Buffalo news

• Local agency stresses need for more adoptive parents

  04-11-2015 23:53 via wivb.com
  
  EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WIVB)- November is National Adoption Awareness Month. For Child and Family Services, it’s a chance to spread the word: more adoptive and foster parents are desperately needed in Erie County.
  Mia Bove is one of the lucky children who recently found a permanent home. She just celebrated her third birthday with her new family.
  But for mom Donna, it doesn’t feel new; she and her husband had been fostering Mia since she was just two weeks old.
  “When we brough
  
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• DWI Loophole: Breath test refusals cut into convictions

  04-11-2015 23:30 via wivb.com
  
  A third of suspects in Erie and Niagara Counties refuse the chemical testYou've been stopped by the police. Maybe you’ve had a little too much to drink. Your mind is racing.
  Once you are under arrest, you're faced with a big question: “I’m charged with DWI...should I take this test?
  Criminal defense attorney Michael S. Taheri is talking about a chemical breath test. “I don't want that number on the table whether it's from a breath test or a blood test,” said Taheri.
  
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• Guard pleads not guilty to counts related to NY prison break

  04-11-2015 21:56 via wivb.com
  
  PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — A guard accused of inadvertently helping two killers escape from a northern New York prison has pleaded not guilty to felony charges.
  Authorities have said Gene Palmer admitted providing Richard Matt and David Sweat with tools, paint and access to a catwalk electrical box at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, but that he never knew they planned to break out.
  He was released on $25,000 bail in June after his arrest on charges of promoting prison contraband,
  
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• Deputy extinguishes burning pickup before crash victim is evacuated by Mercy Flight

  04-11-2015 21:48 via wivb.com
  
  TOWN OF LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) — A deputy armed with a fire extinguisher helped rescue a person from a burning vehicle after an accident in Niagara County Wednesday.
  Officers say they rushed to the scene of a crash just after 12:40 p.m. at the intersection of Saunders Settlement and Upper Mountain Roads in Lockport where two vehicles collided. Police say a driver behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram may have blown through a red light, striking a Chevrolet S10, operated by a 21-year-old fema
  
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• Buffalo Police warn of south Buffalo rape in broad daylight

  04-11-2015 20:38 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After police responded to a rape of a college student in south Buffalo, they’re warning the public of the incident and asking for help.
  Officers say a woman walked through a wooded area Tuesday morning just south of the Buffalo River near railroad tracks in broad daylight. Buffalo Police released a map of the area, but detectives who investigated the woman’s rape say the woman walked alone near Hillery Park, located near P.S. 27 Hillery Par
  
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• Kansas football player dies after suffering severe injury during game

  04-11-2015 19:18 via wivb.com
  
  SHARON SPRINGS, Kansas (KSN) – A western Kansas high school football player in Wallace County died after collapsing during a game Tuesday night in Sharon Springs.
  Luke Schemm was transported to a Denver hospital where he died. Wallace County was playing Otis Bison at the time during the Eight-Man Division 1 game. Schemm had just scored a touchdown and an extra point when he collapsed on the sidelines.
  Luke’s family posted the following statement on Facebook:
  “A b
  
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• Stabbing spree at University of California at Merced shuts down campus

  04-11-2015 18:57 via wivb.com
  
  MERCED, Calif. (KRON) – A stabbing spree on the campus of the University of California at Merced has the school on lock down and classes canceled. The suspect has been shot and killed by police.
  Five students were stabbed in the incident. Two victims had to be flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital and the other three students were treated on campus.
  The stabbing was reported in the Classroom and Office Building on campus, referred to by students as COB.
  Police are advising students to s
  
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• Vidlers ownership and staff in celebration mode

  04-11-2015 18:50 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) –  The owners, staff, and customers at Vidlers 5 & 10 in East Aurora are in celebration mode. The Main Street staple is one of the last three businesses standing in a Intuit Quickbooks contest that could win them an all expenses paid commercial in next February.
  “They said they do it in no particular order, but we were the last one announced. So I was shocked and thrilled I couldn’t believe it,” Don Vidler told News 4 over the phone from the
  
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• Woman, 86, escapes trunk after abduction; teens held

  04-11-2015 18:12 via wivb.com
  
  KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — Officials say an 86-year-old Washington woman escaped from a car trunk in Oregon after she was reportedly abducted by teenagers.
  The Tri-City Herald reports Hazel Abel was taken from her home in Kennewick on Monday, forced into the trunk of her car and driven to Multnomah County in Oregon.
  Officials with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office say Abel popped the trunk and got out when the suspects stopped at the Walmart store in Wood Village, Oregon.
  Three te
  
