Thursday, July 28, 2011

Lynyrd Skynyrd at Artpark

By: Dave Ricci

Out of the ashes of tragedy, new chapters have been written.

Virtually every fan of rock and roll knows the tragic story of the 1977 plane crash that killed Lynyrd Skynyrd front man, Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer, Cassie Gaines.

But what people tend to forget is that Jacksonville’s favorite sons are still on the road, and are coming to Western New York.

Lynyrd Skynyrd returns to our region when they headline the Tuesday, July, 26 show at Artpark in Lewiston.
On a 10 year hiatus since that horrific plane crash that left several other  band members seriously injured, Lynyrd Skynyrd returned to the road with a successful 1987 tour and have since put out seven albums, the most recent was “God and Guns” that was released in 2009.

Led by founding member and lead guitarist Gary Rossington and front man Johnny Van Zant,
Also on board are guitarist Rickey Medlocke. A longtime associate of the band’s, many die-hard fans know Medlocke for  not only writing the Skynyrd tune “White Dove” but also for his memorable falsetto voice on lead vocals.

Holding true to the foundation and musical values the original band was built on the current edition of Lynyrd Skynyrd  doesn’t disappoint in anyway.

Rossington is still a first rate guitarist and Van Zant, with his powerful voice and stage presence,  is hauntingly similar to his late, great big brother. Only Johnny Van Zant could do justice to Skynyrd classics like “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,”

“Call Me The Breeze,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and others.

Sadly, these Southern Rock icons have tasted sadness more than once in their careers as guitarist/founding member Allen Collins (1990), bassist Leon Wilkerson (2001) and keyboardist Billy Powell (2009) have also passed away. But they still keep pushing on. But not for a easy paycheck. They keep going because music is in their blood and every show is a way to honor their fallen friends.

The current band was assembled with great care to ensure that the integrity of the “Lynyrd Skynyrd” name would be maintained.

It isn’t a thrown together simply for a quick-buck road trip type of band. Every guy in the current lineup fits the Lynyrd Skynyrd mold perfectly and understands how lucky they are to be in this band.

The rest of Lynyrd Skynyrd includes drummer Michael Cartellone, Robert Kearns (bass) and guitarist Mark Matejka and Peter Pisarczyk, who joined the band shortly after Powell’s death.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, on their seventh try, was finally welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2006.

They ranked No.95 on Rolling Stone’s greatest acts of all-time list and Guitar World dubbed “Free Bird” as the third best guitar solo ever.

The Mick Hayes Band is slated to open the show at 6:30 p.m.

.38 Special rocks Artpark

By: Dave Ricci

When discussions of best concerts you ever saw come up and never fail to tell friends that one of, if not the best shows, I ever saw was put on best .38 Special.

Serving as the opening act for, of all bands, Black Sabbath, .38 Special came to the The Aud as part of their Special Forces Tour and put on a show to remember.

They sounded great and their stage presence combined for the full package that, in my humble opinion, outdid the far more famous Black Sabbath.

If anything has changed since that day it’s that .38 Special has gotten better.

The boys from Jacksonville, Florida played to more than 9,000 fans at Artpark in Lewiston on July 12 and showed that they were as strong as ever.

You didn’t have to wonder for too long why this show was a success. It went over with fans because it was .38 Special.

It wasn’t a mish-mash of guys you didn’t know playing under the .38 Special name.

Founding members Dan Barnes (vocals/guitar) and Donnie Van Zant (guitar/vocals) are still front and center, along with long time band mate, bassist Larry Junstrom, an extremely underrated musician.

Opening with “Rockin Into The Night,” .38 Special also played their stable of hits including “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “If I’d Been The One,” “Second Chance,” “Like No Other Night,” “Take Me Back To Paradise” and of course their signature song and No.1 hit
“Caught Up In You,” which wrapped up the show.

Products of the Southern Rock movement of the 1970s, as 1980s wore on .38 Special’s music took more of a arena rock type of theme, yet all of their songs still retained the feel of their southern roots.

In fact what I find the most interesting about .38 Special though they have their own unique sound, even if you aren’t familiar with their work you can easily get into the music because it finds away to strike a chord of familiarity with everyone.

The most touching moment came when Donnie Van Zant spoke to the crowd about his older brother, the late, great Ronnie Van Zant, former front man of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Donnie told everyone that Ronnie had encouraged them to follow their dreams as a band and to never give up.

Donnie then dedicated “Rebel to Rebel” to his late brother and the fallen Skynyrd members.

While the show was outstanding the true testament that .38 Special is still just a bunch of good ol’ boys actually came off stage with opening act, Dave Constantino Band.

Constantino, a Buffalo Music Hall of Famer and leader of legendary bands Talas and the Tweeds, via facebook said that he recalled Talas sharing the bill with .38 Special at a local club during the 1970s. when Barnes and Constantino met up at Artpark, Barnes looked at Dave, smiled and said, “Tonawanda, right?”
Barnes didn’t forget Talas. And it’s that kind of loyalty that keeps fans standing by .38 Special, too.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Tonawanda's Gateway Harbor Inc hosting 2nd annual Chocolate Festival

The administrators at Tonawanda's Gateway Harbor Inc. are hosting the second annual Chocolate Festival, scheduled to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept 17 at Gateway Harbor Park in North Tonawanda.

