Buffalo news

• “Blood is Blood” group says FDA decision isn’t enough

  23-12-2015 23:50 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- The FDA’s decision to lift a lifelong ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood is a step in the right direction, but not nearly enough, said “Blood is Blood” founder, Jordan Moll Vigrass.
  He joined other advocacy groups in a Niagara Square rally earlier this month, fighting for the right to donate.
  Despite being HIV negative, in October he attempted to give blood and was turned away.
  “The receptionist came in and she told me you’re indef
  
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• NY launches patient registration for medical marijuana

  23-12-2015 23:41 via wivb.com
  
  ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) — The New York health department has launched its online registration system for patients to buy medical marijuana when it becomes available in January.
  Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says the system for certifications and registrations means “qualified patients will soon have access to treatment they need.”
  According to the department, patients need certification from a registered doctor, then have to access the online system to apply for a
  
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• Buffalo FBI: People need to ‘be alert but not paralyzed by fear’

  23-12-2015 23:30 via wivb.com
  
  Adam Cohen, special agent in charge of the Buffalo FBI office
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The nation’s top law enforcement officials say there’s no specific and credible threat of a holiday terrorist attack.
  But that doesn’t stop some Americans from worrying about where and when the next attack will happen.
  As many people gather with their loved ones to celebrate Christmas, the nation's law enforcement agencies will be busy protecting the homeland.
  Adam Cohen, special agent in
  
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• Surfing Santa returns to Niagara River

  23-12-2015 23:27
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. -- ‘Surfing Santa’ enjoyed beautiful weather while he was out on the Niagara River on Wednesday.        
  
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• Cuomo suspends road work during holiday travel

  23-12-2015 23:21 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Most construction and road closures will be postponed during the upcoming holiday weekend, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office.
  With predictions that this holiday season will be the busiest in history, Cuomo said he would put safety and drivers first to encourage a hassle and congestion-free holiday.
  Some lanes will remain closed due to the nature of the projects taking place, but New York State’s lane closure website will help all who w
  
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• Arrests made as protest blocks roads to Minneapolis airport

  23-12-2015 23:03 via wivb.com
  
  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Arrests were made at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as protesters blocked roads and caused significant traffic delays on Wednesday after they moved from a rally that briefly shut down part of the nation’s largest mall.
  Airport officials said access to one of two terminals was blocked, which also caused backups on nearby roads. Some protesters took a light-rail train to the airport from the Mall of America, where a rally organized by Black Lives Matter a
  
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• Girl whose wish is to receive cards gets surprise from White House

  23-12-2015 22:46 via wivb.com
  
  SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (WIVB) — A girl who has inspired thousands across the nation with her story of survival received an extra special gift from the most powerful family in the nation.
  After asking only for Christmas Cards for Christmas, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle responded in kind — they gave 8-year-old Safyre Terry a Christmas card for her collection.
  Terry is the sole survivor of the blaze that killed her family two years ago. She endured many surge
  
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• Inspectors trained state-wide as NYS cracks down on skimmers at gas pumps

  23-12-2015 22:34 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — One of the most efficient methods of stealing credit card information without being caught is arguably by installing credit card skimmers on unmanned payment devices like gas pumps.
  New York State is prepped and ready to curb theft via skimmers. Officials say they’re preparing to crack down in the first-ever statewide effort to dismantle and destroy illegal credit card skimmers. The Department of State Agriculture said state and local Weights and Measures
  
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• Colorado Planned Parenthood shooter tells court he wants to represent himself

  23-12-2015 22:06 via wivb.com
  
  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The man behind the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting has told the court he wants to represent himself.
  This comes after he made an outburst in court on Dec. 9, declaring he is a “warrior for the babies” when he was formally charged with first degree murder, along with other charges.
  Robert Lewis Dear stands accused of killing three people and injuring nine others at the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood attack.
  Officials say before th
  
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• Deadline extended for public comment period on Key Bank, First Niagara Bank deal

  23-12-2015 21:56 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Those opposed to Cleveland’s Key Bank acquiring Buffalo’s First Niagara Bank will get an extra month to mull things over.
  Officials announced Wednesday they would extend the public comment period through Jan. 31 to allow anybody interested in expressing a comment time to provide opinions on the proposal.
  Lawmakers like Sen. Chuck Schumer have expressed concern with the deal, noting it could adversely affect jobs in the Queen City. In several location
  
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• Artist creates viral puzzle, hides panda in sea of snowmen

  23-12-2015 21:37 via wivb.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Hungarian artist has created a ‘Where’s Waldo’ inspired piece that has gone viral online.
  In the drawing, a panda is hiding among dozens of snowmen. It has been shared more than 149,000 times.
  Here is a link to the drawing and original post. Can you spot the panda?
  