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• Hispanic groups preparing rally, requesting ‘S.N.L’ to dump Trump

  04-11-2015 18:06 via wivb.com
  
  INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – As promotions begin to emerge online of Presidential candidate Donald Trump as the host for this weekend’s show for  “Saturday Night Live,” the nation’s leading Hispanic groups are preparing a rally.
  They are requesting the network to cancel the show.
  “Saturday Night Live” chose Trump as its host, and several Latino organizations and members of congress are requesting the show to cancel Trump’s appearance.
  More
  
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• Flight en route to NYC makes emergency landing; passenger removed, facing terror charges

  04-11-2015 17:43 via wivb.com
  
  WICHITA, Kansas (KSN) – Wichita Airport Police Captain Marty Desmarteau says American Airlines Flight 622 from Phoenix to JFK was diverted to Wichita just before 7 p.m. Tuesday after a man disrupted the flight.
  According to arrest records, Jason Baroletti of Holbrook, New York, was removed from the flight and arrested on local charges of criminal threat, cause terror, and evacuation or disruption. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.
  Desmarteau says he cannot comment on what happen
  
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• Totes McGoats gets votes for Niagara Falls mayor

  04-11-2015 17:12 via wivb.com
  
  NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — The exact numbers are not in, but some people think Totes McGoats should have been elected Mayor of Niagara Falls.
  The Niagara Falls recycling mascot wrote on Twitter that he received a number of write-in votes for the position of Mayor.
  Thank u for the #writein votes! But I'd be a terrible politician! I'm mute &don't look good in a suit! #TotesMcGoats pic.twitter.com/uir2gM02nc
  — Totes McGoats (@NFTotesMcGoats) November 4, 2015Democratic in
  
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• Meet a man who survived death row

  04-11-2015 15:56 via wivb.com
  
  RADFORD, Va. (WSLS 10) – Criminal justice students at Radford University in Virginia heard from a man Tuesday who is not supposed to be alive.
  Former death row inmate, Ray Krone, was sentenced for a brutal murder he did not commit not once, but twice.
  Krone was first tried in 1992. The victim was a Pheonix, Arizona bartender at one of his favorite hangout spots. She was found stabbed to death in the men’s restroom.
  Although Krone said he was home in bed that night, police insist
  
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• Mercedes issues recall; air bags can inflate without crash

  04-11-2015 15:32 via wivb.com
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Mercedes is recalling more than 126,000 cars and SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem that can cause the air bags to inflate without a crash.
  The recall covers the C-300, C-350, and C-63 models from 2008 and 2009, and the GLK-350 4-Matic from 2010.
  Mercedes says the air bag control unit can corrode and malfunction due to a manufacturing error. That can make the air bags deploy without warning, or they might not inflate in a crash.
  The company reported three unintended depl
  
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• Village of Forestville to be dissolved

  04-11-2015 14:49 via wivb.com
  
  FORESTVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Buffalo News reports that residents of Forestville have voted to “dissolve the village” in a 137 to 97 vote. The village itself has 425 people registered to vote.
  The Town of Hanover will reportedly take over the village’s government operations.
  Chautauqua County Legislator George Borello says, “Now that the voters in Forestville have asked for change, the task of a consolidation plan will begin. It is my hope that the villag
  
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• CMA Award Nominees

  04-11-2015 13:53 via wivb.com
  
  NASHVILLE (WATE) – “The 49th Annual CMA Awards” airs live Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. on WATE 6 On Your Side. Country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood preside over the evening, returning as hosts for the eighth consecutive year.
  More: CMA Awards Coverage
  Entertainer of the Year
  Garth Brooks
  Luke Bryan
  Kenny Chesney
  Eric Church
  Miranda LambertFemale Vocalist of the Year
  Miranda Lambert
  Kacey Musgraves
  Carrie Underwood
  Lee Ann Womack
  Kelsea Ballerini
  Male Vocalist of
  
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• Half of black millennials know victim of police violence

  04-11-2015 13:30 via wivb.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Years before the high-profile deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, more than half of African-American millennials indicated they, or someone they knew, had been victimized by violence or harassment from law enforcement, a new report says.
  The information, from the “Black Millennials in America” report issued by the Black Youth Project at the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago, reflects starkly different attitu
  
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• Motorcycle collides with truck on West Side

  04-11-2015 13:04 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A motorcycle crashed into a truck on the city’s West Side Wednesday morning.
  The crash occurred at Porter Avenue and Columbus Parkway. A portion of Porter Avenue was temporarily closed this morning.
  A male victim is reportedly hurt badly.
  
