Eileen Buckley

The Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame will honor six new inductees Thursday evening.  Among those being celebrated for his broadcast career is Tom Calderone.

Calderone serves as president of VH 1 Network.  He took his first crack in radio in high school, then began broadcasting at Buffalo State College in the early 80's on WBNY radio.  That experience launched him into his prestigious career. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley recently met with Calderone in our studios to discuss his success.

State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Whelan today upheld an arbitrator's decision that the involuntary transfer of 54 teachers by the Buffalo Public School system was in violation of the district's contract with the Buffalo Teachers' Federation union.

The transfers were initially enacted as part of a turnaround plan which the school board deemed the only feasible way to improve student performances at three low-performing city schools: Futures Academy, Drew Science Magnet School, and Bilingual Center 33. 

You've heard of Flutie Flakes and T.O.'s -- now there are MariO's. 

Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams is the latest local sports star to have his own breakfast cereal.  Tops Markets is now selling the limited edition, honey nut toasted oat cereal.

All of the proceeds from the cereal will go to Roswell Park's Carly's Club.  Williams, appearing at the Tops store on Orchard Park Road in West Seneca Tuesday to launch the new cereal, talked about how cancer has touched his life.

Some simple items are being created into birthing kits to be delivered to women in rural villages in South and Central America and Africa. 

The Zonta Club of Kenmore and Tonawanda will host a fundraiser at the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda this Sunday to help pay for their humanitarian project.

"Birthing kits are the most simple things to create and they create such a global impact," said Tracy Miles,  president of Zonta Club of the Tonawanda's and kit coordinator.  

Western New York motorists continue to pay more at the pump. 

Gas prices have risen to an average $4.07 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, up 7.6 cents in the past week. 

The cost of gasoline is 28 cents higher than one year ago and 24 cents higher than just one month ago. 

GasBuddy.com senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says as we push deeper into September, he is optimistic that the high prices will begin to come down slightly. 

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer says as long as America remains dependent on foreign oil, prices will be high.

Efforts are underway to boost tourism through projects to make Buffalo more visitor-friendly. 

In this week's Press Pass conversation WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley talks with Buffalo News reporter Brian Meyer, who has been focusing on the issue.

Local healthcare workers protested outside the State Health Department office on Delaware Avenue Friday afternoon.

They held a picket against Albany's failure to pass a Safe Patient Handling bill. Healthcare workers -- who lift patients -- often suffer from back injuries. The bill would require hospitals and nursing homes to provide equipment to help lift patients.

Bill Nowak is with the healthcare coordinating committee of CWA District One. He says state lawmakers need to stop playing games with patient safety.

Incumbent Mark Grisanti won in a landslide in the Republican Primary in the race for the 60th New York State Senate District.

Grisanti was declared the winner after capturing 60% of the vote Thursday night to opponent Kevin Stocker's 40%.

"I accept the nomination of the Republican and Independence party," said Grisanti.

Grisanti delivered his acceptance speech before supporters at the Soho bar on Chippewa in downtown Buffalo with his wife and family by his side. 

A U.S. Navy official has returned home for Buffalo's Navy Week. 

Rear Admiral Rebecca McCormick-Boyle is a Buffalo native and UB School of Nursing grate. She is chief of staff with the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley met with McCormick-Boyle to discuss her work.

Shea’s Performing Arts Center officially unveiled its brand new brass doors in downtown Buffalo.

The doors are replicas of the Main Street original doors of 1926. 

Shea’s President Anthony Conte said local companies assisted in the replica project.

"We believe that these doors are exactly the same as the doors that were hear 86-years-ago," said Conte during a news conference Thursday morning in front of Shea's on Main Street.

The Pearl Street entrance doors to Shea's are also being replaced.

Hundreds of Navy men and women are converging on Canalside in downtown Buffalo.

A special opening ceremony for Navy Week was held at Canalside late Wednesday afternoon attracting hundreds of visitors to the city's waterfront.   The ceremony was part of  the celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.   

WBFO & AM-970'S Eileen Buckley talked with Don Alessi who is chairman of the board at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park about Buffalo's Navy Week.

As the city of Buffalo's immigrant population increases, the International Institute is striving to help them find jobs. 

Thursday the International Career and Resource fair will be bringing some area employers together with Buffalo's immigrant and refugee population.

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says some International Institute clients are already finding success in the workplace.

Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster says he has no plans to lay off any firefighters to help deal with budget crisis. 

However, the mayor added that continued financial troubles could mean the city's fire department might not respond to alarms at the Seneca Niagara Casino.  At a 9-11 remembrance event yesterday, Dyster said that he cannot guarantee casino fire coverage if he has to implement a disaster budget for next.

Western New York is taking time to remember the events of September 11, 2001 with several events to honor those who lost their lives eleven years ago.

Several events are scheduled Tuesday throughout the area to recall the horrific terrorist attacks.

Some citizens may be surprised to learn there is a  Federal Helium Reserve in Texas.  But the government plans to shut it down. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says U.S. Senator Charles Schumer traveled to Praxiar in Tonawanda Monday, urging the government to keep the reserve open. 

"The closure of the Federal Helium Reserve could let the air out Western New York's new, growing, manufacturing balloon," said Schumer.