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• Christmas full moon will light Santa’s way

  23-12-2015 21:36 via wivb.com
  
  KNOXVILLE (WATE) – Rudolph may be able to take a break this Christmas.
  For the first time in nearly 40 years there will be a full moon on Christmas. The last full moon that lit Santa’s way occurred in 1977 and won’t occur again until 2034.
  Related: Track Santa from home
  According to NASA, December’s full moon is called the Full Cold moon because it occurs during winter. The moon will peak at 6:11 a.m.
  As you gaze up at the Christmas moon, NASA said make sure to look
  
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• Tornadoes threaten the South; Storm kills 1 in Arkansas

  23-12-2015 21:19 via wivb.com
  
  ATLANTA (AP) — Forecasters warned of a “particularly dangerous situation” as a storm system packing strong winds and heavy rain slammed the nation’s mid-section Wednesday, and officials said they feared Christmas yard decorations would become projectiles.
  A tree blew over onto a house in Arkansas, killing an 18-year-old woman and trapping a 1-year-old child inside, authorities said. Rescuers pulled the toddler safely from the home.
  The biggest threat for tornadoes was in
  
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• No scrubs: Wegmans adopts microbead ban

  23-12-2015 20:45
  
  The store will eliminate 40 health and beauty products from its shelves by February.        
  
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• Feds warn of cuts if Common Core opt outs continue

  23-12-2015 19:55
  
  NY & other states may face federal aid cuts if a significant segment of students opt out of standardized exams next spring        
  
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• Key lottery leader out amid jackpot-fixing case

  23-12-2015 19:31 via wivb.com
  
  IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A prominent lottery official who has run the Powerball game since its inception was quietly removed from his 28-year post leading the Multi-State Lottery Association after a jackpot-fixing scandal inside his organization got bigger, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.
  Charles Strutt, executive director of the association since its 1987 founding, was stripped of his duties in October by the group’s board, which includes directors
  
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• Beatles say ‘let it be’: Fans can soon stream their music

  23-12-2015 19:25 via wivb.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — They love us, yeah! yeah! yeah!
  At 12:01 a.m. local time on Dec. 24 around the world, The Beatles’ music will be available for streaming from numerous outlets, a representative announced Wednesday.
  Streaming services that will carry the Fab Four’s musical catalog include: Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, Microsoft Groove, Napster/Rhapsody and Amazon Prime Music, as well as Slacker Radio, Spotify and Tidal.
  The 17 Beatles albums span from “With the Be
  
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• Thieves vandalize infant’s grave, frustrating heartbroken family

  23-12-2015 18:57 via wivb.com
  
  WICHITA, Kansas (KSN) – A Wichita couple is still mourning the loss of their infant child, and on Monday, they found out someone stole several items and vandalized their baby’s grave.
  “Two months ago, on October 8th, our infant son was born at 32 weeks. We had known for quite a few weeks before that, that it was going to be fatal after he was born,” said Dan Feil. “He lived for two hours. We had two amazing hours with him, and then, we buried him later tha
  
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• Depew Police charge man in Key Bank robbery

  23-12-2015 18:46 via wivb.com
  
  DEPEW, N.Y. (WIVB) — Depew Police have made an arrest in relation to an October bank robbery.
  Police accused Buffalo resident Laverne Palmer, Jr. of robbing the Key Bank on George Urban Boulevard on October 26. At the time of the incident, Palmer gave a teller a note, received an unknown amount of money and fled the bank on foot, according to police.
  Palmer was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday. Police say other arrests are expected as their investigation continues.
  
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• Local football standout featured in new “Concussion” movie

  23-12-2015 18:27 via wivb.com
  
  WEST SENECA,N.Y. (WIVB) – A West Seneca native and former Pittsburgh Steeler will be depicted in Sony’s new movie, Concussion.
  It opens in theaters on Friday, December 25. It tells the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu who discovered a brain disease after doing an autopsy on Pro Football Hall of Famer, Mike Webster.
  Local football standout, Justin Strzelczyk is also portrayed in the film because Dr. Omalu studied his brain.
  Strzelczyk played for the Pittsburg Steelers in the1990s. He was dra
  
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• Police: West Falls woman faces 6th DWI arrest

  23-12-2015 17:35 via wivb.com
  
  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Orchard Park Police say a West Falls woman faced her sixth DWI arrest after she was stopped on Transit Road early Wednesday morning.
  Police say Judith Vergien, 58, was found weaving in and out of the lane and over fog lines. Her license had been revoked due to a previous DWI conviction and her vehicle’s registration was suspended.
  Vergien faces felony charges related to DWI and vehicle operation. She was committed to the Erie County Holding Center.
  
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• Gov. Cuomo orders flags to half-staff on Christmas Eve

  23-12-2015 16:45 via wivb.com
  
  ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) — Governor Cuomo says flags on all state buildings are to be flown at half-staff on Christmas Eve to honor a fallen serviceman.
  NY Air National Guard member Staff Sgt. Louis Michael Bonacasa was killed in Afghanistan after an attack by a suicide bomber. Technical Sgt. Joseph Lemm, of New York, was also killed in the attack.
  “On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and fellow servicemen of Staff Sgt. Bonacasa,” Gove
  
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• Woman due in court in fatal Las Vegas Strip pedestrian crash

  23-12-2015 16:25 via wivb.com
  
  LAS VEGAS (AP) — A woman from Oregon accused of intentionally plowing her car with her 3-year-old daughter in the back seat through crowds of pedestrians on a Las Vegas Strip sidewalk faces a judge Wednesday on felony murder, hit-and-run and child abuse charges.
  But one key question is likely to remain unanswered during Lakeisha Nicole Holloway’s initial court appearance: What might have driven a 24-year-old former model of accomplishment by at-risk teens to what authorities call a h
  