Chocolate-related vendors are urged to contact the North Tonawanda Recreation and Parks Department at 695-8520 for more information. The festival is also looking for farmers who are interested in participating in this year’s event.

The Gateway Committee plans this year’s festival to be bigger and better than it has been in years past. This year, the festival has teamed up with the historical Riviera Theater to include Webster Street in the venue and double the entertainment.

Vendors and farmers can contact Patricia Brosius at 695-8520 ext. 5500.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Niagara University Tourism Major, Wendy Reyes, Receives Ronald H. Brown Memorial Scholarship

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. (July 26, 2011) – Another day, another national scholarship earned by a student in Niagara University’s College of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Wendy Reyes, an NU senior from El Paso, Texas, is the lone recipient of this year’s Ronald H. Brown Memorial Scholarship, awarded to an undergraduate minority student committed to the pursuit of a career in the travel industry. The $3,000 scholarship is given in honor of the late commerce secretary and his enormous contributions to the U.S. travel and tourism industry. This is the 16th year that the award has been granted.

“On behalf of the Destination & Travel Foundation Board of Directors, I congratulate you for being chosen as the winner of the 2011 Ronald H. Brown Memorial Scholarship,” said Judith Harris, senior director of membership for the U.S. Travel Association, a national, nonprofit organization representing all components of the travel industry.

As a student studying Tourism Destination Management at NU, Reyes aspires to work for a convention and visitors bureau after graduation. She will spend the next academic year studying abroad at Germany’s International University of Applied Science Bad Honnef (IUBH), one of Niagara University’s partner schools in the Leading Hotel Schools of the World organization. Upon completion of the program, Reyes will receive degrees from both schools, which was among the primary reasons that she enrolled at Niagara.

“Thanks to generous organizations such as yours, I will be able to further my education and continue to produce academic results that exceed expectations,” wrote Reyes in an acknowledgment letter to the Destination & Travel Foundation Board of Directors. “My goal is to assist in the development of a city’s positive perception and create a source of economic sustainability through tourism efforts. I know that this award will be a tremendous help to me in the continuation of my academic success, and I look forward to the time when I can help others as you have helped me.”

The Destination & Travel Foundation, formerly the DMAI Foundation, is a complementary organization to both DMAI and to the U.S. Travel Association. The DMAI Foundation was formed in 1993, and in February 2009, DMAI and the U.S. Travel Association joined resources of their foundations to create a stronger organization, better capable of serving the interest of destination marketing professionals and highlighting the impact of travel around the world. 

Niagara University
Founded by the Vincentian Community in 1856, Niagara University is a private liberal arts university with a strong, values-based Catholic tradition. Its four academic divisions include the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Hospitality and Tourism Management. The university also maintains an Academic Exploration Program that provides a learning community for students who are undecided about their major, as well as numerous opportunities through Continuing Education.

White House Statement from the Press Secretary

The President has been advocating a balanced plan that would reduce our deficit by $4 trillion by making large cuts in domestic and Pentagon spending, reforming entitlement programs, and closing tax loopholes for corporations, millionaires and billionaires.  This sort of approach won support from Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, but the House Republicans walked away after insisting that the budget be balanced on the backs of seniors and the middle class.

Now, faced with the “my way or the highway,” short-term approach of the House Republicans, Senator Reid has put forward a responsible compromise that cuts spending in a way that protects critical investments and does not harm the economic recovery.  All the cuts put forward in this approach were previously agreed to by both parties through the process led by the Vice President.  Senator Reid’s plan also reduces the deficit more than enough to meet the contrived dollar-for-dollar criteria called for by House Republicans, and, most importantly, it removes the cloud of a possible default from our economy through 2012. The plan would make a meaningful down payment in addressing our fiscal challenge, and we could continue to work together to build on it with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes additional spending reforms and closing tax loopholes for corporations, millionaires and billionaires.

Senator Reid’s plan is a reasonable approach that should receive the support of both parties, and we hope the House Republicans will agree to this plan so that America can avoid defaulting on our obligations for the first time in our history. The ball is in their court.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Buffalo News: GOVERNOR CUOMO SIGNS LAW TO CREATE MISSING VULNERA...

Buffalo News: GOVERNOR CUOMO SIGNS LAW TO CREATE MISSING VULNERA...: "Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed a law to create a statewide alert system for missing vulnerable adults, similar to the nationwide Am..."

Remarks by President Obama to the National Council of La Raza

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  Thank you so much.  (Applause.) What an extraordinary crowd.  Thank you.  Please have a seat.
It is good to be back with NCLR.  (Applause.)  It is good to see all of you.

Right off the bat, I should thank you because I have poached quite a few of your alumni to work in my administration.  (Laughter.)  They're all doing outstanding work.  Raul Yzaguirre, my ambassador to the Dominican Republic -- (applause) -- Latinos serving at every level of my administration.  We've got young people right out of college in the White House.  We've got the first Latina Cabinet Secretary in history, Hilda Solis.  (Applause.)  So we couldn't be prouder of the work that so many folks who've been engaged with La Raza before, the handiwork that they're doing with our administration.  And as Janet mentioned, obviously we're extraordinarily proud of someone who is doing outstanding work on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor.  (Applause.)

Recently, 100 Latino officials from across the government met with Latino leaders from across the country at the White House.  I know some of you were there.  And I think all who attended would agree that we weren’t just paying lip service to the community.  Our work together, not just that day but every day, has been more than just talk.

