Strictly Business

From Business Today:

It is done. The Statler Towers, a landmark overlooking Niagara Square, is now owned by local restaurateur Mark Croce after languishing almost two  years in bankruptcy. But the saga is far from over. Croce plans to get the bottom floor open so he can host weddings and banquets in the grand Golden Ballroom and refurbished terrace. Stabilizing the structure will cost a lot of money, however, and Croce expects to get the government to help out. People may grumble and say ' let the private sector do it,'  but the private sector passed on the opportunity. Almost every developer in town looked at the Statler and balked. A job that size will take public money, and years from now, if it succeeds, people will be glad it was done.

Doing your taxes seems to get more complicated every year. During the annual Buffalo News Tax Help Line Call-in Night, volunteers from the local chapter of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, people had all sorts of questions. Many were handled by phone, but others were done during an on-line chat, which can be read on this blog.

High school students form across the region showed off their financial literacy skills at the annual MoneySkills competition at the University at Buffalo. Questions ranging from compounding interest rates to how much Goldman Sachs valued Facebook for were handled in a game show environment. Members of the winning team won $250 college scholarships and the overall winner won an iPad.

Charlie Sheen, the unpredictable actor, is everywhere, even in Western New York. The catch phrase he has been using on talk shows to explain what he is doing - "Duh, winning" - is being emblazoned on T-shirts by the  New Buffalo Shirt Factory in Clarence. The company thinks they may be for Sheen's upcoming tour called the "Violent Torpedo of Truth" tour. Can't wait.

Who is getting hired, promoted and honored?



The beginning of a new life for the Statler. A video...