Wednesday, August 3, 2016

CONVICTED FRAUDSTER MEETS JUSTICE AGAIN

Meanwhile, across the river in Buffalo:

Buffalo has transformed its waterfront.  Just a reminder how a once disused and barren was changed into a great tourist attraction. Too bad Fort Erie mostly wastes its greatest asset. 
(Note to our mayoral wannabe: you know that you won't get many votes out of Crystal Beach, mainly because people do remember your duplicity, but your petty little pay-back has been thoroughly noted and proper "credit" has been awarded to you by name. Of course, many of the people who were affected by it were from other parts of Fort Erie and they will remember too.)


There are unconfirmed reports that convicted fraudster Gary Fraser has been arrested again. Fraser, who is the front man for a syndicated mortgage group has left his mark on Crystal Beach and Ridgeway on his way to fame and fortune. The trail of half-built and abandoned buildings has blighted the Beach, especially the empty business structures on Erie Road.  There is a vast area on Ridge Road in Ridgeway that has been torn up in anticipation of another development from one of the companies that Fraser fronts.

One woman who owns a building on Erie Road is probably breathing a sigh of relief that the sale of her building to Fraser fell through months ago, while others who sold to Fraser are grateful that they were paid before the bottom fell out.

And, just like other developers, Fraser was allowed to get away with problems in grading of the under-construction houses on Schooley Road.  While the planning department and other departments at Town Hall seem to be on permanent vacation, developers seem to have no problem getting building permits even though there are serious mistakes in their plans. Take a look at those abominations at the end of Hibbard Street in Ridgeway that have short driveways and little hope of being bought except by fools. What? Was no one at work the day those plans were approved? Or was it a case of what a local developer has bragged that "I can get anything passed as long as I pay for it."

This blog put out the warning about Fraser long ago.  (Look it up in the archives.) Hopefully, some listened. I do know of others who didn't and were roped into defending Fraser even though he served time for previous scams that robbed family, friends and even his own pastor from hundreds of thousands of dollars.

UPDATE: Fraser has NOT been arrested - yet.The investigation is ongoing, but some properties owned by Fraser are now up for auction. Both Gary and his wife have not been seen in the area for a while; she was seen clearing out of one of their properties a few weeks ago. Like his previous situation that ended with his incarceration, he may be difficult to find.

ELECTION UPDATE: Fort Erie Race Track owner, Carl Paladino is the chair of the Trump campaign in New York State. This morning, he embarrassed himself on MSNBC's Joy Reid show, but he really proved himself as a right wing nut job in a recent interview. He asserted that President Obama is definitely a Muslim because of his foreign policy. This is the guy who ran for governor of New York wielding a baseball bat. He lost in a landslide. 

Another developer who thinks only of himself, like Trump. Hopefully Trump will suffer the same fate in his campaign as Paladino did in his.

11 comments:

  1. Speaking of Carlpals (now)connection to the landmark Fort Erie Racetrack type in "Trumps connection to organized crime" to see what we are now part of. Interesting to see in this tiny backwater how the "boys from Buffalo" got their hooks into our track and now we have "record" wagering... err betting, mostly off track of course.Do we really want to be part of a group that would support an organized crime figure trying to be the president of the U.S.?? Too late! We already are. Who says life in the Fort is dull. Culic should get in on this one but it isnt likely he has the guts.Besides why should he risk his $811.21 paycheck every 15 days dude?

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    1. I will give Culic this...he has had the fortitude to take satirical shots at the billions over budget bridge issue and even suggesting amalgamating the various towns hereabouts(cost saving for sure, destroy the ol boys for a while but in the long run south Niagara would get the short end of the stick from the more populous north)...but He has yet to delve into the obvious cesspool of FE politics....wonder why??

      He seems very palsy with Jimmie Dirtbag and Co. and gives him positive press even though there is nothing positive coming from that office only hope that it will be positive in the future....kind of like a carrot on a stick...that nobody hereabouts ever gets to see up close and is willing to chase seemingly forever

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  2. all quiet here for now in the middle of summer but what happens in a couple weeks when the kids go back to school and everyone's mindset returns to work mode?............... Ah the ol boys return to screwing the town over for their bank accounts for sure with FE's waterfront likely being in the forefront of their money grubbing/screw the next generation minds....Meanwhile in NF city planners have the proper moral compass to actually question developers about the Thundering Waters Project which is just about unheard of around these parts where lots of cold hard cash can buy you building permits no matter what the fallout.... Absolutely positive that wouldn't happen here in FE.

