This week the great Adam Bojak is lured to the Snakepit by delicious smoked brisket to join in on our in-depth post-primary analysis. Adam is a volunteer on the India Walton campaign and would like you to pump up donations and/or volunteer!https://indiawalton.com/Twitter: @AdamBojak=================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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The episode kicks off in our time machine where we record some hot takes of the primary results. We're obviously over the moon about India Walton. The Square got the endorsement sweep.RECORDED ON MONDAY: We get into Byron Brown's last minute billionaire campaign contributions, WNY's penchant for right wing extremism, the county's new RENEW plan and what Brian Higgin's considers BULLSHIT. We also pour a huge one out for Billy Fuccillo.=================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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The great Mitch Nowakowski of the Buffalo Common Council joins us to talk city politics, Pride month memories and about his journey from coming out to being elected to the Common Council. He also tells us dummies how to be better allies to the LGBTQ community.You can find Mitch here:Twitter: @mitch4fillmoreIG: mitch4fillmoreFB: https://www.facebook.com/Mitch4Fillmore/https://www.mitch4fillmore.com/=================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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Jen Page (aka Queen City Feminist) joins us in the muggy Snakepit for the news of the week and to update us on the current state of abortion rights in the state and country. She discusses some of her experiences needing healthcare in this country, and experiences with the looney tunes anti-choice crowd as an abortion rights advocate. She even tells us how us dumb guys on this podcast can help ensure these rights for everyone.You can find Jen here:Twitter: @QueencityfemnstIG: queencityfeministShe's on TikTok too, but we're too old to work TikTokJen recommends donating to your local indie healthcare clinics providing abortions and to check out Shour Your Abortion.https://shoutyourabortion.com/Check these for if you're looking for abortion access:https://www.nyaaf.org/https://abortionfunds.org/=================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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We wanted to record something meaningful as we wave goodbye to May seeing as it's Mental Health Awareness month. In our first segment, Kelly, Ryan and Jim sit down and discuss each of their journeys in mental health.We interview psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Weinstein in our second segment. She gives us insights into the signs of depression and how to recognize these in yourself or someone you care about. Dr. Weinstein then goes into how to go about getting help. We also discuss just how much seasonal depression affects us in WNY.Dr. Weinstein's info for her private practice and for Brylin Hospital:Psychiatry for Healthy Living(716) 362-1210651 Delaware AveBuffalo, NY 14202Brylin Hospitalhttps://www.brylin.com/1263 Delaware AveBuffalo, NY 14209We also wanted to post the info for Crisis services and the National Suicide Lifeline:Crisis Serviceshttp://crisisservices.org/Buffalo and Erie County Residents: 716-834-3131Chautauqua County Residents: 1-800-724-046National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK===================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelKel: @GFY

