Nothing has changed about the way the Town of West Seneca manages capital projects And according to a state comptroller’s report The state Comptroller's Office found the Town of West Seneca has not implemented any of the recommendations it issued in a 2020 audit of the town's library and community center project the Comptroller’s Office released an audit critical of the West Seneca Town Board for lacking transparency and not properly planning and managing construction of the town’s 30,000-square-foot library and community center That’s the reaction from some residents to a state comptroller’s report criticizing the West Seneca Town Board for lack of transparency and for not properly planning and managing construction of the library and community center Construction of the 30,000-square-foot center recreation space and a Spot Coffee Express Cafe In a follow-up report released last month the Comptroller’s Office found the town has not implemented any of the four recommendations issued in the original audit “the Board has continued to limit transparency and not properly plan and manage the Town’s capital projects or clearly inform taxpayers and residents of each project’s scope and estimated cost,” the report reads But Town Supervisor Gary Dickson said it wasn’t clear to him five years ago that the state expected the town to implement those recommendations to all town projects not just major undertakings like constructing a new building “We appreciate their comments and certainly we can always do better,” Dickson said in an interview with The Buffalo News “And now that it’s clear that they want that applied to all projects like that they found nothing wrong with the way we were managing projects Five years ago, the Comptroller’s Office recommended that in order to properly plan and manage capital projects and clearly inform taxpayers about the estimated cost and scope of projects The state’s review was limited to interviews with town employees and examination of certain documents Town Board members “were unable to provide reasonable explanations for their lack of corrective action,” according to the report In his response to the initial audit in 2020 Dickson said the town would complete a detailed description and budget for all capital projects approved by the board No such documentation was submitted for any of the seven projects reviewed by the state The state Comptroller’s Office released an audit in 2020 critical of the West Seneca Town Board for lacking transparency and not properly planning and managing construction of the town’s 30,000-square-foot library and community center Dickson said none of the capital projects were significant enough to fill out those forms because the projects were not major “ground-up” construction projects like the community center and library project The comptroller’s review also found that Dickson and board members did not ensure the finance director maintained complete and accurate accounting records for capital project activities significant discrepancies were found in accounting records including a $318,000 difference in cash balances Due to deficiencies with the capital projects records the town’s 2023 Annual Financial Report that municipalities must file with the comptroller was eight months late Dickson said the town had not implemented any of the recommendations partially because of turnover in key town positions The town was without a finance director for more than a month in 2023 and has had three different people in the position since 2020 the Comptroller’s Office said that Dickson “is responsible for monitoring and providing sufficient oversight of the (finance) Director’s duties.” Dickson has been supervisor since January 2020 The proposed facility would be built at the site of the current rink in Centennial Park The plans call for a facility with two sheets of ice and a gym with a multipurpose court on the second floor Dickson said the town manages all projects now the same way it did in 2019 which is similar to the way most municipalities operate Even though the 2020 audit report focused on the large library and community center project he questioned why the Comptroller’s Office did not bring up criticism of the handling of those smaller projects at the time of the review “Now they find something to criticize and say The stuff that we criticized about your big project we want you to do that stuff for all of your smaller projects too your engineering projects,’ “ said Dickson The supervisor has already talked to town employees about implementing the recommended changes and will start doing monthly project status updates for the Town Board and provide more detailed budgets when the town borrows money which is really a change in the way the town has done things for probably decades They’re actually good things to know about.” West Seneca is in “excellent” financial shape The town has not increased taxes in five years the reserves are built up and the town’s credit rating was recently increased Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account (WKBW) — Goodwill helped more than 30 people make ends meet on Saturday They hosted a styling event at their West Seneca location to show how fun community-driven and accessible secondhand shopping can be get to see how much Goodwill offers from our textiles to our houseware section," Julia Jornsay-Silverberg of Goodwill said help them to up their confidence and feel a little bit better when it comes to coming in store and picking out pieces that go together really