Protesters made their way to the doors of the Cattaraugus County SPCA in the town of Hinsdale Sunday to assail the agency's practices.

"Outright animal crulety," is the characterization provided by Morgan Dunbar of Animal Allies of WNY.

As students returned to the classroom this week, a new rule is in place that will help prevent bullying.  WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says the  newly enacted state-wide Dignity for All Students Act was signed July first.

"If we can support principals and teachers in creating the right environment will make not only a safer school  but more effective schools," said  State Education Commissioner John King.  King reacted to questions about the Dignity for All Students Act during a visit to Buffalo earlier this week. 

Some local school students hosted a special guest on their first day back to the classroom.   State Education Commissioner John King traveled to Western New York Wednesday.  

King first visited Sweet Home High School in Amherst, then traveled to the Math, Science & Technology Preparatory School on East Delavan in Buffalo. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says King toured the school and interacted with students.

Buffalo Public School students head back to the classrooms Wednesday for a brand new school year.  A new principal takes over at the Lorraine Academy School 72. 

WBFO & AM-970'S Eileen Buckley talked to Todd Miklas who was the former principal at the Frank A. Sedita School on the West Side.

Two Western New Yorkers are attending the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte representing the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community.  WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says for the party has added Same Sex Marriage to its platform.

Jamestown City Council president Gregory Rabb is serving as a delegate.  But Rabb -- who is an openly gay member of the community -- is also taking part in the LGBT caucus at the DNC.

"There are 6,000 delegates and about close to 600 are Lesbian, Gay or Transgender. So it is an historic moment," said Rabb.

A city worker admitted to stealing thousands of dollars worth of quarters from parking meters. 

40-year-old Lawrence Charles of Buffalo appeared in Federal Court Tuesaday to plead guilty to the theft of $15,000 between 2007 and 2011. 

Several months ago Charles and co-worker James Bagarozzo were charged with the parking meter thefts. 

"This kind of conduct simply won't be tolerated," said U.S. Attorney William Hochul.

Charles was responsible for repairing broken city parking meters.  But Hochul said he would "systematically" steal quarters during his shift.

A local jazz singer by night is a therapist by day.  Barbara Levy Daniels is a jazz vocalist.  She broke into the business at the age of 12 when Ray Charles heard her sing as she auditioned for a label deal with ABC Paramount Records.

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley spoke to Daniels about her career as a psychotherapist, but still hits the nightclubs to belt out jazz tunes.

A new 'no idling' policy at the Peace Bridge plaza has been announced in an effort to improve air quality. 

The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority board of directors announced authorization of the zones for both the U.S. and Canada plaza areas and the Duty Free parking lots.

PBA chairman Sam Hoyt says it will affect motorists who are required to stop for a secondary inspection or paperwork at the customs plaza.

Before there was Coca-Cola field, the former War Memorial Stadium was once the home of Buffalo Bisons baseball. 

August 30 marks the 25th anniversary of the final game that was played at War Memorial Stadium -- known as the Rockpile at the corner of Jefferson and Best on Buffalo's East Side. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley put together a audio feature complied with audio provided by former Buffalo Bisons play-by-play announcer Pete Weber, now the voice of the Nashville Predators.   Weber was the Bisons play-by-play voice from 1983 through 1995. 

Buffalo Public Schools parents are being urged to make sure they send their children to school.  Calls were made from the United Way headquarters on Delaware Avenue Monday where a phone bank was set up. 

Peter Jankowski, a city school attendance teacher, was calling the homes of students with some of the highest absentee rates. 

A Brooklyn-based architect has set his sights on an urban farm on Buffalo's East Side to create Artfarms.  It is an art project that would be designed not only to highlight an urban farm, but provide some water for the crops. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley recently visited the Wilson Street Farm site to find out about this effort.

There has been one confirmed human case of the West Nile virus in Erie County. 

County health officials said Thursday an adult was hospitalized, but has been since released to recover at home. 

The Health Department is warning residents to take precautions against mosquitoes that carry the disease.  Director of Public Health Dr. Scott Zimmerman says the drier than normal summer has not flushed out standing water, allowing mosquitoes to breed.

A new round of commitments to the "Say Yes Buffalo" education initiative was announced today.  Twenty private colleges are pledging to provide scholarship opportunities for the program. 

Say Yes will allow eligible Buffalo Public and Charter School students a chance to attend college tuition-free.

Among the colleges expanding scholarship opportunities is Medaille College in Buffalo.  Medaille is already involved with Syracuse's Say Yes to Education.  

Medaille's president Richard Jurasek says the effort is "extraordinary."

Street clashes, mob violence and bloodshed continue in Syria as the civil war has spilled into Lebanon this week. Here at home a local University at Buffalo student has been hard at work on the "I Am Syria" campaign. 

WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says the campaign offers support to the people of Syria.

Buffalo Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret is one of six new 2012 Buffalo Broadcast Hall of Fame inductees. 

Jeanneret is being recognized for a 40+ year career in sports broadcasting that started in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  He joined the Sabres broadcast team for the 1971-72-season. 

In May of 2011 Jeanneret had scaled back from working all the Sabres games.  But this season, Jeanneret will be back in the broadcast booth for all 82 Sabres games.