News

Petition circulating calls for resignation of Mayor Byron Brown

By • 6 hours ago
Screenshot / change.org

A video released by the group Resign Now Byron Brown is promoting a petition for city residents to call for the resignation of Buffalo’s four-term mayor.

Belton-Cottman re-appointed as president of the Buffalo Board of Education

By • 9 hours ago
Buffalo Public Schools

Sharon Belton-Cottman has been re-appointed the president of the Buffalo Board of Education. West District member Jennifer Mecozzi was also nominated for the position, but failed to garner enough votes to take the president’s position.

Hill discusses optimism during her final interview

By WBFO Staff • 11 hours ago
The Hill family

The founder of Buffalo's Ujima Theater Company, Lorna C. Hill, died on Tuesday. WBFO's Anthony Chase enjoyed a long relationship with Hill and the two sat down for an interview on June 2nd. It turned out to be the last interview for Lorna C. Hill. A portion of that conversation aired Thursday morning as a special edition of WBFO's Theater Talk and is posted here.


Officials reviewing options for returning to school

By • 13 hours ago
Buffalo.edu

"It's in everybody's best interest for kids to be able to go school, somehow," said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, Senior Associate Dean for Health Policy at UB's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Nielsen cited a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics that indicates children have fallen behind academically since the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close. With the coronavirus spreading in some areas, returning to the classroom will be complicated.
 


Buffalo Police investigating two dead bodies, another man wounded

By Marian Hetherly • 15 hours ago

Buffalo Police are investigating two shootings that happened about 10 p.m. Wednesday night and a dead body that was found in the Niagara River.

Gains made in bail reform to be curtailed with new bill

By • 16 hours ago
WBFO file photo

A new component to the state’s bail reform measures, set to debut Thursday, will rollback some of the gains made at the beginning of the year. 


Groups serving people with disabilities try to cope with state budget cuts

By • 16 hours ago

The state’s ongoing fiscal crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to temporary funding reductions for some cities and postponed planned pay raises for state workers. It has also led to reductions to some smaller programs, including a key organization that has helped New Yorkers with intellectual disabilities navigate the pandemic. The program is slated for significant cuts this month. 

Cuomo says compliance with COVID-19 safety measures is slipping

By • 16 hours ago
Office of the Governor

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the rate of the COVID-19 virus continues to be low in New York, with 11 deaths on June 30, but he said he worries that compliance with safety rules is slipping.

Poloncarz says Rath Building is safe, dismisses comptroller's claims as 'hypocritical'

By • Jul 1, 2020
File Photo / WBFO News

A social media feud has been brewing between Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw over the health and safety of staff in the Rath Building.


July marks start of new state renter, tobacco & vaping laws

By & • Jul 1, 2020

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law new protections for renters who have trouble paying the bills because of the coronavirus pandemic. July also marks the beginning of a new state law that prohibits discounts on the sale of all tobacco products, including coupons and multipack price promotions.

Akron company awarded contract to repair Lasalle Park seawall

By • Jul 1, 2020
Andy Kornacki / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Buffalo District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $6.11 million dollar contract to repair more than 1,300' of deteriorating seawall along the northern section of LaSalle Park.

WATCH LIVE: Gov. Cuomo holds a briefing at 11:30 a.m.

By WBFO News • Jul 1, 2020
Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold a news briefing at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Watch it live here. 

Students of color demand Niagara University be more racially inclusive

By • Jul 1, 2020
the.real.nu Instagram page

A group of Niagara University students recently presented the administration a list of demands aimed at creating a more inclusive environment.

 

 


 

Lorna C. Hill, Ujima Company founder & artistic director, dies at 69

By Anthony Chase • Jul 1, 2020
The Hill Family

The local theater community is mourning the loss of one of its greatest contributors. Lorna C. Hill passed away Tuesday, just a few days after her 69th birthday. Anthony Chase, the co-host of WBFO's Theater Talk, offered this remembrance.