well." the cost of things like clothing is expected to increase and it ended up being $62," Kristin Deiure said Goodwill plans to continue these personalized sessions seasonally We want to hear what’s going on in your community Share your voice and hear from your neighbors A general look inside the current West Seneca Ice Rink West Seneca is exploring the possibility of building a new ice rink and recreational facility to replace the aging rink in Centennial Park In a Facebook post laying out preliminary details about the project, Town Supervisor Gary Dickson called the current West Seneca Ice Rink a “money pit.” The additional recreation space would allow the town’s Recreation Department to run more programs It also provides room for more pickleball courts which Dickson said residents have been asking for The Town of West Seneca is considering building a new ice rink and recreational facility in Centennial Park to replace the current aging rink The town also would build a new 90-foot baseball diamond in Firemen’s Park to replace the field in Centennial Park that would have to be removed to fit the new facility If the Town Board decides to move forward with the project residents would have the ultimate say in whether the facility gets built The project would be added to the ballot in November as a referendum for voters to decide While the cost of the project is not yet set the town would have to borrow money to pay for it and residents likely would see a tax increase as a result if the facility costs between $25 million and $30 million the town would have to pay back around $1.5 million every year over the 30-year term of the loan The town could offset about half that cost annually from ice fees leaving the town to make up the difference by raising taxes Dickson said the town would raise property taxes by 2.5% which would result in the average West Seneca homeowner’s annual tax bill going up by about $35 West Seneca Town Board members said they were supportive of the idea of building the new facility West Seneca officials are exploring a plan to build a new ice rink and recreational facility to replace the aging rink in Centennial Park “I’m not opposed to the project,” Council Member Jeffrey Piekarec said I do want to make sure we get our ducks in a row before we go do something on this scale.” Piekarec said he wants to see a more detailed cost breakdown of not just the cost of building the facility but how much the town will have to spend to operate it Piekarec is supportive of selling naming rights and sponsorships and wants the town to seek grants to help lower the cost to local taxpayers “It’s not going to be like the Buffalo Sabres where you’re bringing in millions of dollars the town also will need to develop a plan for where the West Seneca Youth Hockey Association teams can play while the facility is under construction who is in charge of scheduling ice time for hockey association teams said more ice rinks are needed in the town Cox said 750 kids play across dozens of teams plus about 150 kids who participate in the association’s beginner and learn-to-play programs More than half of the players are town residents The association spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year paying for ice time at rinks outside West Seneca because the town does not have enough space for all the teams “We are utilizing every inch of ice that we have available to us and then we have to go out to all the surrounding towns just to get ice.” Council Member Robert Breidenstein said he loves the idea of building a new rink He likes that the currently proposed plan allows for additional parking and more green space 50-year investment in the infrastructure of the town,” Breidenstein said His enthusiasm for the project has been bolstered by positive feedback from residents then they’ll be able to show up in November and make their voices heard,” Breidenstein said Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter The state Comptroller's Office found the Town of West Seneca has not implemented any of the recommendations it issued in a 2020 audit of the t… (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 34-year-old Zachary P Poisson of Depew was sentenced Wednesday to an indeterminate sentence of 2 ½ to 7 ½ years in prison with his driver's license permanently revoked The district attorney's office said that on July 24 Poisson was driving under the influence of cocaine on Clinton Street in West Seneca when he crossed the center line causing a head-on collision with another vehicle Local fishing enthusiasts will soon have a new pier and boat launch on the Buffalo Blueway water system The site will include close to $1 million in additions thanks to Empire State Development funds The Harlem Road Fishing Access Site and Boat Launch will be the second ADA-accessible fishing pier along the water system and 10th among DEC-operated sites within Western New York The improvements will make it more convenient and accessible West Seneca Environmental Commission member Evelyn Hicks said so to have a universally accessible way for people to engage with the natural resource that we have here will be a huge improvement," she said Fishers will find a low-slope paved path to a pier with varied railing heights allowing them to sit or stand while enjoying the sport There also will be a new boat launch added for flat-bottomed kayaks and other shallow-water craft The site’s popularity demonstrates its importance Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka said “You