The dog days of summer are upon us, and with them comes a dearth of real news of any sort. President Bush is off watching the Olympics, Sens. McCain and Obama snipe at each other from afar, the Congress, city councils and state Senate and Assembly are in recess.
So thank goodness for the ridiculous North Tonawanda Mayor Larry Soos, who -- while seemingly lacking in the ability to make anything better in the town he runs -- has shown himself more than capable of screwing up things that were wildly successful even before he took office.
The Labatt's Blue Light Music Festival had long been the signature event of the city, as tens of thousands of people from throughout Western New York and beyond converged on the historic canal district on balmy weekend evenings to hear free concerts by national acts, while having something to eat and drink al fresco as the sun set on Lake Erie to the west.
It was the only reason a lot of people ever went to North Tonawanda -- which, let's face it, has seen better days -- and undoubtedly the only reason even more people had ever heard of the benighted city. Enter Larry Soos, who screwed the whole thing up.
It all started last year when his wife decided she wanted to sell hot dogs at the event in order to earn a little pin money for herself. Soos approached the event's promoter, a nice young woman named Kathy Paradowski, and told her of his wife's plans. Paradowski explained that, since admission to the shows was free, she needed every cent generated by the sale of concessions in order to turn a profit.
The mayor went home and told the missus what Paradowski told him, and she was not pleased. She was not pleased at all.
So the mayor did what any self-interested husband would do. He told Paradowski to take her concert series to Wheatfield, for all he cared. Her services would no longer be needed. That it was his town and his wife could sell her hot dogs any place she wanted.
To the people of North Tonawanda, Soos said not to worry. The 2008 concert series would be better than ever. He'd lined up a new promoter, Vinnie Lesh, who was going to bring some super talent to the Lumber City and transform the series into an even bigger and more electrifying happening for the city.
When it was announced that top-flight stars like Joan Jett and Bruce Hornsby would appear, it seemed as though Soos and his wife hadn't ruined the summers for the people of North Tonawanda after all.
The first sign on trouble came a month ago, when Jett canceled her appearance in order to play at the Seneca Niagara Casino instead. While Soos explained that the punk icon was simply greedy and had opted to play for more money the Senecas offered her, the real story is that Jett was asked to take a cut in her promised guarantee by the new promoter Lesh, and on top of that had serious doubts about the professionalism and quality of the public address system and other things in North Tonawanda.
That was followed with a sweep by the North Tonawanda City Police that resulted in numerous arrests for underage drinking, and that was followed by a sting operation by the state Liquor Control Board in which the beer vendors themselves were arrested for sales to minors.
Officials at Labatt's were horrified, and immediately announced they would no longer sponsor the concert series. Last week's headliner, Bruce Hornsby, pulled out and played to a standing-room-only crowd that had paid $20 a ticket down in Buffalo instead.
As for Paradowski, she took her concert series up the canal to Lockport, where people -- including Mayor Michael Tucker -- really enjoy it. Last weekend, thousands attended a free show by Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek of the Doors.
For Soos, the fact that there are no concerts in North Tonawanda can only mean one thing: Mrs. Soos still can't sell her hot dogs, so we know what they'll be eating for dinner at the Soos household until around Christmas or so.
Fire up the grill, Larry!
In Niagara Falls, Judge Diane Vitello is facing opposition on all lines in the September primary from Charles Pitarresi in what may become the voter's first opportunity to comment on the administration of Mayor Paul Dyster, who appointed her to the bench in July.
At the time, there was more than a little grumbling, since Vitello's husband, local attorney Craig Touma, served as Dyster's campaign manager and remains a close personal adviser to the mayor.
Pitarresi -- the son of former city councilman Murphy Pitarresi and brother of Niagara County Risk Manager Jennifer Pitarresi -- is currently serving as an assistant Niagara County district attorney in DA Michael Violante's office, a position he has held since 2002.
"I've handled thousands of cases, everything from traffic violations to murder," Pitarresi told the Reporter. "My family has a long history of public service here in the Falls, and that's something I'd like to continue."
Dyster's handling of the Vitello appointment drew the wrath of a number of local attorneys who felt slighted by the mayor's pronouncement that she was "the first, last and only choice" for the position of city court judge, but Pitarresi said he's not interested in capitalizing on any bad feelings that may remain.
"Look, I've known Diane for a long time and I like her," he said. "But I think that my professional experience, and my life experience, speak for themselves." Pitarresi is one of eight children born to Murphy Pitarresi and the former Mary Bufone, and attended LaSalle High School before going off to Hamilton College, where he received degrees in history and biology. After working in the private sector, he enrolled at the University at Buffalo, where he received his juris doctorate and was admitted to the New York State Bar shortly afterward.
In private practice with Lipsitz, Green, Fahringer, Roll, Salisbury & Cambria, he specialized in environmental law, but said that the fast pace of criminal law led him to the DA's office.
"The corporations drag these civil cases out for years," he said. "They're basically waiting for your witnesses to die, and that ought to be a crime in itself. But even the most complicated criminal case rarely takes more than a year to come to trial, so it's a lot more rewarding. You get the feeling that you're actually accomplishing something."
Pitarresi realized that running against an incumbent is always an uphill battle.
"I've worn out two pairs of shoes going from door to door, meeting people and letting them know I'm in the race," he said. "But truly, if I didn't think I was going to win I wouldn't have run."
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | Aug. 12 2008 |