WBFO | Buffalo’s NPR News Station

Highlights

Amherst High students held first-ever International Women's Day event

Amherst Central High School celebrated International Women's Day with sessions designed to raise awareness about women's issues. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked to some students honoring women from across the globe.

How much is New York's Scaffold Law costing taxpayers?

Healthcare workers, clergy, elected leaders say proposed Medicaid cuts would compromise care

Foreclosure rates down across state

By Chris Jamele • Mar 9, 2019

A new report indicates that mortgage foreclosure rates have dropped nearly 50 percent across New York State.

Standard time returns overnight tonight

By Chris Jamele • Mar 9, 2019

The return to daylight saving time occurs overnight tonight.

2019 Police Entry Exam Is Announced

By Mark Wozniak • Mar 8, 2019

Buffalo mayor Byron Brown and Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood have announced that applications are now being accepted for the next Police Entry Exam. The deadline to register for the June 29th 2019 exam is May 22nd. The theme of the new recruitment campaign is "Answer the Call," aimed at a new generation of police officers and potential leaders. Applicants must be between the ages of 19 and 34 on the exam date of June 29th, must reside in the city of Buffalo for at least 90 days prior to the final filing date, and must have a high school diploma, GED or Equivalency Diploma.

Healthcare workers, clergy, elected leaders say proposed Medicaid cuts would compromise care

By Michael Mroziak • Mar 8, 2019

Opponents of Medicaid cuts proposed in the state budget gathered inside a senior care home Friday to send a message to the Cuomo administration and state leaders: if you cut the Medicaid, you'll cut the quality of care.

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1:37

WBFO's Michael Mroziak reports.

Amherst High students held first-ever International Women's Day event

By Eileen Buckley • Mar 8, 2019

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1:15

WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked to some students honoring women from across the globe.

How much is New York's Scaffold Law costing taxpayers?

By Chris Caya • Mar 8, 2019

A coalition of business leaders is calling on Albany to reform the state's Scaffold Law. Joe Benedict is the Executive Director of the Buffalo Construction Exchange, in Cheektowaga.

The group represents 900 companies in the local construction industry. Benedict says, since the Scaffold Law was signed in the 1800s - other laws have been enacted to protect workers. He says the old law is hurting state taxpayers who are footing the bill for local projects including the $31 million Jefferson Avenue affordable homes project.

Gallivan urges Cuomo to lift NC travel ban for benefit of SUNY athletes

By Michael Mroziak • Mar 8, 2019

More than a dozen student-athletes from three SUNY colleges have qualified to compete in the NCAA Division III national swimming and diving championships. There's just one problem. The games are being held in Greensboro, North Carolina, and a ban on New York State-sponsored non-essential travel to that state remains in effect. A local State Senator is urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to lift that ban.

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1:33

WBFO's Michael Mroziak reports.

City art school teacher provides extra sparkle for students with special needs

By Eileen Buckley • Mar 8, 2019

A school art teacher can provide inspiration in enhancing a child's creativity. But for students with special needs, it provides a deeper layer in their classroom learning. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley takes us inside Buffalo Public School #84 - Health Care Center for Children at ECMC.

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2:00

WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley takes us inside Buffalo Public School #84 - Health Care Center for Children at ECMC.

Livibility ranking says Buffalo is 'unique, welcoming, affordable and bursting with opportunities'

By Marian Hetherly • Mar 8, 2019

Another ranking, another mention for Buffalo. This time, it is Livibility's 2019 list of "Top 100 Best Places to Live."

Where are the high-tech jobs? Buffalo, says 43North

By Mike Desmond • Mar 8, 2019

The money that has gone into the annual 43North competition is starting to make some money and provide jobs - jobs from working in gardens to predictive data science.

Now Playing

African American representation in classical music

What the BPO is doing to increase diversity

African-Americans currently make up less than two percent of larger orchestra members in the United States. That lack of representation is a struggle for many groups, including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Do we value urban music programs? Prominent educator Rick Fleming weighs in

At the Muhammad School of Music, if you can see it, you can be it

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Amnesty International: New Twitter Feature Leaves Burden On Users Experiencing Abuse

By editor • 20 hours ago

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We're going to return now to our Troll Watch series.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MARTIN: This is where we bring you stories of cybersecurity attacks, bots and of course, internet trolls. This week, Twitter confirmed that users will eventually be able to press a button that says hide tweet that would, as you might imagine, allow users to hide certain responses to their tweets. And that means if you tweet something and you get nasty or abusive replies back, you could make those replies invisible to others.

Reality TV Roundup

By Linda Holmes • 20 hours ago

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We're going to return now to our Troll Watch series.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Barbershop: Rep. Ilhan Omar Divides Jewish Community

By editor • 20 hours ago

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We're going to return now to our Troll Watch series.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Fresh Air Weekend: Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck; The White House & Fox News

By editor • Mar 9, 2019

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

'Never Look Away' Asks: Why Make Art? Who Is It For?: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's new film tells the story of an artist who grows up in Nazi Germany, comes of age in East Germany and travels to the West to find freedom for himself and his art.

Making sense of housing market data

By Amy Scott • Mar 8, 2019

If you follow business and financial news, you hear a lot about which way the wind is blowing in the housing market. Including on Marketplace. From housing starts and new home sales, to existing home sales and various price indices, figuring out what all these numbers mean can be head-spinning.

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Heritage Moments

Heritage Moments: How Jay Silverheels, the man who played Tonto, got his name

Tonto is one of the most famous and enduring characters ever to come out of American television. He is the Lone Ranger’s faithful sidekick, brave, loyal and just, variously described as Potawatomi or Comanche. And the actor who made Tonto come alive during the entire TV run of The Lone Ranger (1949-57) was a handsome, dark-haired, sometimes-Buffalonian named Jay Silverheels.

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African American representation in classical music

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