can even see it in all of our attitudes and temperaments today It brings out the collaborative nature in all of us.” The location is a unique and important resource because it provides access to a nearby wetland and a spot for wildlife to congregate despite having Interstate-90 running adjacent to the boat launch you don't have the ability to have those resources," she said "A project like this — and projects like it along the waterways — improve the quality of life for everyone.” Construction will start in mid-May and should finish by late fall the site of the former Seneca Mall is on track for redevelopment with town leaders sharing momentum for the long-awaited transformation "We're lucky enough to have grocery already," Martin DelleBovi Real Estate Director at Benchmark Streamline "We try to bring a representative from all different retail categories into one setting." The property on Orchard Park Road has become an eyesore Ralph Lorigo and Carmina Wood Design engineer Chris Wood shared their vision for a new multipurpose complex on Thursday that addresses a long-standing need in the southern region of Western New York based on the infrastructure that's available and based on the fact that we feel that the southern part of our Western New York area is underserved for new retail development we felt that it was a location that worked for us," DelleBovi said While DelleBovi couldn't confirm any retailers for the location there was some talk about a Costco coming to the complex earlier in the year The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce would not confirm or deny rumors of a Costco coming to town but said a "national discount store" will be built. You can watch the video below or read more here The team anticipates that the project will be implemented in three phases with construction slated to begin in October 2025 and the final phase wrapping up by January 2028 "56 acres that are shovel-ready to be developed," Lorigo said the I-90 and the 400 that all converge at this location You have a town that wants to see this all developed." the developers also plan to add residential units to the design "We're proposing about 500,000 square feet of new commercial space," Wood said most of that stuff is in flux until we get the actual tenants." The Planning Board will send its zoning recommendation to the Town Board which will then vote on whether the project can move forward Town Supervisor Gary Dickson told me it is on the agenda for May 12 A new town justice was appointed in West Seneca last week following the resignation of a judge who had been in the role just four months The West Seneca Town Board unanimously named Chelsea MacDonald to the position on April 14. She replaces Justice Paula Eade Newcomb and will be on the ballot in November to seek a full term But some West Seneca residents are not happy with the board’s decision to appoint MacDonald questioning her experience and a lack of transparency in the process the board used to select her This is the second time in about four months that the Town Board has had to appoint a new justice Newcomb was sworn in to the role in December to replace Justice Jeffrey Harrington who was elected as a Family Court judge in November During the board’s most recent meeting council members voted to accept Newcomb’s resignation The board moved up the two resolutions pertaining to the town justice position to the beginning of the meeting that is when residents have the opportunity to share their thoughts about the resolutions the board will be voting on While Supervisor Gary Dickson was reading the resolution to appoint MacDonald someone from the audience called out and asked if there would be public comment before the board voted on the appointment We are not at that point right now,” Dickson said The resolution states that MacDonald was born and raised in West Seneca and is “a highly qualified candidate for this role.” “Her professional background reflects a strong and consistent commitment to justice including her advocacy of victims of domestic violence through Child and Family Services and later with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office,” the resolution reads The resolution further states that MacDonald currently practices law in West Seneca and is respected by her peers and the community MacDonald is well-prepared and eager to serve the residents of West Seneca as Town Justice,” the resolution reads According to her LinkedIn account MacDonald studied criminal justice at Niagara University and graduated from Cooley Law School in Michigan in 2022 she worked as an associate attorney at the Buffalo law firm Gibson then as an attorney with the Law Office of Ralph C “This is an outrage,” someone from the audience called out as MacDonald joined the Town Board members for a photo at the front of the room after they voted to appoint her Later in the meeting, during the public comment period, people questioned why the board decided to move up the vote on her appointment and the lack of information provided about MacDonald’s professional background. When Newcomb was appointed in December, her resume was publicly released Dickson said the town did not publicly request that those interested in the town justice position submit a resume and cover letter as it had done in the past due to the timing of Newcomb’s resignation “There wasn’t a lot of time left,” Dickson said and we needed to get somebody else on board and training.” MacDonald was the only candidate considered for the vacant judge’s seat