Double Big Gulps

7-Eleven announced a deal on April 27 to acquire all 188 Wilson Farms stores in New York and rebrand them in their name. While it’s unfortunate to see a local business give in to homogeneity, I think we can all get excited about the increase in diabetes we’re likely to see as a result.

Very Large Dudes

Local buffet restaurateurs rejoiced—or regretted—news on April 28 that the Buffalo Bills had made 6-foot-3, 320-pound behemoth Marcell Dareus of Alabama their top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Finally somebody who can give weatherman Kevin O’Connell a run for his money. We kid, we kid!

Shifting Responsibility

In his latest bid to advance plans for red-light cameras, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced on April 30 that he would use $300,000 from the project as a one-time grant to fund arts and cultural groups cut out of the Erie County budget. What’s next, school funding via jaywalking tickets?

War Presidents

3,337 days after President George W. Bush declared Osama bin Laden “not our priority,” Barack Obama authorized the final—albeit extra-judicial—strike against the al Qaeda leader and architect of the 9/11 terror attacks. Way to render dozens of tea party bumper stickers even more foolish.

Sleeping In

Fed up by the continued underperformance of district schools and dissatisfied with Superintendent James Williams, a group of Buffalo Public Schools parents voted on May 3 for a one-day boycott on May 16. Students—who had no idea what was going on—responded with a resounding, “Awesome.”

Percent of the original public funding sought by the UB 2020 initiative that would be provided by the state under the new NYSUNY 2020 package. UB’s initial plan called for $5 billion in new construction with some $3 billion coming from the state. Under a new plan offered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo UB, along with SUNY schools in Binghamton, Albany and Stony Brook, would qualify for up to $35 million each.