What I told the gathering at the White House was we need your voice.  Your country needs you.  Our American family will only be as strong as our growing Latino community.  (Applause.)  And so we’re going to take these conversations on the road and keep working with you, because for more than four decades, NCLR has fought for opportunities for Latinos from city centers to farm fields.  And that fight for opportunity –- the opportunity to get a decent education, the opportunity to find a good job, the opportunity to make of our lives what we will -– has never been more important than it is today.

And we’re still climbing out of a vicious recession, and that recession hit Latino families especially hard.  I don't need to tell you Latino unemployment is painfully high.  And there’s no doubt that this economy has not recovered as fast as it needs to.  The truth is it’s going to take more time.  And a lot of the problems we face right now, like slow job growth and stagnant wages, these were problems that were there even before the recession hit.

These challenges weren’t caused overnight; they’re not going to be solved overnight.  But that only makes our work more urgent -- to get this economy going and make sure that opportunity is spreading, to make sure everyone who wants a job can find one, and to make sure that paychecks can actually cover the bills; to make sure that families don’t have to choose between buying groceries or buying medicine; that they don't have to choose between sending their kids to college or being able to retire.

My number-one priority, every single day, is to figure out how we can get businesses to hire and create jobs with decent wages.  And in the short-term, there are some things we can do right away.  I want to extend tax relief that we already put in place for middle-class families, to make sure that folks have more money in their paychecks.  And I want to cut red tape that keeps entrepreneurs from turning new ideas into thriving businesses.  I want to sign trade deals so our businesses can sell more goods made in America to the rest of the world, especially to the Americas.

And the hundreds of thousands of construction workers -- many of them Latino -- who lost their jobs when the housing bubble burst, I want to put them back to work rebuilding our roads and our bridges and new schools and airports all across the country.  There is work to be done.  These workers are ready to do it.  (Applause.)

So bipartisan proposals for all of these jobs measures would already be law if Congress would just send them to my desk, and I’d appreciate if you all would help me convince them to do it.  We need to get it done.  We need to get it done.  (Applause.)

Now, obviously, the other debate in Washington that we’re having is one that’s going to have a direct impact on every American.  Every day, NCLR and your affiliates hear from families figuring out how to stretch every dollar a little bit further, what sacrifices they’ve got to make, how they're going to budget only what’s truly important.  So they should expect the same thing from Washington.  Neither party is blameless for the decisions that led to our debt, but both parties have a responsibility to come together and solve the problem and make sure that the American people aren’t hurt on this issue.  (Applause.)

I just want to talk about this for a second, because it has a potential impact on everybody here and all the communities you serve.  If we don’t address the debt that’s already on our national credit card, it will leave us unable to invest in things like education, to protect vital programs.

So I’ve already said I’m willing to cut spending that we don't need by historic amounts to reduce our long-term deficit and make sure that we can invest in our children’s future.  I’m willing to take on the rising costs of health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid to make sure they’re strong and secure for future generations.

But we can’t just close our deficits by cutting spending.  That’s the truth, and Americans understand that.  Because if all we all do is cut, then seniors will have to pay a lot more for their health care, and students will have to pay a lot more for college, and workers who get laid off might not have any temporary assistance or job training to get them back on their feet.  And with gas prices this high, we’d have to stop much of the clean energy research that will help us free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil.

Not only is it not fair if all of this is done on the backs of middle-class families and poor families, it doesn’t make sense.  It may sound good to save a lot of money over the next five years, but not if we sacrifice our future for the next 50.

And that’s why people from both parties have said that the best way to take on our deficit is with a balanced approach –- one where the wealthiest Americans and big corporations pay their fair share, too.  (Applause.)  Before we stop funding energy research, we should ask oil companies and corporate jet owners to give up special tax breaks that other folks don’t get.  (Applause.)  Before we ask college students to pay more to go to college, we should ask hedge fund managers to stop paying taxes that are lower in terms of rates than their secretaries.  Before we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare -- (applause) -- before we ask seniors to pay more for Medicare, we should ask people like me to give up tax breaks that we don’t need and weren’t even asking for.  (Applause.)

So, NCLR, that’s at the heart of this debate.  Are we a nation that asks only the middle class and the poor to bear the burden?  After they’ve seen their jobs disappear and their incomes decline over a decade?  Are we a people who break the promises we’ve made to seniors, or the disabled, and leave them to fend for themselves?

That's not who we are.  We are better than that.  We’re a people who look out for one another.  We’re a people who believe in shared sacrifice, because we know that we rise or fall as one nation.  We’re a people who will do whatever it takes to make sure our children have the same chances and the same opportunities that our parents gave us -- not just the same chances, better chances, than our parents gave us.  That's the American way.

And that's what NCLR is all about.  That's what the Latino community is all about.  When I spoke to you as a candidate for this office, I said you and I share a belief that opportunity and prosperity aren’t just words to be said, they are promises to be kept.  Back then, we didn’t know the depths of the challenges that were going to lie ahead.  But thanks to you, we are keeping our promises.

We’re keeping our promise to make sure that America remains a place where opportunity is open to all who work for it.  We’ve cut taxes for middle-class workers and small businesses and low-income families.  We won credit card reform and financial reform, and protections for consumers and folks who use payday lenders or send remittances home from being exploited and being ripped off. (Applause.)  

