Seneca St. car show

The Seneca St. car show was held today. For the first time ever (I think), they didn't get poured on. Congratulations to all the entrants. Someone sent these photos of this year's overall winners. Wow, the things they can do these days to spruce up automobiles...

New WalMart on Seneca Street

Stop by this Friday at 1PM and join the South Buffalo Team (Brian Higgins, Mark Schroeder, and Tim Kennedy) as they join West Seneca's Wallace Piotrowski for the grand opening of the new Walmart on Seneca Street.

As this after photo shows, the transformation has been incredible. Walk inside and see the cat sized rats amidst the broken down Gold Circle shopping carts. Hopefully, your car won't fall through the huge cracks in the parking lot.

You thought the Seneca Street revitalization project was just a scam? You've obviously haven't been to the government funded GED Center. You clearly haven't walked through the government funded Americorps offices. Salvation Army? Don't forget the Methadone clinic down the street. You don't know what you've been missing. This stretch of land looks like a Berlin ghetto in the height of WWII.
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Welcome to Seneca St.

This is hilarious. Police caught a parole violator today on Seneca St after a lengthy chase. He has a previous conviction for murder. The best part of the clip is when Ed Drantch from channel 4 describes the attire of the suspect. At 0:18, he says the fugitive, Terrell Smith, was wearing only socks and a "wife beater." I wonder if Hanes uses that term in their catalogs? Stay classy channel 4.

This is followed by a hilarious interview with a neighbor, whom the suspect offered $30 for the use of his phone as the police were looking for him. The man (who is black) said there were so many cops, he was about to run!

After the story, some neighborhood kids beat up Drantch for wearing such a gay looking scarf on a 34 degree day...

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New Years on Seneca St.

Francesca's on Seneca Street had a ball drop tonight at midnight. I thought this was a good idea. I'm not sure how many people knew about it, though. One of our reporters, Guido Sarducci, sent us this photo a few hours before the event...

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Our Lady of Seneca Street

Channel 2 did this story on "Our Lady of Seneca Street." I always thought that was a woman who hung out at Hoppers, but I guess that had a different meaning.

The Virgin Mary came to me last night in a dream and said Dave Franczyk's been in city hall for 25 years, with disastrous results and needs to resign and go cook Polish Sausages in the Broadway Market...

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Restaurant review: Francesca's

Fresh from his recent debacle at Leo's Pizza (see the pizza incident Oct.9, 2011), the Ninja called me up. He had heard Francesca's on Seneca Street had a great deal on Tuesdays and wanted to know if I wanted to check it out. As you might know, the only thing the Ninja loves more than Quick Draw or a roulette wheel is a quality meal at an affordable price.

He called it Francesca's last chance at redemption. The last time he went there he gave it a C, mainly because the desert tray was too close to the restroom exits. (This man takes his dining very seriously.) The Tuesday special at Francesca's is $5 appetizers and/or $10 entrees. Before the meal, the waiter came out and gave us some delicious bread. Ninja thought it was part of an appetizer, but was pleasantly surprised when told it was free. He was a little perplexed when the waiter sniffed my soft drink before placing it on the table. The Ninja said if it were his drink, he might have asked for another one. For his entree, he chose to go with the chicken cacciatore.

This meal brought tears of joy to my feudal friend. At the end of the meal, he was literally crying. He told the waiter a great meal sometimes has the ability to bring him to tears. Francesca's had achieved an A- rating from the Ninja who vowed to return on a future Tuesday. So mention the Blogger sent you, and they'll probably say, "Who the hell is the Blogger?"

As an aside: Francesca's has a Frank Sinatra impersonator perform every Friday evening. From what I'm told, the show has become very popular. The performer is blind, and sounds exactly like the real deal. Here's an interesting tidbit that you probably already knew anyway: The character Johhny Fontaine from the Godfather movies was allegedly based on the real life of Frank Sinatra. Here is Al Pacino telling his future bride about Fontaine's rise to the top...



The Pizza Incident:
http://mikeblake-myopinions.blogspot.com/2011/10/pizza-incident.html

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Fight on Seneca St.

A gang of thugs attacked a man on Seneca Street with knives and a broken beer bottle. When we were kids, we settled things with guns (after we walked 10 miles to school in the snow). I'm kind of surprised this happened, actually. On Seneca St. at 4AM on a Saturday night, people are usually so rational and level headed...

Gang with knives, bottles attacks man on Seneca St.

A gang of eight to 10 believed to be wielding knives and broken beer bottles attacked a man about 4 a.m. Saturday on the 2000 block of Seneca Street.

The victim, Joseph Marinaro, whose age and address were not included in the police report, suffered multiple lacerations, the most serious of which extended from his left side to his back.

He was transported to Mercy Hospital and then Erie County Medical Center, and was discharged later Saturday after receiving treatment.

Friday night they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's bar and grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
And if the boys want to fight, you'd better let them...

