EVEN THOUGH I FEEL THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR IS A LOT CLOSER TO SPRING (SPRING IS ONE MONTH AWAY), IT’S STILL A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO CELEBRATE THE BUFFALO JAPANESE GARDEN AND ITS GLORIOUS CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL.

Each winter, Friends of the Japanese Garden gather together to enjoy incredible food and drink, and to support one of the city’s most inspirational cultural treasures.

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IT WAS A LONG SHOT, TO BE SURE.

When the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy announced a 20-year master plan with $428 million in projects, it was with a combination of hope and dreaming among planners. Even so, the nonprofit that manages the 850-acre system of parks, parkways and circles citywide has accomplished much since the plan was announced in mid-2008, with $35 million in projects completed through 2015.

BUFFALO, NY — Stephanie Crockatt, who joined the nonprofit in the fall as executive director, knows the initial time frame might have been a bit ambitious, but she’s determined to move forward.

She looks at the plan in pieces rather than one project. The No. 1 goal was to brand the park system as historic and restore its integrity. That starts with getting the message out, she said. Read More

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY

“It took some 20 years of pleading, public forums, shelved plans and broken promises. But propelled by a little boy’s traffic-accident death and a do-it-now governor, the expressway that never should have been will be sliced, diced and – mercifully – downgraded to a safer, saner road.” – Donn Esmonde, The Buffalo News

BUFFALO, NY — Matt Driscoll announced the Scajaquada’s coming transformation Wednesday night at SUNY Buffalo State. The state’s new DOT commissioner said the once-50-mph road connecting the Kensington Expressway with the Niagara Thruway will be downgraded to a 30-mph boulevard.

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ITA NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS RUNS SOME OF THE REGION’S HIGHEST-PROFILE NONPROFITS, CHANGING THE PERCEPTION THAT IT’S A MAN’S WORLD AT THE TOP

“The last three years have seen more than a dozen women named to president, executive director or CEO roles in Western New York,” Tracey Drury. Stephanie Crockatt, Executive Director of the BOPC, was one of the nine women leaders featured in Buffalo Business First, Feb 12, 2016. 

BUFFALO, NY — Call it the era of the woman, or call it no big deal, but the number of women leaders is growing at the region’s largest nonprofit organizations.

The last three years have seen more than a dozen women named to president, executive director or CEO roles in Western New York. Among the 100 largest organizations in the region and in the last 10 years, the number of women in the top post has increased from 26 to 39 – a 50 percent increase.

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