We worked to secure health care for 4 million children, including the children of legal immigrants.  (Applause.)  And we are implementing health reform for all who've been abused by insurance companies, and all who fear about going broke if they get sick.  And these were huge victories for the Latino community that suffers from lack of health insurance more than any other group.

We’re keeping our promise to give our young people every opportunity to succeed.  NCLR has always organized its work around the principle that the single most important investment we can make is in our children’s education -– and that if we let our Latino students fall behind, we will all fall behind.  I believe that.  (Applause.)

So we’ve tied giving more money to reform.  And we’re working with states to improve teacher recruitment and retraining and retention.  We’re making sure English Language Learners are a priority for educators across the country.  We’re holding schools with high dropout rates accountable so they start delivering for our kids.  We’re emphasizing math and science, and investing in community colleges so that all of our workers get the skills that today’s companies want.  And we’ve won new college grants for more than 100,000 Latino students.  And as long as I am President, this country will always invest in its young people.  (Applause.)

These are victories for NCLR; they are victories for America.  And we did it with your help.  We're keeping our promises.  (Applause.)  

Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t have unfinished business.  I promised you I would work tirelessly to fix our broken immigration system and make the DREAM Act a reality.  (Applause.)  And two months ago -- two months ago, I went down to the border of El Paso to reiterate -- (applause.)  El Paso is in the house.  (Laughter and applause.)  To reiterate my vision for an immigration system that holds true to our values and our heritage, and meets our economic and security needs.  And I argued this wasn’t just the moral thing to do, it was an economic imperative.

In recent years, one in four high-tech startups in America  –- companies like Google and Intel -– were founded on immigrants.  One in six new small business owners are immigrants.  These are job creators who came here to seek opportunity and now seek to share opportunity.

This country has always been made stronger by our immigrants.  That what makes America special.  We attract talented, dynamic, optimistic people who are continually refreshing our economy and our spirit.  And you can see that in urban areas all across the country where communities that may have been hollowed out when manufacturing left, or were having problems because of an aging population, suddenly you see an influx of immigration, and you see streets that were full of boarded-up buildings, suddenly they're vibrant with life once again.  And it’s immigrant populations who are providing that energy and that drive.

And we have a system right now that allows the best and the brightest to come study in America and then tells them to leave, set up the next great company someplace else.  We have a system that tolerates immigrants and businesses that breaks the rules and punishes those that follow the rules.  We have a system that separates families, and punishes innocent young people for their parents’ actions by denying them the chance to earn an education or contribute to our economy or serve in our military.  These are the laws on the books.

Now, I swore an oath to uphold the laws on the books, but that doesn't mean I don't know very well the real pain and heartbreak that deportations cause.  I share your concerns and I understand them.  And I promise you, we are responding to your concerns and working every day to make sure we are enforcing flawed laws in the most humane and best possible way.

Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own.  (Applause.)  And believe me, right now dealing with Congress --

AUDIENCE:  Yes, you can!  Yes, you can!  Yes, you can!  Yes, you can!  Yes, you can!

THE PRESIDENT:  Believe me -- believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting.  (Laughter.)  I promise you. Not just on immigration reform.  (Laughter.)  But that's not how -- that's not how our system works.

     AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Change it!

     THE PRESIDENT:  That’s not how our democracy functions.  That's not how our Constitution is written.

     So let’s be honest.  I need a dance partner here -- and the floor is empty.  (Laughter.)

     Five years ago, 23 Republican senators supported comprehensive immigration reform because they knew it was the right thing to do for the economy and it was the right thing to do for America.  Today, they’ve walked away.  Republicans helped write the DREAM Act because they knew it was the right thing to do for the country.  Today, they’ve walked away.  Last year, we passed the DREAM Act through the House only to see it blocked by Senate Republicans.  It was heartbreaking to get so close and see politics get in the way, particularly because some of the folks who walked away had previously been sponsors of this.

     Now, all that has to change.  And part of the problem is, is that the political winds have changed.  That’s left states to come up with patchwork versions of reform that don’t solve the problem.  You and I know that's not the right way to go.  We can’t have 50 immigration laws across the country.

So, yes, feel free to keep the heat on me and keep the heat on Democrats.  But here’s the only thing you should know.  The Democrats and your President are with you.  (Applause.)  Are with you.  Don't get confused about that.  (Applause.)  Remember who it is that we need to move in order to actually change the laws.
Now, usually, as soon as I come out in favor of something, about half of Congress is immediately against it even if it was originally their idea.  (Laughter.)  You noticed how that works? (Laughter.)  So I need you to keep building a movement for change outside of Washington, one that they can’t stop.  (Applause.)  One that's greater than this community.  (Applause.)

We need a movement that bridges party lines, that unites business and labor and faith communities and law enforcement communities, and all who know that America cannot continue operating with a broken immigration system.  And I will be there every step of the way.  I will keep up this fight, because Washington is way behind where the rest of the country knows we need to.

And I know that can be frustrating.  This is a city where “compromise” is becoming a dirty word; where there’s more political upside in doing what’s easier for reelection, what’s easier for an attack ad, than what’s best for the country.  But, NCLR, I want you to know, when you feel frustration or you’re feeling cynical, and when you hear people say we can’t solve our problems or we can’t bring about the change that we’ve fought so hard for, I do want you to remember everything that we’ve already accomplished together just in two and a half years.  And I want you to remember why we do this in the first place.