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• Powdered caffeine can be deadly in the hands of teens

  04-11-2015 12:50 via wivb.com
  
  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Anyone can purchase powdered caffeine over the counter or online, and many teenagers around the country are adding it into their routines. The danger is that it’s tough to distinguish between a little and a lot – and doctors say that small difference could kill you.
  Two teenagers have died from overdosing on powdered caffeine, and now there’s a push to keep it out of the hands of young people.
  A few cups of caffeinated coffee or tea can
  
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• Rollover crash happens in Hamburg Tops entrance

  04-11-2015 12:42 via wivb.com
  
  HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) — A rollover crash involving two cars occurred at the entrance to Tops in Hamburg Wednesday morning.
  The crash location is at Southwestern Boulevard and Big Tree Road.
  There is a rollover crash in the entrance to the Tops on Southwestern at Big Tree in Hamburg. Watch for police activity there @news4buffalo
  — Lauren Hall (@laurenhallnews4) November 4, 2015It is not known if anyone was injured in the accident. The scene has since been cleared.
  
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• “The body count is always climbing”: Congress clashes over mental health laws

  04-11-2015 12:31 via wivb.com
  
  WASHINGTON (MEDIA GENERAL) – Mental health is shaping up to be a top bipartisan issue in 2016 on Capitol Hill.
  But crafting a bill suitable to both parties could be tough, as members of Congress proved Tuesday by unleashing pointed criticisms of a leading reform proposal in the House.
  Rep. Tim Murphy’s (R-Pa.) bill, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, took center stage in a health subcommittee and quickly faced scorching critiques by Democratic opponents.
  Rep.
  
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• Guard due in court in NY prison escape

  04-11-2015 12:23 via wivb.com
  
  PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — A guard who was accused of inadvertently helping two killers escape from a northern New York prison is scheduled to appear in court on charges.
  Authorities have said that Gene Palmer admitted providing Richard Matt and David Sweat with tools, paint, frozen hamburger and access to a catwalk electrical box at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, but that he never knew they planned to bust out.
  He was released on $25,000 bail in June after his arrest on charges
  
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• Buffalo grain elevator to be lit up as public art project

  04-11-2015 11:38 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — One of Buffalo’s historic grain elevators is the backdrop for a new public art project.
  Officials are set to flip the switch Wednesday on a light show projected onto the Connecting Terminal grain elevator on the city’s waterfront.
  The hulking structure will be lit up year round and visible from the emerging Canalside district.
  The illumination is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday during a celebration that will feature live music, speeches and a brief lesson
  
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• Democrats celebrate Poloncarz win at Hotel Lafayette

  04-11-2015 07:25 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- Democrats celebrated Tuesday night at the Hotel Lafayette as Mark Poloncarz was re-elected as county executive.
  “Tonight is a great night, it’s a historic night,” said Poloncarz. “Tonight the people of Erie County spoke and not only affirmed the course we have taken in the county over the last four years, they have mandated its continuance.”
  Poloncarz took the stage just before 11 p.m. after talking on the phone with republican challenger
  
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• Walter concedes defeat in County Executive race

  04-11-2015 06:34 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- He lost by a nearly two to one margin, but the Republican challenger in the race for Erie County Executive went out with a touch of class.
  “I did just call Mark Poloncarz to congratulate him” said Ray Walter, standing with his wife and children at the GOP stage in the Avant Hotel late on Election night. “We came up short but I couldn’t be more proud of the campaign we ran. We ran a campaign about ideas, about the future of Erie County. We knew this w
  
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• HS football playoff preview: Orchard Park vs Kenmore West

  04-11-2015 05:58 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, NY(WIVB)- Orchard Park opened the high school football season with a resounding 28-0 win over Kenmore West.
  The season will come full circle this Friday when the two teams meet again in the Section VI final at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
  Since the opening week loss Kenmore West has won 8 straight games. Coach Harris looks forward to another shot at beating Orchard Park
  “We went on an eight game win streak and that gave us a chance to redeem that loss early in the season.”
  Kenmore
  
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• How to make sure your car is safe if it is recalled