All council members except Susan Kims interviewed MacDonald before the appointment you don’t even have to be a lawyer to be a town judge,” Dickson said “So I think we’ve got somebody who already exceeds the qualifications.” Town justices are typically elected to four-year terms by voters. But if a justice vacates the position, the town board can appoint a temporary replacement, according to New York State law the Office of Court Administration can assign a justice from a neighboring community to preside in the town court during the vacancy Dickson said the board chose not to go through the court administration office “There is going to be an election in November,” Dickson said “If people don’t like that she’s the judge the West Seneca Democratic Committee said the all-Republican Town Board “demonstrated a brazen disregard for transparency and public trust in its appointment” of MacDonald Dickson confirmed that MacDonald works at the Lorigo law firm, which is owned by Ralph Lorigo, the current chairman of the Erie County Conservative Party. West Seneca’s other town justice, Jon Minear, also works at Lorigo’s firm Democrats referred to MacDonald as “a politically connected candidate with only 16 months of legal experience and direct ties to local party bosses.” leaky sewers and sewage backups led the West Seneca Town Board to put off a vote this week on a rezoning that would allow an apartment an… Republicans need to win one more seat to capture all the spots on the West Seneca Town Board in a town where Democrats outnumber Republicans b… Warren is challenging the expansion of the Robert J Stransky Memorial Athletic Complex with two baseball diamonds West Seneca Town Board members hired an engineering firm to determine what kind of repairs the town pool at Veterans Park might need The five-member West Seneca Town Board Monday night approved changing the designation to suburban town which will allow West Seneca to change… The state-owned West Seneca Developmental Center is a 475-acre parcel off East and West Road that for many years housed and served individuals with developmental disabilities The campus included dozens of buildings and was largely self-sufficient As part of nationwide shift to community-based care the state closed this and other large centers across New York except for the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center and a few other buildings the property is greatly underutilized.  The Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) still occupies a couple of the buildings along with other state agencies and outside tenants but most of the thirty or so structures on the campus are vacant. Some appear dilapidated and in danger of collapsing while others are surrounded by chain-link fencing and overgrown vegetation The state also owns several homes adjacent to the site along East and West Road and Leydecker Road that are also abandoned and in various states of disrepair there have been various proposals for redevelopment of the site which sits in a large residential area of the town of West Seneca Many believe housing is the most logical re-use of the land given the surrounding community and the lack of affordable housing in the region. Regardless returning the land to the tax rolls seems to be in the best interest of everyone.  Unfortunately nothing can happen until the state decides what to do with the property.  In a recent letter to the Acting Commissioner of OPWDD I asked her to inform the community of the agency’s long-range plans for this valuable asset.  Is the state looking to redevelop the property itself or sell it?  Does the land need to be remediated?   These questions are justified it is imperative that the state address the deplorable conditions at the site.  My office has received numerous complaints recently from residents community stakeholders and local government leaders about the deteriorating buildings and other debris scattered throughout the property These conditions not only pose health and safety concerns but they are also unsightly to residents who live nearby The state has an obligation to be a better neighbor.  Securing the property to ensure the buildings are not targets for vandals or other illegal activity must be a priority.  The state should also immediately remove piles of debris and take steps to better secure the site from outside dumping.  It must also provide some guidance on the long-range plans for the property including a detailed timeline.  The residents of West Seneca and Western New York have waited long enough (WKBW) — Rumors are swirling that Costco could be coming to the old Seneca Mall site in West Seneca The West Seneca Chamber of Commerce would not confirm or deny rumors of a Costco coming to town but said a "national discount store" will be built "There's definitely a lot of excitement," said Cheri Forsythe Community Development Coordinator for the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce "We are very excited that there's a developer that's doing something with the property." Martin DelleBovi is Benchmark's Executive Vice President and Director of Real Estate While there are rumors of a Costco being built at the site He said they are speaking to a number of national retailers "We've been waiting for a long time and I think all of West Seneca is really excited about it," said Forsythe "We can say that we know it's a national discount store that's going in there but other than that we do not have any definitive information to give out as far as who it is." and