Recently, I heard the story of a participant at this gathering that we had at the White House that I was telling you about at the top of my speech.  So this participant’s name was Marie Lopez Rogers.  (Applause.)  And Marie was born to migrant farm workers in Avondale, Arizona.  As a young girl, she and her brother would help their parents in the cotton fields.  And I’m assuming the temperatures were sort of like they’ve been the last couple days here in D.C.  And it was in those cotton fields that Marie’s father would tell her, “if you don’t want to be working in this heat, you better stay in school.”  So that's what Marie did.

And because of that, because of the tireless, back-breaking work of her parents, because of their willingness to struggle and sacrifice so that one day their children wouldn’t have to –- Marie became the first in her family to go to college.  And, interestingly, she now works at the very site where she used to pick cotton -- except now city hall sits there and Marie is the town’s mayor.  (Applause.)

So that’s the promise of America.  That is why we love this country so much.  That is why all of us are here.  That's why I am here.  Some of us had parents or grandparents who said, maybe I can’t go to college, but someday my child will go to college.  Maybe I can’t start my own business, but I promise you someday my child will start his or her own business.  I may have to rent today, but someday my child will have a home of her own.  My back may be tired, my hands may be cut, I may be working in a field, but someday –- someday -– my daughter will be mayor, or secretary of labor, or a Supreme Court justice.  (Applause.)


Hermanos y hermanas, that promise is in our hands.  It’s up to us to continue that story.  It’s up to us to hand it down to all of our children –- Latino, black, white, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled, not disabled.  (Applause.)  We’re one family, and we need each other.  And if we remember that and continue to focus on that, if we come together and work together as one people and summon the best in each other, I’m confident that promise will endure.

Thank you very much.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

Niagara-Wheatfield High School presents honor roll students

The following students from Niagara-Wheatfield High School have earned places on the fourth quarter honor roll.

Grade 9: Amanda Acee,Nataliya Aponchuk , Noah Asklar, Daniel Ball, Matthew Bartlett, Alexis Becker, Kyle Bennett, Kylee Black, Jason Bolea, Brianna Bors, Brandon Borzillire, Margaret Bourque, Kelsey Braham, Brianna Brandy, Megan Breier, Ashleigh Burgio, Bailey Cadwallader, Simrandeep Chahal, Elijah Coni, Jason Den Haese Jr., Daniel Dubetsky, Taylor Falzone, Nicholas Forcucci, Joseph Frantzen, Madelyn Gansworth, Dennis Garver, Daniel George, Kevin Grzeskowiak, Caitlyn Hannam, Amanda Hatfield-Wilson, Austin Hayes, Autumn Hayes, Shayna Helbig, Rachel Hempel, Sarah Herr, Brittany Hovland, Tristin Ingalsbe, Nicolette Jacobs, Joseph Kelly, Derrick Klosko,Holly Kolkmeyer , Matthew Kostiw,Joshua Latimer, Samantha Lelito, Edwin Leon, Alison Marshall, Sean Martin, Samuel Mattheus,Jack Mayo, Christian Montes, Jenna Montesanti, Michael Mordick, Aishah Mulkey, John O’Rourke III, Dylan Phillips, Dominick Pitruzella, Mitchell Pittman, Allison Plunkett, Robert Richau, Rebecca Rider, Cameron Rucci, Bailey Salemi, Helle Sauer, Robert Schimschack III, Miranda Silvernail, Nicholas Sperrazza, Elijah Szafran, Rafay Tariq, Chelsie Tolli, Jack Travers, Cody Treichler, Frank Vecchio II, Tanya Verma, Iason Vranic, Jillian Wagner, Lindsey Walter, Zachary Wilkinson, Leanne Wills, Kiayra Wright, Kelsey Yeates, Shane Zaharkin, and Erica Zendano.

Grade 10: Stephany Antonov,Elizabeth Barrett, Chelsea Beane, Matthew Berical, Arooj Bhatti, Casey Buccarelli, Nathan Budziszewski, Jordan Calkins, Ryan Callen, Rebecca Campbell, Anthony Cappuccilli, Courtney Carella, Taylor Churakos, Gabrielle Cleveley, Nicole Cosmano, Tyler Couch, Danielle Crocoll, Laura Crooks, John Danvir, Alyssa DePetris, Katelyn Doan, David Dobmeier , Zachary Dubuc, Jonathan Emmons, Cory Evans, Brianna Fiorita, Jared Franciosa, Christopher Galvano, Ashley Gates, Brianna Hasfurter-Wall, Michael Hils, Alexa Holler, Nilab Hussain, Jenna Hussey, Alexis Johnson, Terra Juda, Jack Kellogg, Cassandra Kaleigh McMonagle, Laura Messer, Vienna Mills, Amanda Mrzygut, Kyle Mt Pleasant, Dennis Murphy, Jordan Paige, Megan Perry, Samantha Ploetz, Zora Raglow-DeFranco, Elizabeth Raymond, Kyra Rieker, Michael Robins, Mitchell Ross, Alec Scalzo, Yaraslav Selevchuk, Melissa Smith, Jaclyn Smolen, Robert Steinjan III, Francesco Strangio, Murray Taylor II, Jessica Trunzo, Ondraea Tubbe, Sara Walck, Marissa Watroba, Courtney Weinholtz, Joseph Whitman, Alyssa Wright, Joseph Yanulevich Jr., Erika Zambotti, and Daniel Zendano.