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  3. This has been a bumper year for tourism in Niagara, NOTL and Niagara Falls has been swamped with visitors, sadly only Ridgeway was the only area that benefitted from an increase in traffic. The roads around Fort Erie proper, Garrison Road just local people only, no visitors, it is good to know that Ridgeway is taking the lead to celebrate Canada Birthday celebrations next year, our wonderful and busy Tourism/Development Agency has been on hiatus this year, no wars on the current Town Council, could be because three members were former vice-presidents of the local Chamber of Commerce, When amalgamation happened, uniting many small hamlets and villages into one large Municipal unit. Fort Erie started out, for the first 15 years with 8 Alderman representing just under 14,000 residents, then the Chamber of Commerce, not liking their diminished power over Town Council, advised the then council to get rid of two Alderman and spread their pay to the other six, we now have over 30,000 thousand residents, Black Creek still has no representation on Council, when is the C of C going to recommend we bring back the two missing Councillors as they are now called ?

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    1. Porgey, you're wrong! Jimmy of the EDTC is busy at the race track and with some big golf tournament at Cherry Hill. Jobs, jobs, jobs, don't you know? I guess that Jimmy is back in Cherry Hill's good graces. Word is that he once wore out his welcome there years ago, playing for free.

      Crystal Beach is doing well too. Just an example: record year for Waterfront Concert series. Other than parking issues, the concerts went on in style. Circle of Art was a huge success and we are all looking forward to the End of Summer Parade on September 3.

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  4. Any news about Gary Fraser??

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    1. Nothing new about Fraser but there is no activity on the houses he was building on Schooley Road, nor is there anything being done to the properties he supposedly owns on Erie Road. We can thank him for giving visitors the idea that the village is failing with all the abandoned buildings. Some look like they did in the 1990s after the amusement park closed. Yet, there is such vibrancy in the Beach. So busy these days for the businesses that are open. I do hope they all have a very good, prosperous year. Many of us appreciate their hard work and sacrifice. I still believe that certain people at town hall want Crystal Beach to fail as payback for the repudiation of the former regime's efforts to ruin our last piece of public beach property. In case you've forgotten, the Four Councillors (Bob Steckley, John Hill, Don Lubberts and Paul Collard) are still being sued for $1 million dollars each by the Molinaros. The other suit filed by ex-councillor Tim Whitfield on behalf of "others" against The Four was finally dismissed after several years and much financial and emotional stress to the councillors. That lawsuit was filed in order to ruin the reputations of The Four who did nothing wrong except try to work for their constituents. Meanwhile, those who were behind the lawsuit hid their nefarious plan behind a code: 4-2-0. They almost succeeded because many people did not vote or did not find out what was really going on. I tried to offer the alternative; the local press chose to ignore the truth. Taxes have gone up and will continue until there is a full investigation or reckoning in certain "corporations" within the town structure. One down and another to go. But it is still not enough. Fort Erie is a town heavy in corruption; old boys' politics and nepotism. A small town with much potential. Just ripe for someone like Fraser, a convicted con artist, to continue his felonious ways.

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  5. The Fort Erie scammers are busy over at the race track, the government cuts cheques for millions of dollars yet the money for purses at the end of the line is just a trickle, who is helping themselves to our government money?? we need a forensic audit, nothing computes.

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  6. So what's all this talk about Mayor Redekop saying that residents should also pay to get onto Bay Beach next year?
    That he thinks it is the same as taxpayers paying for an arena facility and then paying again to use it!

    It's a lake.

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  7. Why should busloads of people coming from over 100 KM away not have to pay an entrance fee?

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  8. I read in the Toronto Star, that they are using Harry Schlange as the hatchet man in Brampton to remove over 25 highly paid staff, many of whom are on the sunshine list, a whole floor at Town Hall has been cleared out, interesting happenings, in the City of Brampton.

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