If you get a chance, I hope you read this article in today's Buffalo News by Phil Fairbanks. The article is about the Hickory Woods neighborhood today. I was surprised to learn that Richard Lippes, the Environmental lawyer who represented the homeowners got 1/3 of the $7 million dollar settlement. Can you imagine how much good he will now be able to do for the environment?
Lippes should give 2/3 of that money to Joseph Gardella. He's the UB Chemistry professor that really stuck his neck out for the neighborhood residents. Every time City Hall would come out with one of their lies, Gardella would refute it with the scientific facts.
It was really nice to see the neighbors mention my brother Pat and his son Matthew. It shows that they care about their neighbors as much as about themselves. Matthew was born legally blind with severe birth defects. They say God doesn't give people more challenges than they can handle. This is true in this situation. Many people wanted Patrick to put Matthew in a home. He did. He put him in two homes. His and Matthew's grandmother's. If you met Matthew, you would quickly realize he is a gift. No other way to describe him. Patrick notes his vision has improved recently. He is 14 years old now. For the first 13 years of his life, he needed to be dragged up the porch to get in his grandmothers house. Yesterday, I went to help his grandmother drag him up the stairs. Matthew bolted by himself up six or seven stairs and into the house without using a railing. My mother told me he recently began doing this on his own. You want to talk about a tough kid. The article mentions that they've recently moved. It should be noted that Patrick and Matthew still live in South Buffalo.
There are many great residents living in the Hickory Woods. I wish all them the best of luck dealing with this difficult situation.
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