Grade 11:Autumn Abadurko, Nicole Acee, Jordan Aldred, Alexis Ash, Brittney Bartlett, Erika Benham, Isaiah Brown, Molly Brown, Alora Brusino, Gabrielle Burns, William Butski, Olivia Caldwell, Alexis Cavese, Shieann Charles, Kristina Clendening, Jordan Cuddahee, Marina DiBartolomeo, Kaitlyn Downing, Ryan Elnicki, Kayleigh Falls, Michael Filler, Daniel Foley, Jacquelyn Gatto, Ashley Gilbert, Jonathan Gross, Megan Hardy, Dillon Hayes , Maggie Hempel, Courtney Janzen, Nicholas Johnson, Philip Karch, Brittney Kelly, Joshua Klettke, Rachel Kocsis, Samantha Lamar, Gina Lauricella, Raquel Lowery, William Lumadue, Mark Marchetti, Raman Maur, Katherine Mayes, Coren Mitchell, Sawyer Mosher, Jeremy Moss, Marc Notaro, Anthony Oliveri, Victoria Piazza, Sarah Povinelli, Kristin Rivers, Seena Sallah, Amanda Salvatore, Gregory Schiesser, Alyssa Sciria , Alix Sharrow, Brandi Stenzel, Whitney Taylor, Tiffanie Tisack, Sarah Tober, Emily Trunzo, Brittany VanCuran, Tamara Vyazovaya, Troy Wagner, Nicole Waldeck, Andrew J. Williams, Rachel Winstanley, and John Taylor-Woods. 

Grade 12: Nicolas Alexis, Briget Arway, Victoria Baron, Heather Barry, Chelsea Boland, Kelly R. Bourque, Jeremy Brant,Amanda Breier, Kanisha Brinson, Sarah Buch, Kristina Butski, Taylor Casilio, Mariel Chambers, Jeremy Chapman, Taylor Cochran, Jaclyn Corsaro, Katelyn Cuddahee, Cameron Cusick, Devon Danovskis, April Davis, Nicholas DiCosmo, Adam Donner, Robert Dorato, Miranda Dube, Andrew Dunbar, Tyler Duncan, Maria Fera, Kristiana Ferguson, Angelina Ferlito, Chelsea Flynn, Victoria Gray, Katelyn Gruarin, Nicholas Grzeskowiak, Fadouma Hamza, Nicholas Hannam, Brandon Hansen, Brianne Hebeler, Alexandra Hiller, Brittany Hoover, Stephan Horne, Brandon Iacona, Jared Kish, Emily Knab, Emily Kolb, Lucas Kowalczyk, Timothy Krawczyk II, Allina Lamorticella, Gabrielle Lewis, Devin Lizzio, Anthony Lloyd, Kaitlyn Luss, Claire Martin, Steven McDermott, Rhiannon McDonell, Michael McQuade, Lucas Nearhoof, Marissa Oakey, Megan O’Rourke, Joshua Palazzo, Justin Phillips, Paige Printup, Yegunahareeta Printup, Alyssa Remsnyder, Steven Rickard, Terrell Roberson, Matthew Sensie, Yvonne Shaff, Stephanie Soos,Anthony Staschak, Kailey Walck, Renee Whitman,Kelsey Wielgosz,Nicole Zendano.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Kenmore East High School high honor roll

The following students at Kenmore East High School have earned spots on the high honor roll for the fourth marking period.

Grade 9: Rachel Adel, Thomas Andolesek, Lindsay Andrews, Derek Baker, Amanda Bartolotta, Thomas Barton, Sarah Bissell, Richard Brinkman, Daniel Bub, Brooke Christopher, Clare Christy, Sarah Crissy, Cristina DiStefano, Caitlyn Fisher, Ryan Flynn, Noah Groves, Courtney Haeick, Amanda Hladik, Paige Hoffman, Graham Jones, Nicholas Jurewicz, Christian Kyles, Mario Lodico, Charlote Luft, Jeremy Michalski, Morgan Miller, Delaney Nola, Leah Novo, Erin O’Brien, Brandon Parker, Haley Parker, Alicia Pooley, Jennifer Porreca, Danielle Rosina, Rachel Shapiro, McQuaid Smyth, Julia Snitzer, Jack Stelianou, Andrea Stutz, Jonathan Tessmer, Glenn Thomakos, Samuel Tulipane, Wei Wang, Steven Winters, and Jeremy Wood.

Grade 10: Monika Aleksandrova, Alexandra Barclay, Aaron Barraclough, Kaitlyn Benware, Louis Capizzi, Samantha Cerankoski, Michael Christie, Matthew Cordovani, Michael Crawford, Michael DePasquale, Victoria DePonceau, Alicia DiVita, Matthew Donn, Joseph Dowdall, Peter Dragos, Katherine Fahs, James Feind, Eric Frauenhofer, Timothy Georger, Kirsten Goodrow, Jacquelyn Harning, Elaina Hill, Kathleen Kane, Rebekah Kern, Stephen Kern, Kara Landberg, Nicholas Limina, Alexander Lisowski, Christine McDonald, Peter McNamara, John Mirabella, David Morris, Morgann Obrochta, Kyle Patterson, Daniel Petrino, John Posch, Kimberly Potfora, Kelly Rife, Amanda Roberts, Deirdre Rudroff, Timothy Schmidt, Amanda Schultz, Jacqueline Schwob, Zachary Smith, Hailey Sorrento, Christina Spataro, Trevor Taggert, Brandi Thomas, Nathaniel Weller, Laura Werwinski, Chelsea Weselak, Laura Wilkinson, and Julianne Yendall.

