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Cover Story

The Days of Dandelion Wine

by Charlotte Hsu

The wine will be done in six months, maybe—bottled, labeled and ready to sell. But today, on a sun-drenched morning in May, Carl Schmitter is picking dandelions at Delaware Park.

News Feature

The Mystery of SUNYAB

by Buck Quigley

I was sitting around the office writing up a fluff piece about a touring band when a cryptic email arrived in my inbox. The message contained no text—just a link to a story in the Buffalo News. When I clicked on the link, I saw the headline to a story by Tom Precious that read: “UB leads in lobbyist spending.”

News Analysis

Too Many Stores

by Bruce Fisher

American civilization has its perfect expression in Union Road, in the entirety of its run from Orchard Park to Williamsville. Union Road is a succession of strip malls that link the marquee suburbs of Western New York. It is what the anti-suburbanites call “Generica,” and it is a refutation of every fond hope for “smart growth,” “new urbanism,” “transit-oriented development,” and “green infrastructure,” because Union Road is all about automobiles.

Week in Review

Seven Days: The Straight Dope From the Week That Was

by Geoff Kelly

Scorecard: The Week's Winners and Losers

by Zachary Burns

News Briefly

Marine Drive Apartments Manager Resigns

by Geoff Kelly

Henry Littles, who until Friday worked for Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation as manager of the Marine Drive Apartments, has resigned amid allegations that he engaged in a months-long affair with a female tenant of the complex. Littles is married with children.

Theater Week

20 Years of the Artie Awards

by Anthony Chase

Twenty years ago, when the first Artie Awards recognizing excellence in Buffalo theater were presented at Garvey’s Restaurant on Pearl Street, it was instantly apparent that Artvoice had hit a reverberating chord with the theater community.

Art Scene

Roger, Tower

by Jack Foran

Sam Van Aken’s exhibit currently at Hallwalls takes on the straw man of art as hoax, art as deceptive.

Classical Music

What's Old is New

by Jan Jezioro

Though the calendar tells us that it is still May, it is already time for June in Buffalo, the annual festival at the University at Buffalo that celebrates the work of contemporary composers.

Sprouts & Roots

Shady Characters

by Monique Watts

Strolling through filtered light on a moss-covered walkway of a woodland garden or enjoying the dappled light dancing on quaint, wispy lily of the valley through the slats of a pergola will inspire many to dream of a secret garden. But when it comes to creating a shady oasis in the yard, it can at first seem anything but tranquil.

Play Ball!

Injuries Shaking Up Herd Roster

by Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell

Buffalo Bisons Manager Ken Oberkfell has repeatedly emphasized that one of the major reasons for the team’s success has been avoiding the injury bug. Injuries were one issue that demolished the Herd’s chances last season, when young players not ready for AAA were thrust into playing roles to which they were not acclimated.

Film Review

Casino Jack and the United States of Money

by George Sax

Early on, Alex Gibney’s Casino Jack and the United States of Money delivers some mildly disappointing information. After the infamously conniving Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff was bought down by the press, his political enemies and the authorities, he reportedly began studying the Talmud and the Jewish faith, pursuing redemption. Perfect, no?

Listings

On The Boards Theater Listings

Movie Times (Friday, May 28 - Thursday, June 3)

Film Now Playing

Events

See You There!

Artvoice's weekly round-up of events to watch out for the week, including our editor's pick: Les Claypool at Artpark on Wednesday, June 2nd.

5 Questions With...

Joe Mascia: BMHA Resident Commissioner

Joe Mascia is a contentious guy. As a resident-elected commissioner of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, he frequently stirs up trouble on the board. (He’s up for re-election this June.) His political activities and relentless criticism of the management of BMHA’s Marine Drive Apartments, where he and his wife live, have earned both applause and jeers. He is never dull.

Letters to Artvoice

A Catholic Complaint

by Paul Wieland

When a comely blonde in a sheath dress was wheeled into play as the public relations representative of Bernard Cardinal Law in Boston more than eight years ago, the university-trained monsignor who had been the archdiocese’s PR man was shoved into the background.

Offbeat News

News of the Weird

by Chuck Shepherd

American families from certain Asian and African cultures continue to ritually “circumcise” their young daughters, though the practice is illegal in the U.S. and most of the world.

Gaywatch

Listings and Resources

Buffalo has a large and diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. For further information about its numerous organizations and activities, visit Gaywatch at Artvoice.com, call the Western New York Pride Center (852-7743), or email WinterDanny@AOL.com.

Horoscopes

Free Will Astrology

by Rob Brezsny

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): My favorite news source, The Onion, recently reported on a “free-thinking cat” that excretes its wastes “outside the box.”

Advice

Ask Anyone

My father and my husband recently had a major blowout. My father came to pick up a tool that had been left at our house, but my husband had grown sick of it laying around and took it to a scrapyard. Both of them are angry, and I feel caught in the middle. Help!