Column by Don Glynn —
Nik Wallenda is still left with that up-in-the-air feeling about the chance to fulfill his dream.
The highwire artist who wants to walk on a tightrope across the Niagara Gorge in the summer, should find out this week whether he will be granted a permit for the stunt. Wednesday could be the day of the decision.
The Niagara Parks Commission, which rejected his request the first time around, agreed to a second meeting — with Niagara Parks Chairwoman Janice Thomson — to further discuss the plan.
At that session, in addition to meeting with the chairwoman, Wallenda reportedly spent nearly an hour with Faye Booker, a city engineer for Niagara Falls, Ont., park police officers from both sides of the river, and an official with the regional state parks commission from the Niagara Falls State Park.
Wallenda told the media that a lot of the questions dealt with safety and the preliminary including setting up the route. While he described the questions as “very good,” Thomson said later it was much of what she heard earlier.
She did say that Wallenda was as passionate and committed as ever, noting that was clear at the first meeting he held with the commission.
Even if the commission rejects his request again, Wallenda has no intention of giving up.
Meanwhile, the state parks commission on this side has ruled that the walk would be allowed only if it extends between the U.S. and Canada. It would not be permitted just over the American and Bridal Veil falls, from Prospect Point to Goat Island.
It’s thoroughly understandable if Wallenda has that feeling that he’s being bounced around.
After the Ontario parks agency initially turned him down, he was urged to present his proposal to Ontario Minister of Tourism Michael Chan who, it was thought, might overrule the commission.
Instead, Chan, the highest ranking tourism official in the province, who obviously didn’t want to appear as the bad guy, tossed the ball back to Thomson for round three.
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RESTORING CALM: President Obama moved Friday to end the heated debate that flared up over a regulation that required health insurance plans — offered by Catholic hospitals, charities and universities — to provide birth control for female employees.
That would have conflicted with church teachings, many Catholics had argued.
Under the new coverage rule, the employees will be offered birth control care, but the benefit will come directly from the insurers and none of the religious groups’ money would pay for it.
It is unclear whether Obama’s latest move will satisfy the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who have waged a prolonged and vigorous fight against the rule.
While the spotlight is focused on the current controversy, a number of Catholic institutions across New York and in some 20 others states have been compliant with those same mandates since 2002.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: “Custode & Parisi,” named by Artvoice as the “Best Jazz Act of Buffalo-2011” will perform their Mardi Gras special (Fat Tuesday) Feb. 21, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Dick & Jenny’s, 1270 Baseline Road, Grand Island. The popular restaurant is the former Del & Herb’s.
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ACROSS THE BORDER: The Lincoln County Humane Society in St. Catharines, Ont., has a problem that many Niagara Falls, N.Y., area residents have heard about countless times in the past month: Too many cats.
Records show that in 2010, 1,996 stray cats entered the Lincoln shelter and 1,508 didn’t leave alive. A spokesman said the shelter has an euthanasia rate of 70 percent.
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HOLY GROUND? Overheard at The Hillvue Restaurant, Ridge Road, Lewiston: “I heard this guy talking about ‘St. Joseph Davis Park.’ I thought Lewiston leased that from the state, not the Pope.”
Opinion
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Glynn
GLYNN: It’s ‘D-Day’ all over for Wallenda
- Opinion
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GLYNN: VFW post keeps spirit alive
At one time, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars-Post 313 would march down Main Street in Youngstown on Memorial Day to the 1812 Cemetery near Old Fort Niagara. That same scenario out of the past occurred for decades in cities, towns and villages across the U.S.
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HAMILTON: Dandelions, parades, broken poles and people
There are still those remnants of the fading bouquets of floral tributes that still hang at that base of a tree on city hall’s lawn. It is near where, last year, from his shiny silvery cart, Melvin Johnson sold hot dogs and sausages to both city employees and passerbys while his tiny white dog excitingly yelped at anyone that came near.
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GLYNN: Gillibrand seeks help for prime bread-winners
A recent report shows that working mothers across the Empire State earn nearly 15 percent lower pay for the same work as men.
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BRADBERRY: There really are spirits in the water
Over the centuries since it was “discovered” hundreds of millions of people have traveled from every corner of the world to visit Niagara Falls making it the most visited of the great waterfalls on the planet.
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CONFER: The reality of rationed health care
The ongoing debate over Obamacare has brought to light the concept of rationed healthcare. Opponents of health care reform keenly point out that while the bill never explicitly calls out rationing, it features certain provisions that will lead the markets to adjust to strict federal demands and, therefore, dispense certain procedures in smaller amounts or not at all. Because of it being the first time that the subject has really come up in public circles, most people, especially on the right, believe that rationing is something new. It’s not. The free markets have been practicing that for quite some time. I should know; with a 4-inch long, 1-inch wide scar running south of my belly button – and a couple of related scars around my groin – I could be the poster child for rationed health care.
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CITY DESK: A regrettable error
We owe Carol Sensabough an apology.
Several weeks ago, the long-time reader and Niagara Falls resident sent a letter to the editor explaining that she took offense to some of the things written by a syndicated columnist, Stephen Dick. -
HIGGS: Niagara Falls' own West Side story
Trusello’s Bakery was on Elmwood behind the family home at 840 19th St. The family, Richard, William (Billy) and Sam along with two sisters, lived in the house.
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GLYNN: Falls, Ont., rolls out red carpet for Wallenda
Before Nik Wallenda even started practicing his high-wire routine in downtown Niagara Falls, state Sen.George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane, had noted the warm welcome the tightrope walker received across the river.
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HAMILTON: Civic ‘ParticipAction’ can work too
Back in the 1970s, our Neighbors to the North ran a national campaign called ParticipAction to encourage Canadians to get off their butts and do things for the sakes of their bodies.
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GLYNN: Graduates find they’re in staggering debt
Countless senior citizens often gripe about something, sometimes even with good reason. Perhaps they should consider themselves fortunate, compared with the younger generation.
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