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Editor’s note: Each Friday, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino uses Our Schools Channel to post a missile via Youtube. When the Express has time, we transcribe so you don’t have to watch.
Kudos to the Buffalo News
Expressing appreciation to the Buffalo News for a wonderful editorial about projects and progress on Main Street.
“At least there is one local print media outlet that recognizes that it is important to talk about the positive things that happen. So I appreciate their commentary on the good work that is being done by our committee on Main Street.
“Further about that, with the announcement of these projects, some new developers have now come to the table to have conversations about properties that they are interested in and potential projects for Main Street.
“The plan has always been to move with some discretion in making sure the projects that are being proposed are solid, has some personal investment, private investment rather, by those who are proposing them. And of course, our group then works to help those developers obtain whatever program benefits they can through the various agencies, county and state as well as local that are available for the project. So again, that is moving along in the right direction."
Hockey rink is not on thin ice
“The other thing on the category of good news is that contrary to so many voices, hockey continues to be played at the ice rink. You know, teams are coming in, they are playing, tournaments are getting scheduled and so, for all those who thought that, for whatever reason, the world might be coming to an end, I want to assure them that the ice rink at Hyde Park is going to continue to provide ice for all of the activities that continue to be provided there.
Americarb good news
“Also, you may not have heard anything about this because obviously the local print media may or may not be interested in these stories but a company in our city called Americarb, it’s located out on Niagara Falls Boulevard, just secured a $33.5 million contract with the defense department that will continue production and manufacturing there, continue to extend employment and so it is a great victory for them. We certainly appreciate their presence and investment in the city of Niagara Falls.
I want to be sure you get those items because you may not hear about them anywhere else. Those are some of the great things going on in the community.
Be a careful driver
Recently in the past several days we’ve again had some incidents on the roadways in our city. I know I have said this repeatedly in these messages but I think it is really, really important for all of us, whether you are driving a car, or you are on a bike, an e-bike, a scooter, whatever it is you are using while you are on the road, I think it is really important to remember to be familiar with all the things going on around you. Pay attention but be aware paying attention means paying attention to what’s happening around you, looking both ways at and intersection, understanding if you are riding an e-bike or a scooter you have those same obligations at an intersection to be careful.
“Nobody should assume that they have superiority on the road. The only way to make the road safe is for all of us to remember that we are sharing it and as we share it, we need to be mindful of one another. It’s really not that hard.
“The time it takes for a bike or a scooter to make a turn, change a lane. The only way to make the road safe is for all of us to remember that we are sharing it and as we share it, we need to be mindful of one another. It’s really not that hard."
Witnessing an accident
“I think it was Sunday, at the intersection of Pine and Packard, I saw an incredible accident caused by two drivers that thought that each one of them should be in charge of the way to go. Nobody is going to yield to anybody. And in that, I ended up seeing one vehicle, frankly as I came driving past the scene, one vehicle had the entire drivers side of the vehicle crushed in, the other, it almost seemed the front end of the car has disintegrated. It was just everywhere. You could see the engine. The accident had to be at some impact. It is really a function of not, it is OK to yield. It is OK to let the other person go. It doesn’t make you less of a person, it doesn’t make you a bad driver, it doesn’t mean someone is running your life. It is really about making sure that you are safe, that you get to where you need to get to safely, the other person gets to where they have to get to safely. I don’t know, there is no scorecard that says ‘aha I beat you’
“The tragedy is when someone is seriously hurt or worse. That’s when you really think about ‘was it important? Was it really important for me to do that?’
“I am going to say it again and I hope it starts to sink in with all of us that it’s everybody’s responsibility for all of us to make the roads safe. There are those who think it is the police and the government, no. There are signs out there, there's things that we learn when we start to drive that should control how we operate and not obeying them is crazy. And obeying them does not make you less of a person, OK?
Weather
As you can all tell it is getting colder. One of the things we want to do is make sure our homes are ready for winter. Let’s face it, it is coming. If you are out and about be mindful of that. Check in on senior citizens do what you can to make things better.