Grade 11: Jillian Annis, James Arnold, Sarah Barth, Jaclyn Bellanti, Paul Brylinski, Cristian Burgio, Tierra Bush, Kristine Butler, Stephen Clapp, Corey Cook, Megan Crawford, Sean Daniel, Cayla Fish, Morgan Flynn, Alex Fultz, Alexander Gradle, Shannon Griffin, Abigail Helsel-Zielinski, Megan Hertel, Ryan Hubbell, Liam Jones, Robert Karker, Cortney LaMacchia, Devon Lambie, Katrina Loss, Courtney Lowinger, Kelsey McCarthy, Lisa McGuire, Aline Musel, Genevieve O’Connell, Katherine Panzica, Sarah Papaj, Dennis Posheluk, Alexander Rauen, Megan Schifferli, Demi Schlotzhauer, Allison Schmitz, Courtney Smith, Samuel Speciale, Mitchell Sperrazza, Joel Stith, Chelsea Swanekamp, Dylan Szucs, Maria Ta, Lindsay Thomas,Brandon Voyer, Jessica Wagner, Tiffany Wagner, Emily Warren, Stefanie Watt, Kevin Weigel, and Kaylee Willis.

Grade 12: Summer Amoia, Amanda Aniolowski, Kathryn Blanch, Ian Boswell, James Boswell, Amy Brooks, Alissa Bumbolo, Chelsea Butkowski, Matthew Butler, David Byrwa, Angeline Cannizzaro, Tyler Coniglio, Maxwell Costello, Valerie Crissy, Matthew Czerniejewski, Diana Dantonio, Collin deGuehery, Megan Fagyas, Kelsie Flynn, Robert Frantz, Kate Ganczarz, Alexandra Gerbec, Jordyn Giannantonio, Alexandria Goudy, Rachel Grandits, Kristin Hatch, Sherrie Houck, Jeffrey Johnson, William Kellner, Alexi Koehne, Christie Loudermilk, Andre Miller, Sasha Nagelhout, Deanna Nolan, Dillon Olivieri, Morgon Olson, Amanda Oppermann, Evan Pagano, Siddharth Patel, Dominique Pizza, Ailsa Prohn, Christopher Quirin, Richard Rambuss, Michael Regis,Kimberlyn Rife, Alec Safy, Nicole Sayre, Thomas Schwob, Nicholas Seigler, Mark Sledziewski, Andrea Snitzer, Richard Sperrazza, Jeffrey Spors, Alexandra Storms, Jessica Tomasello,Timothy Valint, Connor Walters, Kristin Webb, Corey Weigand, Christopher White, Stephanie Wood, Ashley Yager, and Selina Zaccaria.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Review of Cheap Trick at Artpark Buffalo, NY

By Dave Ricci

There's nothing quite like the feeling of catching up with old friends.

And that's what it felt like when Cheap Trick took to the stage at Artpark on July 19.

Front man Robin Zander, who was decked out in a white "Dream Police"
uniform, still has some of the best pipes in the business.

His voice was as full and powerful Tuesday night as it was in the band's peak years of the 1970s and 80s.
Comprised of guitarist Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson on bass and Nielsen's son, Dax, on drums, Cheap Trick hit the mark with a crowd estimated at well over 10,000 people.

Cheap Trick remarked at least four times during the course of the night how happy they were to be in Lewiston, and wasn't just lip service as the band had a close call Sunday in Ottawa.

Cheap Trick was performing at the Ottawa Bluesfest when a torrential downpour swooped in and literally tore the stage apart as rivets could be heard popping out of place as the stage began to collapse.
Though none of the band members were among the three people that were reported injured, they did comment that some of their "A" equipment was damaged. An understatement to be sure.

In reality all of Cheap Trick's equipment was either crushed or soaked through and they had to work overtime to find replacement equipment before coming to Western New York.

Though you never would have known anything was out of place as everything sounded close to perfect.
There was balance as no one instrument overpowered the other and vocals were clean and crisp throughout.
Playing a wide variety of selections from their 35-year body of work, the songs that obviously got the best response from fans were the classics such as "I Want You To Want Me," "The Flame," and "Surrender."

Cheap Trick also did a bit of a tease as they saved "Dream Police" for their encore.

Once again, it was like visiting with old friends. Cheap Trick still has a passion for what they do which is what made the show so enjoyable.

Cheap Trick's impact on pop culture was also brought to light as the introduction included sound bytes from various TV shows and movies that referenced Cheap Trick. Most notably a classic moment from The Simpsons' when Bart asked Homer, "Haven't you ever heard yourself on tape?" And Homer casually stated "I prefer to listen to Cheap Trick."

There's no doubt it, Cheap Trick has made their mark.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Dominating year for Nichols High School

by Dave Ricci, Metro Source

You couldn’t have drawn up a better season if you were given the rights to the movie.