  04-11-2015 05:57 via wivb.com
  
  (WLNS) – With the multiple car recalls over the past few weeks, drivers need to take the right steps to ensure their vehicle is safe.
  The process to get cars fixed may be a burden, but Terry Burns from the Michigan Auto Dealers Association says safety is worth the extra time.
  “There’s many recalls unfortunately that don’t go repaired and we are trying to make sure that we get the word out to people that as those parts become available they need to get the repaired so that
  
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• Wisconsin family creates bucket list for terminally ill daughter

  04-11-2015 05:55 via wivb.com
  
  WISCONSIN (MEDIA GENERAL CONTRIBUTORS) — A Neenah family has created a bucket list for their 8-month-old, terminally-ill daughter. The family is hoping by fulfilling the list, they can bring joy to their little girl and raise awareness about the disease that will eventually claim her life.
  Twice a day, 8-month-old Zailynn Mars receives a special breathing treatment. It’s all to help her deal with the effects of spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA.
  Diagnosed just three months ago with the
  
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• Village of Medina looks at shared services

  04-11-2015 05:53
  
  MEDINA, N.Y. -- The Village of Medina is exploring whether sharing services with two neighboring towns, Ridgeway and Shelby, would save taxpayers money.        
  
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• Connecticut man arrested, charged with murdering parents over will

  04-11-2015 05:53 via wivb.com
  
  BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) – A man accused of killing his parents made his first court appearance in Bridgeport on two counts of murder in the deaths of his parents, Jeanette and Jeffery Navin on Tuesday. Navin has been behind bars on federal gun charges. On Monday, his girlfriend, Jennifer Valiante, was in court charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
  27-year-old Kyle Navin attorney, Eugene Riccio says it is just the start of the criminal process. “It’s not a trial and I
  
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• Dyster wins third term as Niagara Falls Mayor

  04-11-2015 05:51
  
  Paul Dyster (D) will remain in the mayoral seat in Niagara Falls.        
  
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• Ohio votes down legalizing pot for medical, recreational use

  04-11-2015 05:50 via wivb.com
  
  COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal Tuesday that would have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana in a single vote — a vote-getting strategy that was being watched as a test case for the nation.
  Failure of the proposed state constitutional amendment followed an expensive campaign, a legal fight over its ballot wording, an investigation into petition signatures — and, predominantly, a counter campaign fueled by Ohio lawmakers. It was the only
  
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• Preliminary Plan Would Build 100-Acre "Greek Village" Near UB North

  04-11-2015 05:49
  
  A preliminary plan would build a $60 million, 100-acre "Greek Village" near UB North.        
  
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• Top First Niagara Bank officials could receive large severance packages

  04-11-2015 05:48 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As more details continue to surface in Key Bank’s reported acquisition of First Niagara Bank, top executives may receive a parachute if the companies merge.
  If may be the operative word when talking about the deal, as some are considering opposing it — including Senator Chuck Schumer, who said he’s concerned about jobs.
  Top executives at least may lose their jobs, as reports suggest they could receive a combined $23.1 million in severance packa
  
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• Northern Lights could peek over New York

  04-11-2015 05:34 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — New Yorkers who look up into the sky over the next few nights may be in for a colorful display.
  Chances have increased as solar winds have blown particles into the atmosphere, meaning many viewers may have a chance to see the Northern Lights while peering up at the northern horizon.
  Cloud cover could kill chances to see the event, however clouds are expected be sparse throughout the first half of the week.
  While viewing the sky, some may see a glimpse of the Tau
  
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• Grand Island supervisor race too close to call

  04-11-2015 05:33
  
  Grand Island supervisor race too close to call, Emminger wins Town of Tonawanda Supervisor race and Meegan defeats Bove in West Seneca        
  
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• Poloncarz prevails in County Executive race

  04-11-2015 05:15 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — In Erie County, voters overwhelmingly said they want Mark Poloncarz to represent them as County Executive.
  Poloncarz won his second term as County Executive on Tuesday by about twice the votes over Ray Walter. Walter conceded the race live on air just before Poloncarz declared victory.
  “We came up short, but I couldn’t be prouder of the campaign we ran,” Walter said in front of his supporters.
  But Poloncarz said he still looks forward to w
  
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• Ice at Canalside could open soon

  04-11-2015 04:48 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As fall leaves continue to change, western New Yorkers are reminded of an impending winter, along with the fun that comes with it.
  Crews got to work on Tuesday on preparing winter festivities just days after Halloween. Officials say they’re building a new shelter for ice skaters to keep warm while taking a break.
  Canalside officials say the attraction could be converted into an ice rink within two weeks time.
  
