Christmas in the Country...

Shopping - No major snowfall in the metro and we have not even had the turkey feast. Yet, retail madness has broken out all over WNY. Stores have begun stocking the shelves with holiday deals. It is even more evident at this weekends event at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. Over 400 artisans will hold their annual Christmas in the Country craft show today thru Sunday. Designer crafts, fine art, jewelry, pottery, sculptures, furniture, candles, ornaments and more will be offered. If you are in the spirit already, this would be a good place to start your search for gifts.

Elected...

Government - Registered voters headed out to polling places today for Election Day. There were new voting machines at many of the ballot locations. The ballot sheets did not seem as secure in the booth, then the sleeve, on the way to an optical scanner. Local political observers will wait til 9PM, when the polls close, to begin hearing the outcome of many interesting local and municipal races. Visit the Erie County Board of Elections web for results, or Niagara County.


New York State Board of Elections

Time Change...

Weather - Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday. Don't forget to turn your clocks back one hour, on Saturday night, before you go to bed. The extra hour of sleep is appreciated by many. Tommorrows sunset, at 5:10 PM, will make you feel the oncoming winter draw closer. November begins, with less daylight and longer nights, the first day of Standard Time. The sun will continue to set earlier every day until the Winter Solstice arrives, on December 21st. If you forget all of this you will see your boss an hour early on Monday morning.

Happy Spirits...

Pipeline - Kids and adults look forward to the weekend of craziness for Halloween 2009. There will be costumes, candies, pumpkin carvings, scary decor, haunted houses, ghost hunts, monster movies and of course, trick and treaters. However you decide to celebrate, remember that safety is always first. Have a great scare!

Bring Home The Aud...

Sabres Fan - If you are a hockey fan and attended a Buffalo Sabres game at the old Memorial Auditorium (1939-2009) this opportunity may interest you. If you missed out earlier this year to get a Blue Seat at auction, this is your second chance. You can now purchase an original Orange Seat commemorating the Aud online. For $299 you can get a piece of history, for a single seat. Visit the official Bring Home The Aud site for details.


Blue seats from The Aud auctioned in spring.

Field Goal in Overtime...

Bills Fan - The Buffalo Bills (2-4) edge the New York Jets (3-3) in overtime this afternoon for a 16-13 win. Bills quarterback Trent Edwards left the game with a concussion and was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick, who threw a touchdown to Lee Evans. The Bills defense intercepted the Jets' Sanchez six times, and lost two starters. Bills kicker Ryan Lindell won the game with a 47 yard field goal in overtime. The Bills road trip continues in Carolina (2-3) next weekend.

Thrashers Tailgate...

Sabres Fan - The Buffalo Sabres remain the only unbeaten team, in regulation, in the NHL this season. The pesky Atlanta Thrashers visit HSBC Arena tonite, at 7PM, to challenge that start. Returning is former winger Maxim Afinegenov. Lalime may get the start in net, instead of Miller, in a rare back to back home stand. The Sabres are currently first place in the NorthEast Division with nine points. It would be great to see the streak continue! The team goes on the road to Tampa on Wednesday.

The First Snowfall...

Weather - The Southern Tier counties of Chautaqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany are under a Winter Storm Watch. The higher elevations may receive the first measureable snowfall of the season, 4 to 6 inches by friday morning. There is some concern with the foliage and a repeat of the 2006 surprise storm. Metro Buffalo and Erie County have had a few frosty days, and this is the first mention of snow this season. Some mixed precipitation is likely, but no major concerns for the Nor'easter here. It is currently snowing lightly in Little Valley, with a dusting accumulation, as the ground is not frozen yet. Check the NWS forecast for updates.

Age of Discovery...

News - Monday, October 12th is a holiday, in the USA, celebrating Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus arrived here 517 years ago. It was a new era, in world history, of exploration. The observance will close many Government offices, banks, and the post office. However, many retailers will be open with special sales. The weather forecasts a cool 50 with chance of rain. Travelers can expect slow Traffic Conditions at local border crossings, as it is also Thanksgiving in Canada.


The Santa Maria

WNY Musical Talents...

Music - The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame will induct new members, at the annual gala in the Tralf Music Hall, at 7PM tonite. Inductees include the legendary 60's rock band Raven, Jerry Raven, Buffalo Bills Barbershop Quartet, Glenn Colton, Jack Civiletto, Hit ’n Run, McCarthyizm, moe, Joey Reynolds and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Fans and friends will enjoy live music, entertainment and honor the performers. Tickets are at the Tralf box office, or Ticketmaster, for $20. Congrats to the Class of 2009!

Bad Sports...

Sports - It was not a good weekend for Buffalo hockey and football fans this weekend. First, the Buffalo Sabres drop the home season opener to the Habs 2-1 in overtime at HSBC Arena Saturday night. Today, the Buffalo Bills, now 1-3 on the season, lose on the road to the Miami Dolphins 38-10. Expectations in WNY are not high, afterall, its been years since either team has really competed for a championship. Watching can sometimes be a painful experience, yet the hopeful remain. Viewing the disappointing Bills performance made me wish T.O. would open his big mouth and start blasting coach Jauron, owner Ralph, and his teammates. Many, I am sure wanted to! Feeling the same way watching the Sabres failures to light the lamp, for a few goals, again exposes the teams shortcomings. How many more Regier and Ruff teams can the fans take? For all the good ownership has done to keep both teams here in WNY, they ultimately fail to win the big prize. It looks like another lousy season for us fans, based on the way things are going now and past history. The agony of defeat...

The Polish Legacy Project...

WNY Polonia - Today in downtown Buffalo, WNED Studios hosted the first session of the an International Conference called the Polish Legacy Project, from World War II to Buffalo. It highlighted the "Untold Stories" of Polish WWII survivors who settled in Western New York. The second session will begin with a Memorial Mass at Corpus Christi Church at 10AM on Sunday, followed by a survivor and descendant reunion at the historic Dom Polski building. For more info, click this story title, visit the dedicated web site online. There is also a Yahoo Group and Facebook group called "Descendants of Polish WWII Immigrants to Buffalo".

Sporting License Fees Increase...

WNY Outdoors - If you plan to purchase a sporting license for the 2009-2010 season, which began today, be prepared to pay more. A resident fishing season license is now $29, for those 16 to 69 years of age. The popular Sportsman licence, for small/big game hunting and fishing, is now $47. For more information visit the NYS DEC site.

Save the Park...

WNY Outdoors - There is opposition from environmentalists to the U.S. Energy Development Corporation plan to drill for oil and natural gas in Allegany State Park of Cattaraugus County. The Amherst firm proposal seeks permission from New York State Parks and already has operations over the PA border in Allegheny National Forest. Those who wish to preserve the natural state believe roads and wells will damage the 65,000 acres of forest. There is more on this story in todays Buffalo News. Check out the Foliage Report for the Fall color change.

Last Day of Summer...

Weather - Autumn begins on Tuesday so today is the last official day of summer. Though it may have been cooler and wetter than normal for the season, overall I thought it was a great summer in WNY. The current record setting streak, of three weeks with no rain, will close out the season tonite as showers are forecast. The foliage is already changing color as we begin the transition of Fall to winter. It was fun while it lasted.