The Nichols Vikings girls varsity lacrosse team entered the 2011 season on a mission.

A second place finish in the Mid-West League in 2010 just wasn’t good enough. They were determined to do better.

Their resolve paid off as the Vikings walked away this season as Mid-West Schoolgirl champions, a title they won during the playoff tournament that was played May 21-22 at Nichols.

The Vikings, who earned the programs very first title since Mid-West League was formed in 1982, sealed the title by defeating Western Reserve 9-3 on May 22.

The Vikings were ranked No.3 in the field of 12 teams.

Along with skilled players, the Vikings had tremendous leadership, as coaches Danielle Vallas and Beth Stone credited the seniors as the key factor that got them over the hump this time out.

Setting the tone were seniors Lauren Basil and Marissa Faso. Basil was named to the All-Metro first team, while Faso was presented with the Metro Leadership Award for her work on and off the athletic field.
The rest of the Vikings certainly weren’t short-changed on post season hardware.

Basil and Spring Sanders were named to the U.S. Lax, WNY chapter, All-American team.

Goalie Julia DiTondo and senior Tori Salmon were tabbed as US Lacrosse Academic All-Americans.
Basil, Sanders and Emily Janiga were named All-Mid-West first teamers, while Julia DiTondo, Faso and Salmon were named to the second team.

Janiga, DiTondo, Sanders and Basil were also selected to first team All-WNY.

Janiga was the Vikings leading scorer and formed a deadly 1-2 offensive punch with junior Kristen Winter.
DiTondo was simply sparkling in net all season and Sanders was as good of a lock-down defender as anyone in the state.

Freshman Madison Sansone was outstanding all year, as well. Sansone played with the poise of an upper-classman.

She never seemed to be in over her head and was always calm and collected whenever her coaches imparted advice.

Sansone has world of promise.

The Vikings bid goodbye to Basil, Faso, Salmon, Sanders, Njideka Noble, Haley McNamara and Nicolette Winder.

Winter, Janiga, DiTondo, Sansone, Shelby Wilde and Elizabeth Benedict are returnees the Vikings will lean on next year.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Niagara-Orleans softball all-stars unveiled

League champion Albion had a trio of players named to the annual All-Niagara-Orleans League first team, as selected by the league’s coaches.

The Purple Eagles, who claimed their third consecutive league crown with a 12-2 record, were represented by senior first baseman Emalee Soule, junior pitcher Jen Knaak and junior second baseman Tia Prentice.
Soule hit .298 with 17 RBIs, Knaak hit .358 with 13 RBis and Prentice hit .315 with 10 RBIs. Knaak also struck out 97 and had a 1.69 ERA in the circle.
Royalton-Hartland and Wilson, which tied for second place with a identical 10-4 marks, each had two representatives on the first team. Senior pitcher Amanda Werth and freshman catcher Sam Brown are from Roy-Hart, while senior infielder Elise Jancef, a repeat selection, and sophomore pitcher Lindsey Bryer are from Wilson.

Werth, a five-time, first-team selection and a Niagara University signee, hit .560 with an on-base percentage of .656 and 21 RBIs. Brown hit .410 with 15 RBIs. Jancef, a repeat selection, hit .604 with 11 extra-base hits, including four home runs, and 19 RBIs. Bryer hit .542 with 11 doubles and 14 RBIs.

Medina senior pitcher Alishia Foss is also a repeat selection. This spring she hit .358 with 19 runs scored and 13 RBIs. She struck out 73 batters in the circle.

Barker senior pitcher Jessica Hillman, Akron sophomore pitcher Alexis Kidder, Newfane sophomore catcher Jordan Beutel and CSAT sophomore infielder Michelle Maloney round out the first team.

Hillman hit .389 with nine extra-base hits, KIdder hit .413 with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBIs, Beutel hit .306 with 10 RBIs and Maloney hit .509 with a .655 slugging percentage.

Second-team selections included: Sarah Papponetti (Albion, sophomore), Katie Donnelly (Albion, senior), Chelsey Jamieson (Roy-Hart, senior), Jillian Smith (Roy-Hart, senior), Stormie Kruger (Medina, sophomore), Mallorie Gagnon (Wilson, sophomore), Jamie Curry (Wilson, sophomore), Alex Denny (Barker, junior), Olivia Denny (Barker, freshman), Hayley Klumpp (Akron, sophomore) and Katie Shaw (Newfane, sophomore).

Honorable-mention selections included: Ali O’Hearn (Albion, sophomore), Brianna Walker (Roy-Hart, sophomore), Olivia Kelkenberg (Roy-Hart, sophomore), Jen Russell (Roy-Hart, senior), Molly Murphy (Roy-Hart, junior), Megan Corrieri (Roy-Hart, senior), Deseree Hughes (Medina, senior), Emma Fish (Medina, sophomore), Jaime Cogar (Newfane, senior), Shannon Shaw (Newfane, senior), Jamie Kerwin (Newfane, sophomore), Destiny Metzler (Barker, junior), Stephanie Pyra (Barker, junior), Kierstyn Sturmer (Akron, junior), Ashley Popp (Akron, senior), Ashley Wyder (Akron, senior), Samantha Dugo (CSAT, sophomore), Danielle Wright (CSAT, senior) and Kailey Schultz (Wilson, junior).