Potpourri for a Wednesday

Potpourri for a Wednesday

Keep Niagara Beautiful

I can’t repeat it enough. Saturday, May 9 is the annual Niagara Beautification Commission Beautify Niagara event. Clean up is 10 a.m. to noon. The after party at the aquarium is noon to 2 p.m.

Imagine if we did such a good job Casella had to change its rules of engagement because it’s too much work. It is “Good Trouble” in the John Lewis sense. Let’s make it happen!

One special request: Please message me if you are willing to volunteer to help serving food for the after-party.

https://www.keepniagarabeautiful.org/beautify-niagara-registration

Paying attention

There are numerous well-intentioned commentators spouting regular nonsense, including me.

The thing is, when it comes to something like the state-funded Downtown Redevelopment Initiative announced in 2019 and still wallowing in bureaucracy, reposting a news article from 7 years ago so you can say “aha! we caught Restaino redhanded!” is at best, disingenuous.

The Express has written numerous times about where the DRI stands. As Saladin Allah pointed out Tuesday, the money allocated still rests with the State. It is reimbursable.

In other words, if your project, as designed, costs $6 million, including $3 million in grant funding, you get no money until the project is done. If covid happens, and interest rates spike, and you can’t fund your end, you get no reimbursement. Restaino does not have a magic bank account where he’s hiding $10 million just hoping we stop watching so he can steal it.

Mayor Restaino is a lot of things. A thief is not one of them.

Counting blessings

Several weeks ago, we went to a Rich Pysz Lewiston Antiques Estate sale in our neighborhood. I grabbed 10 Niagara Falls History books including 2 from Paul Gromosiak. It set me back $36.

“Natures Niagara” and “Soaring Gulls and Bowing Trees” were both great reads.

We have a set of etchings that are Amos Sangster reproductions distributed by Occidental perhaps as a Christmas gift. When I saw a small book dedicated to reproducing Sangster’s work and published by Ralph Robertson on 2000, I added it. Interesting collection but the treasure was in the back. A Jan. 26, 2002 Book Corrner receipt taped in the back. The purchased paid $20. $21.40 with tax.

On the bottom of the receipt: Western New York's Largest Independent Book Store since 1927. Two cats! Three floors of new and used books.

The curious question: Did they pay the 40 cents?

Jeff Morrow, who owns the store rounds up or down with new customers getting a curmudgeonly lecture:

“If you are paying with cash, I l know longer deal in coin.

“We will round up or round down but I will not accept coin.”

Morrow is quirky, helpful and just a little cranky. That receipt makes the book just a bit more valuable