Welcome back, UB. Make yourself at home. But please, don't yet dismiss summer as a distant memory just because you're knee-deep in lectures and labs. If you weren't in Buffalo between semesters, you missed a lot. And even if you were here, some things probably flew under your radar.
Why care about what happened in the Queen City while you were out? Well, don't look now fellow students, but all of us are the targets of a plot hatched at the highest levels of Western New York government, a conspiracy so twisted that it aims to see us ... stay in Buffalo past college!
Truth be told, living in Buffalo is no death sentence, though many students, both natives and newcomers, treat it that way. The winters here can be epic, but the summers are fantastic, and in between there's a thriving scene of culture and art, hockey games, concerts and shows, good food, nightlife and great people. Together, Buffalo and WNY are more than worth giving a chance.
And yet, upstate New York is hemorrhaging its educated, young population of college graduates. The last 15 years have been particularly brutal, with counties including Buffalo, Syracuse and Binghamton losing a whopping 30 percent of their residents ages 25 to 34. They left for better jobs, better weather, better opportunities, and few have looked back. And I can't blame them.
But Buffalo is trying to make a turnaround, and as the politicians and community leaders set their sights on convincing us to stay and be the centerpiece of a long-sought WNY renaissance, now is the time to start paying attention to the world off campus, if you haven't already.
It's hardly a complete list, but here are four summer happenings to keep an eye on that should still be sizzling come that first snowfall:
What: Ralph "Bucky" Phillips on the run. Why: For those who missed the bandwagon, Phillips is a convict who escaped Erie County prison in April and still hasn't been caught. With state troopers swarming WNY, it's downright miraculous he remains on the lam. And until this week, he was well on his way to folk-legend status, but now he's an accused cop killer, so there goes the fun and games. The tumult over Phillips, however, is just part of the growing perception of Buffalo as a dangerous place. Not only have city murders in 2006 been piling up at a near-record pace, but violent crimes are surging in the suburbs, too, as The News recently reported. Bottom line: No city is crime-free, but this is disturbing. A big test for new Mayor Byron W. Brown and Co.
What: Downtown casino controversy. Why: Speaking of Brown, it was an Indian summer in City Hall, as the Seneca Nation pushed forward with plans to build a gambling complex by the Buffalo waterfront. The Senecas have a green light from the state, but a few groups are fighting it. Opponents say a casino will become a black hole downtown that erases 20 years of economic progress. Proponents contend it will create jobs and business. Meanwhile, city has one piece of leverage left: a strip of Fulton Street in the Seneca property that Brown refuses to sell. Bottom line: Bad for Buffalo. But stopping the casino seems out of the question, so it's time to talk about dealing with its impact.
What: Fun with control boards. Why: Remember the frenzy last year about Buffalo and Erie County closing public libraries to cut budget costs and stay in the black? Well, the red is still creeping around the corner, and the pressure of fiscal crisis is only getting heavier thanks to unions, weighty taxes and pensions to pay. To keep both the city and county spending wisely, the state appointed two control boards to watch over them. The result? The Buffalo control board, among other moves, froze pay raises for city workers, who in turn practically rioted and threatened a citywide strike, from police to construction crews. Bottom line: This is at the heart of the region's attempt to right itself financially, the effects of which will be felt in every community from the quality of schools to road repairs. Will WNY be able to get Albany lawmakers on its side?
What: Glimmers of hope and revival. Why: Suddenly, despite all of the above, things seem to be coming together for Buffalo. Plans are moving forward to restore traffic to lower Main Street, and there's a realistic vision for the waterfront. Several building and housing projects are full of promise. New stores, hotels, a convention center - all in the works. Neighborhoods like Elmwood and Hertel are flourishing. Schools are being overhauled and updated. The Sabres even look like contenders again. Without a doubt, there is a growing sense of optimism here. And the bottom line: Who knows? Maybe a little optimism is all this city needs to take that first step back in the right direction.
