday night after being struck by a pickup truck while assisting a stranded driver on the I-90 exit ramp in West Seneca. State Police said the crash happened around 10pm where the trooper had stopped to help a disabled motorist. As the trooper stood outside his patrol car, a 2020 Ford pickup driven by James J. Stumpf, 34, of Buffalo, came onto the ramp from Route 400 and veered off the left shoulder. The truck traveled into an embankmen

A Niagara Falls Army veteran who survived war, cancer, and decades of hardship is now starting over after a house fire destroyed everything he owned and claimed the life of his best friend. Robert, 76, a Vietnam War veteran and Niagara Falls resident, lost his home, possessions, and beloved German shepherd in a January 11th fire. The blaze left him hospitalized for several days and facing the daunting task of rebuilding his life from nothing. The fundraiser describes a lifeti

The Buffalo-Niagara community is coming together to support the family of longtime firefighter and business owner Scott Janowski, a Buffalo Fire captain who died unexpectedly leaving behind his wife and a 3-year-old son. To help ease the financial effort facing the family, friends and loved ones launched a fundraising effort. A tribute posted with the fundraiser describes Janowski as a lifelong public servant, devoted father, and small business owner who dedicated himself to

Dante Richardson, 32-years-old, has been the subject of several recent Niagara Action articles that began after he was shot in an early morning incident on January 12th. Publicly available information regarding the incident outlined that Richardson and his two passengers had been driving home from a bar in Buffalo, although at this time it still remains to be seen whether Richardson was drinking himself. Investigators say that somewhere between the Vulcan Street and Sheridan

Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a significant reshaping of Niagara Falls State Park with plans to bring Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park under the same umbrella in an effort to spread tourism beyond the Falls. The idea, she said, is to encourage visitors to stay longer in the region. The proposal, outlined in Hochul’s State of the State booklet released Tuesday, comes as state data continues to show a stark imbalance in where tourists spend their time. Niag

Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation advocates said was designed to preserve public and media access to police radio communications. Critics say the move undermines transparency and shields law enforcement activity from scrutiny. The bill, approved earlier this year by both the New York State Assembly and Senate, was crafted in response to a growing trend among police departments to fully encrypt their radio traffic. Legislators backing the measure said it was intended to