On Monday, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency’s governance committee recommended a change in the agency’s legal representation. At the behest of County Executive Chris Collins, who is an ECIDA member, the agency will end its 18-year relationship with the local firm of Hurwitz & Fine and switch to the statewide firm Harris Beach.

Last May we wrote about City of Niagara Falls officials and their love affair with the Pothole Killer, a magnificent road repaving machine invented by Scott Klieger of Pennsylvania’s Patch Management Co. The machine grinds up bad pavement and hot-patches the resulting hole with remarkable efficiency—50 potholes in one hour in a demonstration last spring that convinced Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster to hire the machine and Klieger’s crew to tackle some of the most cratered of the city’s long-neglected roadways.

On the Friday after Christmas, whence all news stories go to die, Chemical Waste Management released the results of a radiation survey of its landfill in the Town of Lewiston.

Small-business owners who consider offering domestic partner benefits to lesbian and gay employees are faced with extreme challenges. Most insurance companies and policies will not allow employers to offer domestic partner benefits if they insure less than 50 employees. This puts even LGBT business owners in a tough situation and removes the option for providing equal benefits due to industry regulations and policies beyond their control. It’s not fair to same-sex couples and it’s equally unfair to small business owners who are struggling to do the right thing.

There’s a scene in My Cousin Vinny where Vinny explains to the rival attorney that the reason a foul-mouthed sleazebag like himself made the unlikely choice to become a lawyer was because as a young man he realized, after cross-examining his citating officer in traffic court, that he had a natural, innate gift for legal argument. Remember? As the story goes, his judge that day was so impressed with Vinny’s legal prowess that he not only suggested Vinny take up law, but also mentored and molded him into the chronically underdressed, culturally ignorant, squeaky-voiced Yankee dipstick who somehow manages to get his nephew (spoiler alert: the Karate Kid avoids the death penalty) acquitted of an Alabama murder charge.