Tagged: western new york

In recent years, donut shops, car dealerships and doctor’s offices have received tax breaks from industrial development agencies in western New York.

Now, first-term Assemblyman Sean Ryan (D-Buffalo) has crafted a bill to halt such deals. He joins a growing chorus of critics who argue IDAs have lost their way since being created in the 1960s to generate high-paying manufacturing jobs.

Ryan hopes the legislation becomes a model for the rest of the state. But it’s far from being put to a vote.

Research into multiple sclerosis has accelerated rapidly in the last few years - and doctors in Buffalo are at the forefront.

Information about how MS progresses in patients has long been out there, but it wasn’t being synthesized or analyzed effectively.

Now, SUNY Buffalo is using a new supercomputer from IBM that can help researchers make connections between environmental and hereditary factors and how MS affects its victims.

SUNY has stepped up its self-promotional efforts.

In an attempt to paint the university system in a better light - and perhaps to justify its $10.8 billion budget in tight economic times - SUNY staged a regional “showcase” in Buffalo Tuesday. It was one of ten similar events thrown over the past year.

The science fair-like atmosphere - with dozens of booths and cardboard displays - provided a chance for nine western New York SUNY campuses to toot their own horns - be it in scientific research, new degree programs or job creation.

There are no oil refineries in upstate New York, but the Niagara River still carries millions of gallons of petroleum to storage facilities each week.

Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and fuel supplier NOCO Energy, which has locations along the Niagara River, practiced skimming oil from water Tuesday.

But don’t worry, it was only a test.

The apple crop in New York is the second-largest in the country, behind only Washington State. Cherries, peaches, apricots and grapes are also big business in New York.

But this year, New York fruit growers are suffering through an especially uncertain time.

Warm weather in March, followed quickly by a very cold spell, and then a freak snowstorm Monday, have put the harvest in jeopardy.