The News, Eats & Events Shaping Western New York

The University at Buffalo community will gather on October 29 for the 22nd annual Celebration of Faculty and Staff Academic Excellence, honoring outstanding achievements across campus.

The event begins at 3:30 p.m. in Slee Hall, North Campus, with Graham Hammill, senior vice provost and Graduate School dean, serving as emcee.

President Satish K. Tripathi will deliver the welcome, followed by remarks from Provost A. Scott Weber.

Faculty and staff will be recognized in categories such as National and International Awards, SUNY Distinguished Faculty, SUNY Chancellor’s Awards, UB Inventor and Entrepreneur Awards, and Service Milestones celebrating 50 and 60 years of dedication.

After the ceremony, attendees are invited to a reception in the Slee Hall lobby.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New York’s Hispanic history will soon shine brighter with the documentary ‘The Forgotten Trunks of Jaime Nunó.’

International filmmakers Raul Cortes and Eduard Miguel have traveled from Mexico and Spain to Buffalo, tracing the story of Jaime Nunó, the Spanish-born composer of Mexico’s National Anthem who lived in Buffalo for nearly 40 years.

Nunó’s journey began in Spain, touched Cuba and Mexico, and led him to settle in Buffalo, where he dedicated his life to music education and community life until 1908.

The Buffalo History Museum recently hosted a special event unveiling the documentary’s trailer and sharing Nunó’s overlooked impact on the city’s cultural heritage.

Through rare images and local archives, the film connects Buffalo and Mexico, reaffirming Nunó’s legacy in both communities.

Soon airing internationally, the project highlights Buffalo’s rich, multicultural past and invites residents to rediscover a pivotal local figure.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz publicly pressed developer Nick Sinatra to end delays plaguing Heritage Point, a $40 million mixed-use project stalled in Buffalo's Canalside district.

The site, dormant since March due to financing issues, has become a visible frustration for both residents and city leaders.

Although Sinatra & Company pledged this summer to restart work, no significant progress was evident by October, deepening concerns about stagnation on downtown’s high-profile waterfront.

Mark Wendel from the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation reported daily contact with the developer, targeting a late-October restart and a completion by November 2026.

Matt Connors of Sinatra & Company assured that materials are ready and on-site preparations continue, but Poloncarz warned further delays may force drastic action, risking even longer setbacks.

Stakeholders remain hopeful fresh financing will finally bring the project back to life, promising new energy for Buffalo’s evolving waterfront.

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