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• Google could implement drone delivery in 2017

  04-11-2015 04:42 via wivb.com
  
  CALIFORNIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Skies could get crowded in 2017 when Google says it wants automated crafts in the sky for package delivery.
  Not the first company to claim it wants to field a fleet of drones as mail carriers, Google is the latest. Representatives say their drones will fly below 500 feet, keeping them far enough from most commercial aircraft.
  Amazon has also said they would like to experiment with drone delivery, however federal rules continue to be developed on the emerging
  
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• Vidler’s 5 & 10 advances to final 3 in Super Bowl commercial competition

  04-11-2015 03:33 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The wacky owners of Vidler’s 5 & 10 sent a message from San Jose to western New Yorkers thanking them for propelling them to become one of three finalists in a nationwide competition to win a free Super Bowl advertisement.
  “We/You did it for us EA, Buffalo, WNY and everywhere else – we made the top 3!!!” Vidler’s officials excitedly wrote on their Facebook wall.
  Vidler’s representatives traveled with the other nine compani
  
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• Western New York watches local elections

  04-11-2015 03:00 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As polls close in western New York, residents will watch results flow in. They’ll be watching several key races play out on election Tuesday.
  The Erie County Executive office is one of interest despite Mark Poloncarz’s control over the race. Ray Walter, Poloncarz’s Republican counterpart, put up a fight on local airwaves and in an aggressive face-to-face campaign.
  In the Cataract City Paul Dyster is fighting to retain the Mayoral position. Thos
  
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• Sonic will serve on skates when it snows

  04-11-2015 02:12
  
  The newest batch of Sonic's famous servers on skates will serve when it snows, but only inside.        
  
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• Seneca Indians approve measure to consider creating legal medical marijuana framework

  04-11-2015 02:11 via wivb.com
  
  SALAMANCA, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Seneca Nation of Indians is one step closer to establishing a legal framework to allow medicinal marijuana.
  The Nation voted on Tuesday to move forward, approving the Medical Cannabis Measure, allowing Nation leaders to begin considering what steps they would take to create legal framework to have a legal medical marijuana system.
  If Nation leaders move forward, they would be able to create a system to allow for manufacturing, use and distribution of medic
  
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• Seneca Nation approves medical marijuana measure

  04-11-2015 01:59
  
  Seneca Nation to vote on medical marijuana referendum        
  
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• The nation’s largest Sonic restaurants opens Thursday in WNY

  04-11-2015 01:51 via wivb.com
  
  CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — A wait initiated last March after developers signaled they would open the largest Sonic in the U.S. in western New York is soon to be over.
  The Sonic Drive-In will open on Thursday at 3601 Union Road, a building that has been closed for over a decade. Acquest Development breathed life back into the former Mexican establishment that also held a Perkins before it shuttered.
  After Acquest announced its plans, it unveiled a unique feature of western New Yor
  
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• Transgender training becomes hot topic for Western New York school districts

  04-11-2015 01:50 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The rights of transgender students have become the focus of disputes in school districts here at home and across the country. Now the Le Roy Central School District is in the center of a heated debate.
  “The students who are not allowed to use the bathroom or locker room or be called their name and pronouns that is real trauma,” said Emily Terrana with the New York Civil Liberties Union.
  A christian advocacy group wants the school to stop letting
  
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• Debate Over Transgender Access to Restrooms in Leroy HS

  04-11-2015 01:29
  
  Advocacy groups weigh in on transgender student access to restrooms in Leroy HS        
  
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• The face of human trafficking in WNY

  04-11-2015 01:27 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – There have been nearly three thousand reported cases of human trafficking so far this year in the nation. According to statistics, New York is one of the top four states where it occurs.
  Many people believe it’s an overseas issue, but it’s happening right in our own backyards.
  “Human trafficking is a significant issue in Buffalo,” Judge Amy Martoche of Buffalo’s Human Trafficking Court said.
  News 4 met Lynn, who’s a survivor. Her i
  
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• State cracks down on gas pump “skimmers”

  04-11-2015 01:07 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – It’s an old scam with a new twist: thieves using credit card “skimmers” to target gas pumps and get their hands on your money.
  Skimmers are devices that a thief can hide in their pocket, or it can be a sophisticated setup with a camera and a false keypad allowing a scammer to steal your money and your good name, through identity theft.
  Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday he is rolling out a new plan to crack down on credit card skimmers which are h
  
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