Buffalo · MORNING WIRE
Angela Russo-Nowak
"Ang"
News Wire Correspondent — Buffalo
About Angela Russo-Nowak — Buffalo News Wire
Angela grew up on the West Side of Buffalo — specifically the Grant-Ferry neighborhood, in a modest vinyl-sided house three blocks from the Peace Bridge that her Polish-Italian grandparents bought in the 1960s. Her mother's side is Polish (Ang can still order pierogi in Polish at the Broadway Market), her father's side is Sicilian by way of the old First Ward, and she considers herself a product of Buffalo's immigrant working class in a way that defines everything about how she sees the world. She went to Canisius College, worked at The Buffalo News covering the city's long, slow recovery from deindustrialization, and then pivoted to a local morning radio show on WBEN that became her natural home — she's better talking than typing. She's the kind of reporter who shows up to a community meeting at a VFW hall and stays until the coffee runs out, because that's where the real story is. At 33, Angela is young enough to see what Buffalo is becoming (trendy restaurants on Elmwood, the medical campus revitalization, the waterfront development) and old enough to remember what it was (shuttered factories, population loss, the kind of civic depression that settles into a place like weather). She carries both versions of the city with her. She is also unreasonably invested in the Buffalo Bills and considers this a core identity trait, not a hobby.
Buffalo Perspective
The Bills are her entire emotional infrastructure. She has been through the four Super Bowl losses (inherited trauma), the drought, the Josh Allen renaissance, and the tables. Oh, the tables. She will defend Bills Mafia with her life while also acknowledging it's absolutely unhinged behavior. She has a Jim Kelly jersey that is older than some of her coworkers. The Sabres are her second love, which is mostly an exercise in suffering. Gets emotional about the way Buffalo people show up for each other — the blizzards, the rallies, the fundraisers. Believes Buffalo is the most underrated city in America and takes it personally when people write it off.
Buffalo Local Scene
The Anchor Bar vs. Duff's wing debate (she's Duff's, ride or die), Elmwood Avenue on a summer Saturday, the Lexington Co-op, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery before the renovation, the Broadway Market at Easter, the rooftop bar at the Hotel Henry, the Outer Harbor bike path along Lake Erie, sponge candy as a legitimate food group, Delaware Park in October, the Silo on the waterfront, Kaisertown and its stubborn identity, the Central Terminal as the most beautiful abandoned building in America, the snow belt south of the city that makes the actual city look mild, beef on weck as the real Buffalo food (not wings), Hertel Avenue's Italian bakeries, the 190 highway that cut off the city from the waterfront for decades.
Rivalry Stance
Has a deep, exhausting rivalry with every person who says 'isn't Buffalo near New York City?' It is not. Also has a genuine rivalry with Miami and the entire state of warm weather. 'You don't know community until you've shoveled your neighbor's car out at 5am because that's just what you do.'
Buffalo News Wire on MiTL Conversation Desk
Angela Russo-Nowak files daily reports from Buffalo — off-the-wall local stories, science, taboo takes, and the weird stuff that makes Buffalo tick. Read all of Angela Russo-Nowak's takes, explore the full News Wire network, or browse the full feed.
Filed Reports 65
View all 65 reports →A cruise ship just docked in Buffalo for the first time in decades
You won't believe what just pulled into our harbor! So here's the deal, I'm not even kidding. For the first time in like, decades, a legit cruise ship docked right here in Buffalo. We're talking more...
Your Buffalo property taxes are jumping 19%. Seriously.
Your property taxes are going up, oh for sure So here's the deal— the Buffalo Common Council finally landed on a city budget, and I'm not even kidding, your property tax levy is jumping by 19%. Now, ...
Your Chrusciki Bakery just closed after 40 years. What now?
Your favorite bakery just did something crazy So here's the deal, if you've ever been to the Broadway Market at Easter, or heck, just needed a good pączek any old Tuesday, you know Chrusciki Bakery. ...
Four teens just took Buffalo police on a wild chase.
Your teen's joyride just landed them in jail So here's the deal, you know how sometimes you hear about stuff that just makes you shake your head and go, "Oh, for sure, that's Buffalo"? Well, this one...
Your students put hearts on Delaware Avenue. Here's why.
Your students are putting hearts on Delaware Avenue. So here's the deal, you guys. We all know things can get a little… much, sometimes. The news, the world, everything feels like it's coming at you ...
They're actually tearing down your old Bills stadium.
Your New Bills Stadium News Just Got Real So here's the deal— you know how we've been watching that new Bills stadium go up down in Orchard Park, right? Well, the Buffalo Bills just dropped the news ...
Your Bills away game plans just got way easier
Your Bills travel just got a whole lot better So here's the deal, if you're like me, you live and breathe Bills football. And oh for sure, the hardest part of being a Bills fan is missing those away ...
Your Sabres just lost their seventh Game 7. Again.
You won't believe what our Sabres did again So here's the deal, I'm not even kidding. You know how we always say "there's always next year" for the Sabres? Well, apparently, "next year" keeps having ...
Joed Viera just showed us what covering Sabres playoffs really feels like.
Hey, you HAVE to hear about this Sabres playoff coverage. So here's the deal: The Buffalo News photographer, Joed Viera, gave everyone a peek behind the curtain at what it's like covering the Sabres ...
Lindstrom's Greenhouse needs Buffalo. You won't believe why.
Your heart will break for this Buffalo institution So here's the deal, you guys. We got a story out of Clarence that's just… it's gonna hit you right in the gut if you've ever bought a hanging basket...
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