The COVID-19 pandemic has kept crowds at shopping centers a bit smaller on Black Friday this year. Typically the largest in-person shopping day of the year, large crowds and long lines were few and far between at retailers like Best Buy in Amherst, Cabela’s, and the Walden Galleria Mall.

A state senator is objecting to a proposal by the New York State Thruway Authority to raise tolls for drivers who don’t have an E-ZPass.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday the state would take a few more days to determine whether to elevate Western New York's current COVID orange zones into shutdown red zones. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz also addressed this, while the Erie County Health Commissioner displayed a model predicting how no restrictions might affect local hospitals.

The good news for the Buffalo Beauts is they will have a hockey season this winter. However, they will not be playing it in front of local fans. The National Women's Hockey League announced the Beauts and its other five professional clubs will play a condensed season in a "bubble" format in Lake Placid, New York.

The international commission that manages water levels on the Great Lakes is shrinking. It is also establishing an advisory group to broaden input from the public.

The day before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel day of the year, but it won’t look nearly as busy this year. The American Automobile Association reported the pandemic is taking a big bite out of Thanksgiving travel plans.