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Latest from accident on Seneca St.

After watching the accident on Seneca and Duerstein, it appears two people were in the wrong. The victim was crossing against a green light, which on Seneca Street, is a very unwise thing to do. The driver fled the scene and waited almost an hour before calling the police. How someone could strike another person with their vehicle, and not immediately pull over, is beyond me.

I understand the driver is an elderly woman, which does make me have more sympathy for her. However, I believe her first concern should have been for the victim. If it was you or one of your relatives struck by the car, how would you feel knowing the driver took off and waited an hour before calling the authorities? In any event, Seneca Street remains dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. People drive too fast and often pass you on the right. There are many pedestrians, and people need to be more observant while on this street. The victim should never have crossed against a green light, but the driver should have seen her walk right in front of her car.

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Bike Trip 2011

I was introduced to this story by my friend Carla Panikowski-Thomas. Carla was there 25 years ago during the first trip.

As a way thanking the Seneca Babcock Community Center for it's role in shaping their lives, three men from the neighborhood set out to ride their bikes across the perimeter of the United States in 1986.

Two of the men had become doctors, yet never forgot their humble roots. With 2,000 miles left in their trip, they were involved in a terrible collision with a tractor trailer. They had to abandon their efforts. 25 years later, the guys from Babcock have decided to finish the journey.

They talk about Bob Kurtz, the man who ran the Community Center. I remember playing baseball down at the Boys and Girls Club in the mid 80s and I vaguely remember Mr.Kurtz. The people down there were very down to earth and accommodating to us. Even though we weren't from the neighborhood, they made us feel welcome. It was a great place to be. I wish these guys the best of luck with their trip. They've become successful in life through their hard work, yet have not forgotten the people that assisted them along the way. What a great example they are setting to their own kids by helping the kids from the old neighborhood. I think it's great that 25 years later, they are finishing what they started...

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Seneca St. standoff-Baby Mama drama

Throw down your guns and come out sound clip The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear sound clips

There were domestic incidents with rumors of potential hostages. The SWAT team was called to Seneca St. Gun shots were fired. And this all happened before the hostage incident. Authorities aren't disclosing too many details but we're pretty sure the words babymama and babydaddy were uttered. It's hard to believe this would happen. People like this are usually so good at resolving their differences without having the authorities involved...




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Fire at Seneca St. pet store

A sad story from Seneca St. today as the pet store across from Cazenovia Park burned down. Authorites report all the animals inside died. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time...

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Walmart on Seneca St.

I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of WalMart. Groups opposed to them have documented all the effects they've had on certain communities. The main thing I hate to see is small businesses driven out of business by the retail giant.

However, it seems to me like the proposed Walmart at the former Ames plaza on Seneca St. is a win-win situation for the neighborhood as well as WalMart. I don't see what businesses they would be driving out of town. There isn't much on that part of Seneca St.to drive out and I think this investment could also help spur other businesses to pop up, nearby. It is on a bus route, so I think people from all over the city (who don't drive) might go there. Their money is just as green as anybody else's (unless they are using food stamps). West Seneca mayor Wally"Mart" Piotrowski and Assemblyman "Wall"Mark Schroeder should be commended for dealing directly with WalMart management to get the deal done. I could be wrong, but I feel this is a positive development for Seneca St. I would like to apply for the greeter position. However, from what I understand, some famous people are already being considered.

Walmart eyes Seneca Street location for new store : Eastern Suburbs : The Buffalo News

Two Chairs, one bike, no problem...

Those of you who moved out of state might miss scenes like this. It's only 11 seconds of video but I had to film it. It's a young man (looks like early 20s) trying to transport two chairs via his bike. One was one his head. This scene took place earlier today on Roanoke and Navajo (off of Seneca St.)Of course, our cameras were there to capture this important feat

Harvest House

I saw this story on Channel 2 about Gary and Linda Tatu. It talks about how much they have accomplished since they sold their house in the suburbs and bought an old, dilapidated church on Seneca St.

I was there in their first year when they met much opposition from neighbors. I ran a two month indoor soccer program in an attempt to get more kids from Seneca St. involved in our summer soccer leagues.I'll never forget how hospitable Gary and Linda were towards me and how much physical work Gary put into improving the building. He always had his blue Harvest House t-shirt and wore a giant cross.Not many people know that the two are Roman Catholics.

They talk about their early years and mention the soccer program in a book they co-authored. Gary has been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia. However, he still works tirelessly to improve the neighborhood. Watch this clip to see how much two people can accomplish with little more than faith and a hammer.

Tops restores B-Kwik on Seneca St.

I spoke to Assemblyman Mark Schroeder a few weeks ago about doing some articles about the attempted revitalization of Seneca St. He mentioned the photos inside the newly refurbished Tops (formerly B-Kwik) and the new Tim Hortons next door as potential stories.