BJ's wouldn't make sense as they're all within five miles of the site Online public documentsfor the site have traffic reports and mention rezoning to allow for gas pumps and drive-thru options DelleBovi said that's not an indicator of what is coming to the site They just want to be approved for it so an incoming tenant can have those options DelleBovi said there's room for about seven to twelve medium to large retailers and the goal is to "start moving dirt" sometime between October and November DelleBovi said it's still very early in the process Next is a town planning board meeting on April 10 in West Seneca Earlier this week West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary Dickson joined Voices to discuss development plans WEST SENECA — Flyers Gymnastics competitive team recently competed at The Nickel City Classic Xcel Platinum brought home a fourth place and Xcel Diamond collected a second-place team banner Kennedy Lynn took the top spot on the podium for Xcel Platinum in the all-around with a 36.775 third in beam 9.075 and fifth in floor 9.125 Addison O’Connor placed second all-around with a 35.675 and first on bars with a 9.5 Anelia Pitts grabbed third all-around at Xcel Diamond with a 36.5 She also earned third in beam 9.15 and second in floor 9.25 Earning bronze on vault were Erinn Sluga 8.725 Taking a silver on bars was McKenna Hart 8.725 Grabbing silver medals on beam were Lilli Webster 9.325 and Cassidy Dubois 8.8 Earning a bronze on beam were Elliot Collins 9.3 Erinn Sluga silver 9.225 and Elayna Pitts 9.225 bronze Cameron Case – XP : Vault 8.675(7th) Addie O’Connor – XG : Vault 8.675(5th) Cassidy Dubois – XG : Vault 8.6(6th) Gabriella Chapman – XG : Vault 8.7(4th) Isabella Constantino – XS : Vault 9.225(3rd) Annabelle Herman – 2 : Vault 9.0(6th) Sophia McChesney – 2 : Vault8.625(8th) Elliot Collins – 4 : Vault 7.75(8th) Elliana Parinella – 4 : Vault 8.2(6th) SALAMANCA — Fredonia scored four runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth to turn a one-run lead into .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New York | https://www.post-journal.com | PO Box 3386 (WKBW) — Hearts for the Homeless celebrated the grand opening of its new thrift store in the Seneca Ridge Plaza in West Seneca aiming to support its mission of aiding the homeless and those facing food insecurity The faith-based organization's third thrift store offers over 50,000 donated items for the community to purchase Each sale contributes to funding programs that help feed and support individuals in need and really good value," said Nicholas Calandra President and CEO of Hearts for the Homeless "So the stores are existing to support the programs that we have meeting the homeless and folks that are facing insecurity in our community where they are." In 2024, the Hearts for the Homeless served over 81,000 people thanks in part to the revenue generated from its thrift stores The Riverside community in Buffalo hosts a Hearts for the Homeless campus which includes a food pantry and a commercial kitchen that prepares thousands of meals annually helps distribute food directly to those in need emphasized the growing demand for their services noting that the need continues to rise year after year "Whether you are donating or dropping off your no longer needed items to us or shopping as a customer in our thrift stores you can know that all of your purchases are going to impact real people in your neighborhood," said Jeff shared her gratitude for the food assistance provided by Hearts for the Homeless "There are so many people going without food The new thrift store in West Seneca not only provides affordable shopping options but also plays a crucial role in supporting Hearts for the Homeless' mission to assist those facing hardship in Western New York highlighting the mutual benefits for the community and the organization This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy The new owners of the sprawling former Seneca Mall site have filed development plans for the former West Seneca shopping mall complex national retail anchors along with a series of smaller retail-based out parcels—all of which will be constructed during the next few years The 55-acre Orchard Park Road campus could exceed $100 million in total development private-sector-backed projects in recent years According to plans filed late March 14th with the West Seneca Planning Board Benchmark Streamline LLC - an affiliate of Amherst-based The Benchmark Group - will develop two main anchor buildings roughly the size of a wholesale club outlet and the other approximately 120,000-square-feet the rough size of a standard department store Plans indicate multiple tenants may go in both anchor buildings although no retailers or tenants have been named in the planning board documents The West Seneca Planning Board will begin its review of the Seneca Mall project during its April 10th meeting Also planned are seven smaller outparcel buildings that could potentially house such tenants as banks including the Shops at Seneca Mall plan by the Pyramid Cos. but none ever went beyond the initial proposal phase along with co-development partner NS Retail Holdings LLC paid $22 million for the Seneca Mall property in late December 2024 with plans to move forward on development plans 16-year-old Buffalo native Sydney Sterlace is set to appear in the top five of NBC's The Voice on Monday Dec Fans can vote for Sterlace via The Voice Official App or on NBC.com/VoiceVote In her previous appearance to advance into