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We have a very interesting episode for you today. In our second, feature segment we speak with Aaron O'Brian and Jason Gusman of the true crime podcast Return to Snakeland. It centers around the mysterious murder of high school student Kathy Herold in the summer of 1985. Content warning: some of the details are graphic.Aaron and Jason were students at the same school in Kenmore, NY and were haunted by the murder and the subsequent bungling of the case by investigators. Their research began with Jason's blog in the mid 2000's. As a result Aaron and Jason met and turned the story into a fictionalized graphic novel. Feeling the story deserved more attention, they began their podcast this May of 2021 and are currently releasing episodes weekly on Wednesdays.We enjoy the podcast as it focuses on the tragedy and humanity of the story, and not the gruesome details.You can find more information on their website. The podcast is also on the site and all your favorite podcast services.https://returntosnakeland.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/returntosnakelandIG: https://www.instagram.com/returntosnakeland/FB: https://www.facebook.com/returntosnakelandJason's Twitter:@fictionlmixtapeAaron's Twitter:@Blackbird2004=================In news of the week! We cover the mayoral race, sheriff's race, speed zone cameras, sexy Stefan and more.Friend of the pod Adam Bojak is in the news! Here's a story on him doing the people's work, fighting back against that terrible Lancaster Landlord we mentioned a few episodes back. Riy said it was WIVB, but it's WKBW:https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/lancaster-tenant-shares-his-side-of-story-after-landlord-spray-paints-rent-debt-on-roofFriend of the pod Rob Galbraith has a new article on the Daily Poster! If you're not a fan of the Gig Economy or California's Prop 22, you're gonna wanna read this:https://www.dailyposter.com/the-blue-state-campaign-to-crush-gig-workers/=================Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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Indie/folk/bluegrass Fiddler Sally Schaefer of bands Over and Out, McCarthyizm and Buffalo Bluegrass Allstars joins us to talk about her bands, a history of fiddling and blugrass and how the local live music scene is starting to come back to life. She can be seen every first and third Thursday at Sportsman's Tavern with Buffalo Bluegrass Allstars and check her other bands for upcoming gigs. Links below:https://www.facebook.com/overandoutbuffalo/http://www.mccarthyizm.com/https://www.facebook.com/buffalobluegrassallstars/We also get into it pretty good about dumb sports players. That and news of the week!Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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The gang explains Stefan's goofy ribbon cutting ceremony pics and other news of the week. Drs. Russell Weaver and Jason Knight then join us to discuss their very interesting proposal for a more democratic Buffalo city charter-->Here's their full proposal: www.highroadpolicy.orgHere's their Buffalo News article on the subject, pasted below for those behind the paywall.https://buffalonews.com/opinion/another-voice-to-build-back-better-buffalo-needs-a-people-centered-charter/article_83e17bf4-7ba3-11eb-b4c4-f368dac77c54.htmlFind us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY========================================-Another Voice: To build back better, Buffalo needs a people-centered charter-The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing crises have laid bare how our political economy is set up to reinforce, rather than combat, racial, gender, economic, and spatial inequality. In response, the intersectional racial and social justice organizing that has grown out of Covid-19 and the movement for Black lives has brought national attention to the need to implement new solutions toward a regenerative economy.However, rising calls to advance social and racial justice have yet to be answered with commitments to structural change in Western New York. In just the past few weeks, a public agency in Hamburg greenlighted nearly $7 million in tax incentives for Amazon to bring a few dozen low-wage jobs. And a probe by New York State revealed ongoing practices of redlining.Lack of progress toward structural change is not necessarily due to government inaction. Public agencies are actively engaged in meeting urgent Covid-related needs and reforming inequitable policies and practices. Unfortunately, an equitable, sustainable society cannot come from simple adjustments to unfair and discriminatory institutions. The path to a better world is one that collectively and continuously remakes the systems from which inequitable institutions emerge. Change requires a shift from focusing on events, like locally unwanted development projects, to understanding and democratically redesigning the structures that produce those events. Such change is the work not of reformers tweaking current institutions, but of reformers collectively (re-)imagining and (re-)forming new ones.One reformative change that can begin answering the growing calls for social, racial, gender and economic justice in Buffalo is a rights-based charter. To date, around 200 local governments in 12 states have passed rights-based ordinances or adopted rights-based charters or charter amendments. These tools leverage municipal home rule powers to institutionalize environmental rights, worker rights, rights of nature and democratic rights into local government practices.Codifying these rights in Buffalo can be a giant step toward a more inclusive and democratic economy and society – and doing so is in reach. By state law, any of the mayor, council or a citizen-driven ballot initiative can create a Charter Revision Commission. Such a commission can begin public education and outreach and collaborate with community stakeholders to draft a rights-based charter.

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Riy had a bad day. His shoes and Magic the Gathering cards were stolen. So now he's a proponent of expanding the police state. Just kidding. But he did go on a 30 minute rant about Byron Brown based on this very good Investigative Post article by Jim Heaney-->https://www.investigativepost.org/2021/04/28/bryon-browns-sorry-track-record/That, other news of the week, a review of Yelp's top restaurants in the area, and us getting pissed about the impending menthol ban.Find us at:Facebook: www.facebook.com/squarepodTwitter: @squarepodbuffJim: @JamesTamolRyan: @darealryansteelRiy: @GFY

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