I was always a fan of this store, even before they fixed it up. I like smaller stores where you can pick something up quick. They also have always had a great selection of fresh fruit in the store. The store looks so much better on the inside as well as the outside since Tops decided to invest a few bucks into it. Anyway, whoever came up with the idea for the pictures did a great job. In case you haven't been inside in awhile, I took a quick tour of the store. Thank you to my old friend from the Old 1st Ward Center, Justin Jacobson, for letting me film inside the store.

Seneca/Babcock 2005

I found this old clip on YouTube. It is worth showing again even though it is five years old. It shows how the people of the Seneca/Babcock neighborhood reacted when a group of liberals suffering from "white guilt" came down to their neighborhood from their suburban homes to try and tell them how they should live. How can you take anything from this story seriously? They interviewed the one guy while he was standing in front of Pandora's Boxxx. The last guy had a great line. He said, "We're not in the KKK. I'm Irish-Catholic. The KKK hates me as much as they hate blacks." I thought this was well said, despite the fact he was probably wearing a wife beater and smoking Newports when he said it.

I don't like to talk about race too much on here. However, blacks and poor whites have more in common with each other than these bleeding hearts from East Amherst. If they love Seneca/Babcock so much, why don't some of them relocate there? The residents should have egged their minivans and told them never to come back.

BB Gun shooting on Seneca St.

Terrible story from today's Buffalo News. I'm not sure from the article whether the shooting victim knew the shooter or if it was just a random act of stupidity. All you have to do is read this blog's crime reports each week to see there are certain problem streets in South Buffalo. The same streets show up over and over again each week. I just hope they catch whoever did this and throw the book at him...

Victim loses eye in BB gun shooting
A Zittel Street man lost an eye Friday after he was shot with a BB gun in South Buffalo.
Joseph Ray was hit in the left eye at about 5:20 p. m. in a parking lot at 2186 Seneca St., near Cazenovia Street, Buffalo police said.
He was taken to Erie County Medical Center.
The shooter was not known.

Shop in Your Neighborhood

Small businesses across the country have been closing shop during the last decade. However, in South Buffalo, I believe there's been some light at the end of the tunnel. There have been pockets of hope on Seneca St., South Park Avenue, and over at the Clinton/Bailey Market. I know in 2001, Seneca St. looked terrible. The only businesses on it were run down bars. I believe things started to improve during the next year and have slowly continued.

The Tops on Seneca St. along with Francesca's, Dairy King, Wiseguys Pizza, and McCarthy's Funeral Home have that block looking very good. It is well lit and busy with shoppers. I know I sometimes go to the Tops over there due to it's proximity to Tim Hortons. On South Park, there is a new plaza on Okell St. with Leo's Pizza and the appliance store whose name I can't remember. That block, along with Mineo's Pizza and the South Buffalo Dance Academy looks good as well. The Wayside is not too far, either. There is also a nice car show in the Fall as well as a Taste of South Buffalo. Two events that I think are catching on in popularity.

Since 2001, Assemblyman Mark Schroeder has preached for residents to shop in their own neighborhoods. The Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, formed in the same year and led by Ann Enger, has been instrumental in helping newer businesses get off the ground and showcasing existing businesses. Ann's office is located inside Assemblyman Schroeder's office at Seneca and Cazenovia St.In fact, I don't consider this blog a business. However, Mark told me he reads it regularly and both Ann and Mark have opted to work with it, instead of against it. Both have also helped us with our efforts to promote indoor and travel soccer in South Buffalo.

I hope to speak to Ann about possibly getting some of the small businesses to donate gift certificates to raffle off to the readers. That way, the businesses get the advertising as well as potential new customers and the readers would get gift certificates for local businesses. I hope to showcase some of the good things happening in our area, while still reporting everything else.Much still needs to be done. Unfortunately, there are still small pockets of people living on some of these sidestreets causing disruptions to families trying to do the right thing. It would be nice to see the good, law abiding families of South Buffalo take back their neighborhoods. One small, but important step is to take back the commercial strips by shopping there.

More Turmoil at St. Teresa's

Looks like St. Teresa's Church is in the news again. Karen Krajewski, an alleged whistleblower to financial irregularities at the church, was shown the door by the new pastor. She will be replaced by a yet to be named deacon. This story will provide gossip at St. Teresa's bingo games for the next 25 years. The diocese has not named the new deacon but my sources have obtained this previously unseen footage of him in his youth.


Another St. Teresa whistle-blower loses job*

New Restaurant Opens on Seneca St.

Francesca's, a new Italian restaurant, has opened on Seneca St. It took over two years for Steve Marchione to transform the 87 year old building from a tavern into a restaurant. Years ago, the tavern was called Marchione's and used to have a legendary karaoke night on Saturdays. I give credit to anyone willing to start a small business in today's tough economic climate and wish them great success. Please contribute to the revitalization of the Seneca St. neighborhood and give this new restaurant a try.
Francesca’s opens on Seneca Street*