the top five she performed "when the party's over" by Billie Eilish Sterlace began competing in local talent shows when she was seven and by the time she turned 10 she won first place in the Erie County Fair talent competition She has been a regular performer at a local music arts festival organized by Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls Since her days competing in local talent shows she sang the national anthem at a Buffalo Sabres game and multiple Buffalo Bisons games Sterlace's mother has played a major role in her success including discovering local competitions on social media for her to compete in She recently won a TikTok challenge promoted by BroadwayEvolved and was blown away when she won She was flown out to New York on an all-expenses-paid trip for a weeklong Broadway intensive with Betsy Wolfe Fans can tune in to watch The Voice at 8 p.m The Bills drafted six defensive players and three offensive players in the 2025 NFL Draft Cashiers will ask customers at check out if they would like to donate to match the Wegmans donation on May 3rd and 4th Fans Can Sign Up Now for Early Access to Tee Times for Exclusive 3-Day Event The Bills graded out highly for the focus on the defensive side of the ball Sanders and Landon Jackson early in the draft Bills GM Brandon Beane shared his takeaways from the team's 9 draft picks Here's a look at every selection from Buffalo's 2025 draft Landon Jackson registered 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss during his time at LSU and Arkansas 16-year-old Tommy Parzymieso announces Bills first-round draft selection Maxwell Hairston on stage at the draft in Green Bay as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Buffalo's newest defensive tackle recorded 9.5 career sacks in four seasons at South Carolina The Buffalo Bills are one of eight teams selected to be part of Rivalries for the 2025 NFL season The Bills will wear a unique Rivalries uniform during a select home game this season Get to know Buffalo's first-round pick who's a speedster with ball skills Bills GM Brandon Beane met with the media to share what the scouting department has been up to with two days remaining before the NFL Draft (WKBW) — A flood watch will take effect Tuesday afternoon as a temperature warm-up raises concerns about potential ice jams in creeks and rivers around Buffalo Ice jams occur when warming temperatures cause ice in frozen rivers to break up and clump together potentially blocking waterways and leading to flooding "It's the worst February in my lifetime with the cold who has lived in South Buffalo for 80 years City of Buffalo crews are actively preparing for the possibility of ice jams as temperatures are expected to rise into the 50s on Wednesday Cotter had been deployed four times this year to break the ice in the navigable portions of the Buffalo River The Buffalo Police Underwater Recovery Team has also been involved in ice-cutting efforts to mitigate potential flooding noted that they are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of residents Areas of particular concern include the S-curves in the Buffalo River and Cazenovia Creek (WKBW) — West Seneca native and former University at Buffalo All-American linebacker Shaun Dolac has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams After leading the nation in tackles this past season Dolac earned a first-team AP All-American selection while adding six sacks He started his college football career as a walk-on at Buffalo turning down a full-ride lacrosse scholarship to the University of Albany to pursue his NFL Dreams he worked his way up to become a starter and then eventually an All-American I recently sat down with Dolac to discuss the path he has taken to get where he is today I could say that I didn’t give up through all of it," Dolac said His path to the NFL didn't come without adversity and tragedy The way he's handled these life-altering events and stayed on the path that has now given him a shot at making an NFL roster is what he feels separates him from the rest of the pack "I think everything I’ve gone through is just extra motivation to keep pursuing my dreams and realities," Dolac added it’s been a journey and it’s been amazing and I wouldn’t ask to do it with another team or another family." Dolac will now compete for a 53-man roster spot in the coming months with this chapter of his football career starting on the West Coast This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The proposed expansion will see Rosina grow its Clinton Street plant by 31 percent going from 105,000-square-feet to 137,000-square-feet which includes constructing the new addition and adding more equipment in the plant will also see Rosina add 53 workers to its West Seneca facility where it already has 184 workers Rosina officials said the expansion is being driven by the increased demand for its meatballs product line produced approximately 42 million pounds of its various meatball products and this year the company is projecting a more than 62 percent increase with a targeted goal of making as much as 65 million pounds annually just of its meatball product lines The expansion is good news and was expected “The Rosina investment is very significant,” Dickson said they built a brand-new factory a few years ago Rosina’s meatballs can be found in a large national and local customer base including Tops Friendly Markets The expansion comes just a few years after Rosina’s acquired the Mama Lucia meatball brand - a move that further added