Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) announced the June schedule for his Erie County edition of the Congress on Your Corner program, which provides local residents with access to the Congressman’s office through satellite office hours at locations in the district.   Over 600 Congress on Your Corner events have been held over the last five years and another 135 outreach events are scheduled for 2011.

This summer, members of Congressman Higgins staff plan to visit locations across Erie County to provide specialized assistance with various federal agencies.  In addition, staff will visit several public libraries throughout Erie County to provide constituents with computer literacy training for those interested in navigating federal agency websites.

On May 11th, Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes called a 1:30 press conference in support of Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools James A. Williams, in front of Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium on Buffalo's East Side.

Joined by present and past Buffalo Board of Education members, parents, community members and a few local polititions, including Councilman Demone Smith, who acts as education chairman for the Buffalo Common Council, Assemblywoman Stokes called up Dr. Williams accomplishments, while questioning those who would detract from them.

"Dr. Williams has been working tirelessly to garner results to improve the system," Peoples-Stokes stated. "[He] is proof that sometimes aggressive plans that are focused on putting children first can thrive under the right administration.  We must support him to ensure that it does happen; putting children first and foremost in the district's agenda."

BUFFALO, NY – A local Fredonia man is calling upon his fellow New Yorkers to aid him in his cause this week as he seeks to divide New York State into two separate states.

Circulating a petition through emails, social networking sites, and on a website solely dedicated to his cause, the man who chooses to remain nameless on the site is seeking to divide Upstate and Downstate New York from each other in a legal and federal capacity.

In an email that is circulating the area, the gentleman writes:

“Upstate and Downstate New York are sufficiently different both culturally and politically as to cause unnecessary strife, it is time for the two New York’s Upstate and Downstate to dissolve the political bands which have connected them. The current New York State is forced to implement a tax code that attempts to balance two wildly disparate economies.