WNY Insider for March 11th

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Seth Greene

Mar 11, 2026

The News, Eats & Events Shaping Western New York

Buffalo Sabres Reward Loyal Fans Amid Playoff Push

The Buffalo Sabres are electrifying their fanbase during a standout season, with hopes high for finally ending their 14-year playoff drought.

Attention is pouring in from across North America, but for Buffalo and Western New York fans, this moment feels especially meaningful.

Despite years of disappointment, including last-place finishes and difficult trades, supporters never wavered.

Through long stretches without success, fans continued to pack the arena, even averaging over 18,000 at home games during a losing 2013–2014 campaign.

This passionate loyalty mirrors the city’s devotion to the Buffalo Bills, who similarly endured a lengthy playoff absence.

Now, players like Tage Thompson and Colten Ellis have sparked optimism that the Sabres can finally reward their faithful.

With a potential postseason in sight, fans are starting to believe again—and their enthusiasm is lighting up all of Buffalo.

In Buffalo, New York, Jill Miller, a seasoned nurse, has turned a personal struggle into a blossoming business, comforting hospital patients with her line of natural skincare products.

Inspired by her daughter Saniya’s battle with infant eczema, Miller started Skincare Essentials by Jill six years ago to find gentle, steroid-free solutions for sensitive skin.

Her collection, featuring body butters, oils, specialty soaps, and popular hair oils, addresses issues from dry skin to acne and dark spots.

Originally an online venture, her products now stock Tops Friendly Markets, a vending machine at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, and a Niagara Falls storefront.

Skincare Essentials recently celebrated three years of supplying Kaleida Health hospitals—including Buffalo General and Golisano Children’s—with exclusive skin and hair care kits for patients.

Miller, balancing her nursing job, business, and family, hopes her journey inspires local women to pursue entrepreneurship and believe in their dreams.

The Western New York Land Conservancy is forging ahead with the WNY Wildway, working to create a network of protected wild corridors across the region.

In October 2025, they opened the Floating Fen Preserve in Chautauqua County, a 225-acre forest with a rare floating wetland and a scenic two-mile hiking trail.

This preserve connects forests from northern Pennsylvania to the Great Lakes, serving as a vital wildlife passage.

Additional protections include the 86-acre Bush property in Wales, NY, and the 226-acre Black Creek Preserve in Allegany County, safeguarded in late 2025 and early 2026.

Both sites anchor critical forest and wetland habitats while protecting water quality.

This March, the Conservancy will host a Farmland Protection Workshop to help local landowners conserve working farms and natural areas, highlighting an ongoing commitment to connecting and preserving Western New York’s unique landscapes.