to its national presence Nearly 89 percent of the meatballs Rosina’s produces are sold outside of New York State it was pretty clear that they were here to stay which is further indication of that,” Dickson said West Seneca is seeking tax breaks and incentives from the Erie County Industrial Development Agency to help finance the expansion The ECIDA directors are expected to vote on the tax breaks later this month NY (WKBW) — The former Seneca Mall site has a new owner after a 30-year vacancy Buffalo Business First said the site was bought by Benchmark Streamline LLC for $7.96M and NS Retail Holdings LLC for $13.85M said the new development will bring more visitors into the community "This is one of the gateways right off the I-90," said Dickson "We've had this vacant property for a long time and to have something vibrant here is very nice." Younger residents hope the new development will include new amenities something that we don't have to drive a half hour to go to," said Eddy Bender West Seneca Chamber of Commerce Executive Director is optimistic about the interest in the empty lot "There's a great retail and restaurant interest in this location," said Kirchmyer "We're hoping that it'll be the next place that people can be proud to say that they grew up at and spent a lot of time at in West Seneca." 16-year-old Buffalo native Sydney Sterlace is set to appear on NBC's The Voice on Monday evening Fans can vote for Sterlace via The Voice Official App or on NBC.com/VoiceVote the 16-year old sang the national anthem at a Buffalo Sabres game earlier this year and multiple Buffalo Bisons games If your child is absent or is on vacation during the registered week camp fees will not be returned or prorated All refund requests must be submitted in writing Approved refunds will take a minimum of two weeks to process To learn more, contact the SPCA Humane Education Department at HumaneEducation@yourspca.org The SPCA is the perfect summer destination for campers looking for hands-on animal encounters and a daily look into the world of animal welfare and care SPCA Kindness Camp explores the human-animal bond in bold Sessions are offered for children ages 5 – 16 currently in PreK – 11th grade and participate in activities led by animal experts and take place at the SPCA Serving Erie County’s 300 Harlem Rd. To learn more, contact Christine Davis, director of community education, at HumaneEducation@yourspca.org Register For Summer Kindness Camp Now! Adventures in Veterinary Medicine   Does your school-aged child want to be a veterinarian age-appropriate introduction to veterinary medicine They will perform a mock surgery and take home their very own stethoscope (Campers may have the option to observe a spay/neuter surgery.) Has your camper already taken Adventures in Veterinary Medicine They’ll learn even more about the exciting world of veterinary medicine This academic camp provides a more in-depth look into the world of veterinary medicine and is a perfect step for any student interested in a veterinary career Campers will observe animal physical exams Campers will dive into the exciting world of veterinary science and discover what it takes to become an animal doctor by learning about physical exams with stuffed animal check-ups campers will spend time with animals every day Campers will also engage in cool activities Campers will practice observing animal behavior and learn how to understand animal communication in several common domestic species Then they will learn and practice animal training skills with a variety of species Campers will design their own training pouches and receive training tools to take home for practice with their own pets Is there a child in your life who loves animals but doesn’t know what careers exist beyond being a veterinarian This camp is intended for campers who want to learn about and experience a behind-the-scenes look at an animal welfare center Through interactive lessons and featured guest speakers campers will explore animal-related careers; learn about animal welfare issues and pet-sitting; and spend time with an array of animals.  By the end of the week campers will have a thorough understanding of an animal welfare center…from intake to adoption to everything in-between campers may have the option to observe a spay/neuter surgery.) Is there a budding artist in your life who also happens to love animals Campers will explore various art media while learning about our shelter’s mission and the journey of our adoptable pets Campers will have the opportunity to express themselves creatively through fun and impactful crafts and activities They’ll also enjoy hands-on animal interactions with dogs We won’t hold back on the creative side especially since it will help animals at the SPCA Campers will return home with a lot of creative animal art (all materials are included and projects will be different from 2024’s camp projects!) Bring your budding artist and their creativity This camp offers a variety of multimedia fun for campers who enjoy art and theatre campers will experiment with many different art media such as paint Campers will also learn how animals are artists that influence humans Campers will learn how to speak for animals and learn to become experts on what it really means to care for an protect them just like the SPCA’s Animal Cruelty Investigation officers and crack the code to solve an animal rescue mystery campers will be proud and true Junior Rescuers yourspca@yourspca.org Proud to be a Purina Shelter Champions Partner