http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily News, events, and opinion - updated daily by the Artvoice Editorial staff. Fri, 16 May 2008 21:01:07 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "It wouldn't be fair to the children, " said Buffalo Schools Superintendent James A. Williams, announcing this afternoon that he had withdrawn his name from consideration for a job as head of the Memphis schools. Upon reflection, Williams said—pulling out the regal first-person plural—"Our greatest achievements are here, in Buffalo. ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/16/510/ Thursday at the Square 2008 has announced its line up. Five bands come to Lafayette Square, one per week from May 29-September 4. This year, concerts will begin at 6pm instead of 5pm, giving downtown office workers time to tidy up and tie one on, and maybe still get ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/16/tats-is-back/ On Monday afternoon, Cavette Chambers of the City of Buffalo's law department sent me some of the records I'd asked for several weeks ago, regarding the Mayor's Impact Team. I originally requested all records related to the team's budgets and expenditures dating back two years. Here's the letter of decision from ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/15/foiled-again-partial-satisfaction/ As promised here, we're posting the Common Council of Buffalo's 2008-2009 Action Plan. (God knows why.) Seriously though, it's worth a quick scan. My favorite part is at the beginning, in which we learn what the Romans had in common with Buffalonians. Have you guessed it yet? Both sacked their own cities: …The ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/15/common-council-action-plan/ Two weeks ago, during the April 29 Common Council meeting, Masten District Councilmember Demone Smith threw a bit of a fit. The previous Friday, the Common Council had released its annual action plan, and Smith complained he'd been given inadequate time to review that plan and had not received a ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/13/the-raucous-caucus-politics-with-no-substance/ When the Memphis Commercial Appeal published details of the search for that city school district's superintendent position on Tuesday, May 6, Dr. James Williams was named as one of the five finalists for the position. The next day, as the story was breaking here, the Buffalo Public Schools Web site posted ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/08/williams-interviewed-for-memphis-job/ Because Carl Paladino's letters are always worth reading… Here's the letter in which Carl threatens to sue the Common Council if it does not rescind its resolution condemning him for saying that Buffalo [but Memphis-bound?] Schools Superintendent James Williams was hired because he's black. I think it's interesting that the reports ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/08/letters-from-paladino-2/ Tuesday I ran down to City Hall to catch the 5:30pm public hearing on Mayor Byron Brown's proposed 2008-2009 budget. This is not a particularly popular pastime, I know; usually only a half dozen or so of the "public" attend and address the Common Council, department heads, etc. to make ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/08/taking-the-public-out-of-public-hearing/ PETER GORETTI long time owner of the Essex St. Pub, Showplace, and more recently the Tralf, died unexpectedly of a heart attack this morning. Peter was one of Buffalo's greatest supporters of live music and through his businesses contributed something to Buffalo few other people can match. We will all ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/06/sad-day-for-music-community/ BEES As if there weren't enough stress in the world food system, the Buffalo News has a disturbing story today about the struggle in Niagara County and across NY state that farmers are having with the loss of bee populations. "Without bees, none of the crops would produce food,' said ... http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/2008/05/06/echo-chamber-the-local-chatter-4/