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Scorecard: The Week's Winners & Losers
by Zachary Burns
Faceoff
You won’t see his face on a single note of currency. His name doesn’t grace any building or monument of national significance. But historical obscurity Millard Fillmore will always be “that other guy” of the two men with Buffalo roots to have manned the Oval Office. And while Grover Cleveland (he of two non-consecutive terms) will always garner the most publicity in this city, Fillmore deserves credit for his role as a great civic leader who helped build Buffalo during its early era. It is for this reason that on Jan. 7, 210 years after Fillmore’s birth and for the 45th year, UB sponsored its annual gathering at his burial site in Forest Lawn to pay homage to Buffalo’s “other” president.
Therefore, the Week In Review presents its look at the two Buffalo boys in office in order to determine who takes home the honor of presidential superiority.
Buffalo Roots
Born in log cabin in central New York. Moved to East Aurora in 1825. Resided in Buffalo post-presidency. |
Born in New Jersey. Moved to Buffalo at 17 and resided here for the next 28 years. Mayor of Buffalo and Erie County Sheriff. |
Advantage: Fillmore +1 |
Civic Deeds
First chancellor of UB. Helped to establish Buffalo Historical Society and library system. |
While sheriff in 1872, personally hanged a convicted murderer rather than pay $10 to hire executioner. |
Advantage: Fillmore +5 |
Best Move During Presidency
Admitted California to the Union as a free state in 1850, giving rise to Silicon Valley, Hollywood, In-N-Out Burger, and 90% of the world’s porn production. |
During his first term the 49-year-old bachelor married 21-year-old Buffalo hometown hottie Frances Folsom in the White House. |
Advantage: Fillmore +2 |
Hot-Button Issue In Office
While he personally detested slavery, enacted the Fugitive Slave Act to appease the South. |
While he personally detested bling, supported currency backed by a gold standard rather than silver, to appease pimps of the era. |
Advantage: Cleveland +3 |
Popularity in Oval Office
Alienated Whigs with stance on slavery. Failed to receive party nomination for presidency in 1854. |
Won the popular vote for President three times (the Al Gore of 1888). |
Advantage: Cleveland +4 |
The Week's Winners & Losers
Boyfriend of the YearAn early candidate for Artvoice’s collection of Valentine’s romance stories (see page 9): Antoine Davis of Buffalo was sentenced to seven years in prsion on Jan. 11 for dousing his girlfriend in lighter fluid and threatening to set her on fire. What a charmer. |
The Divine CitrusA Lockport man who saw an image of Jesus and Mary inside the orange he cut for breakfast on Christmas morning announced last week that he is planning to sell photos of the chosen fruit for $15, with half the proceeds going to the church. |
Statler TowersWell, that’s the end of that story. Unable to secure financing, the group that purchased the iconic hotel recevied approval from a bankruptcy judge on Jan. 12 to mothball the building until a new buyer could be found. Yup, we got vacant skyscrapers. |
Ill-Conceived EscapesA “person of interest” in a Buffalo homicide case jumped out a third-floor window while being questioned by detectives at Police headquarters on Jan. 7 and attempted to flee only to be caught shortly after. Yeah, that doesn’t look guilty at all. |
Marshawn LynchThe hits keep coming for the legally challenged Buffalo Bill after reports surfaced Jan. 9 that the wife of a Buffalo detective accused Lynch of stealing $20 from her at a Hamburg T.G.I. Fridays. The woman has since stated her desire not pursue criminal charges. |
By the numbers...
93
Number of bridges in New York State operating at or below the safety rating of the recently demolished Lake Champlain bridge according to a report released Jan. 12 by state comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The old bridge’s safety rating of 3.375 (out of 7) was still greater than the Peace Bridge’s 3.3 score. |
11.32
Millions of dollars in grants to be received in Western New York from the Empire State Development agency. This represents a little more than half the total allotment of 22.4 million by the agency’s Upstate funding iniative. The largest grant is for $5 million, slated to go the third phase of the Canal Side project. |
13
New York statewide excise tax per pack of cigarettes. Governor David Paterson suggested potentially increasing that rate by as much as $1 during a radio interview on Jan. 10 when he unveils his budget plan next week. New York state currently imposes the 3rd highest state tax on cigarettes in the nation, trailing only Connecticut ($3.00) and Rhode Island ($3.46). |
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