NYS AG announces $19M settlement in Harvey Weinstein lawsuit

By & • Jul 1, 2020
Steven Hirsch / Associated Press

New York State's attorney general and lawyers in a class-action lawsuit say Harvey Weinstein and his former studio's board have reached a nearly $19 million settlement with dozens of sexual misconduct accusers.

Greater Toronto Area mandates the wearing of facial masks in public

By • Jul 1, 2020
Twitter

The City of Toronto and surrounding municipalities say they will do what the province of Ontario won’t. Toronto’s city council has approved a bylaw that makes face coverings mandatory in indoor public spaces.

'The time is now': WNY educators rally to end systemic racism in schools

By • Jun 30, 2020
Ryan Zunner/WBFO News

Educators from across Western New York gathered yesterday on the steps of Buffalo City Hall for the second time as an act of solidarity to combat systemic racism in the education system.


Botanical Gardens reopens, Albright-Knox jazz series canceled

By • Jun 30, 2020
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

There is good news and bad news for arts and culturals today regarding pandemic reopenings.

DA Flynn says special prosecutor will investigate police officers involved in Suttles case

By • Jun 30, 2020
Michael Mroziak, WBFO

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced Tuesday that due to a conflict of interest, a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate the actions of two Buffalo Police officers who arrested Quentin Suttles during a May 10 traffic stop.

Construction of $50M movie & TV production complex to start in September

By • Jun 30, 2020
Great Point Capital Management

Officials made a major announcement Tuesday afternoon regarding Buffalo's future as a favored location for movie and television productions.

Bisons, Muckdogs and all of minor league baseball canceled for 2020

By • Jun 30, 2020
WBFO file photo/Michael Mroziak

Sahlen Field in Buffalo, Dwyer Park in Batavia and all minor league professional ballparks throughout the nation will stay quiet and closed this summer. Minor League Baseball on Tuesday announced the cancelation of the 2020 season for all of its leagues.

NYS poll: Equity gaps for low-income students and students of color widened during pandemic

By • Jun 30, 2020
Kyle S. Mackie/WBFO News

The results of a new parent poll and research published Monday by the nonprofit group The Education Trust—New York show that educational equity gaps for low-income students and students of color have widened during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuomo adds 8 more states, including California, Louisiana, to quarantine list

By • Jun 30, 2020
Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is adding eight more states to a travel advisory list, as visitors from California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and Tennessee will now be required to self-quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in New York.

 

Buffalo protester Gugino released from ECMC nearly one month after being pushed by police

By • Jun 30, 2020
WBFO file photo

The attorney for Buffalo activist Martin Gugino says her client, who was seriously injured during an encounter with Buffalo police in a Niagara Square protest on June 4, has been released from the hospital.

Perks Coffee shops close permanently

By • Jun 30, 2020
Michael Mroziak / WBFO News

A local coffee shop chain whose workers recently unionized has announced the permanent closure of its three locations.

Proposed 'Cariol's Law' would require Buffalo police officers intervene to stop excessive force

By • Jun 30, 2020
Michael Mroziak, WBFO

A former Buffalo police officer and approximately two dozen peers stood outside Buffalo Police Headquarters Tuesday morning, announcing their proposed legislation that would require law enforcers step in to stop peers from committing acts of brutality, or face prosecution for failing to act.

Survey shows many local parents confident about schools reopening

By • Jun 30, 2020

Some 25,000 parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders in area schools responded to a survey on local district websites this month about reopening schools in September.

Progress updates for redevelopment of Bethlehem Steel site

By • Jun 30, 2020
File Photo / WBFO News

The Industrial Land Development Corporation met Monday night for the first time since December and announced progress on redeveloping the former Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna. 

 


Researchers uncover links between COVID-19 and smoking, vaping

By Brett Dahlberg • Jun 30, 2020
Gagandeep Kaur, Giuseppe Lungarella and Irfan Rahman / Journal of Inflammation

Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center has found evidence of why COVID-19 is worse for people who smoke and vape than for the rest of the population.

Judge rules governor's eviction suspension is constitutional

By • Jun 30, 2020
Flickr

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo acted constitutionally by temporarily banning evictions because of the coronavirus, a judge ruled Monday.

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