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• New Jersey girl calls 911 after touching Elf on the Shelf

  23-12-2015 16:13 via wivb.com
  
  OLD BRIDGE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey girl called 911 after she touched her elf on the shelf.
  Police say 7-year-old Isabelle LaPeruta of Old Bridge was worried because, according to the popular children’s book, the magic of Christmas goes away if the elf is touched.
  Reports say the girl told the 911 operator not to come to her house because she was trying to call her dad.
  However, police are required to check 911 calls and an officer found the child in tears.
  Her mother, Lynanne, says
  
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• Colorado teen gets a life-saving Christmas gift – a new heart

  23-12-2015 16:00 via wivb.com
  
  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado family has a lot to celebrate this Christmas. 14-year-old Marisela Calleros had never had any health problems in her life, until this fall. After multiple doctor visits and no improvement, a visit to the emergency room was suggested. What they thought was virus ended up being much worse. Doctors thought it might be Marisela’s gall bladder or pancreatitis over two weeks had gone by and she was getting worse.
  “By that time it had been 16
  
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• First responders rescue dog trapped in storm drain

  23-12-2015 15:37 via wivb.com
  
  SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – First responders in Sumner County, Tennessee came to the rescue of a dog that was stuck in a narrow storm drain Tuesday morning.
  Laura Cummins, with Sumner County EMS, crawled into the drain to retrieve the dog that was about 30 feet below.Courtesy: Sumner County EMS/FacebookThe rescue was a success.
  “I was really happy I could get her dog back to her safe and sound,” said Cummins, who is petite. She is 5’2 and 115 pounds. Her build proved to
  
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• Pavilion woman accused of stealing $40,000 from school organization

  23-12-2015 15:19 via wivb.com
  
  PAVILION, N.Y. (WIVB) — A member of Pavilion Central School’s Parent Teacher Organization is charged with felony grand larceny after authorities say she illegally wrote checks for herself.
  The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office says Cynthia Eggleston, 48, was the treasurer of the group from September 2013 until December 2015.
  Shortly after taking the position, investigators say Eggleston began writing checks from the organization’s account to herself. Authorities say sh
  
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• Pa. man accused of supporting Isis to appear in court Wednesday

  23-12-2015 14:56 via wivb.com
  
  HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – A Harrisburg teenager accused of having ties to Isis will appear in federal court Wednesday afternoon.
  19-year-old Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz will be in court at 3 p.m. for his arraignment and detention hearing. A federal grand jury indicted him Tuesday on charges of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to Isis. These are the same charges filed last week.
  Aziz was supposed to have his preliminary hearing Wednesday, but that’s no longer needed with
  
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• New conductor welcomed at BPO’s holiday pops concert

  23-12-2015 14:43 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) –  It’s tradition at Kleinhans Music Hall. Each December, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus pack the house for their annual Christmas concert.
  This year, the show also served as an introduction for a new member of the staff. It was the first time John Morris Russell appeared as principal pops conductor.
  Russell will now lead the BPO several times a year, in addition to serving as conductor of the Cincinnati Pops. But not every performance feature
  
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• Meals on Wheels spreads holiday cheer

  23-12-2015 14:29 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Volunteers with Meals on Wheels of WNY will be back on the roads today delivering holiday cheer this season. They offer warm meals and a chance at conversation for people who might otherwise be alone.
  “I walked into this woman’s house on Monday, and she said, ‘you’re back!’ And she gave me a hug,” volunteer Sandy Boag told News 4. She started delivering meals in August. “I’ve been retired for a little while, and I felt
  
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• Local police department collects Christmas gifts for seniors

  23-12-2015 14:13
  
  Last year, seniors received one gift bag of essentials. Thanks to Dunkirk police & students, each senior received four.        
  
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• Innovate WNY: Flexdex Skateboards

  23-12-2015 13:59
  
  Local skateboard company and their (nearly) indestructible skateboard.        
  
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• Ontario highway crash closes lanes, kills two

  23-12-2015 13:37 via wivb.com
  
  OAKVILLE, Ontario (WIVB) — A Tuesday night four-vehicle crash south of Mississauga, Ontario has left two people dead.
  Two tractor trailer trucks were involved in the crash. Along with the two people killed, one person was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
  Police were forced to close down all lanes of Queen Elizabeth Way at Trafalgar Road that were headed toward Toronto.
  
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• Roof collapses during East Side fire

  23-12-2015 13:04 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Firefighters responded to the scene of an early morning fire on Shepard Street Wednesday.
  Neighbors in the area say the house, located at the corner of Shepard and Pullman Place, was vacant. The building’s roof collapsed inward during the fire.
  The blaze was eventually brought under control and no one was injured.
  The fire caused $75,000 in damage and officials are trying to figure out what started it.
  
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• Driver tries to run after Parker Ave. car crash

  23-12-2015 12:45 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A car spun out and smashed into a tree on Parker Ave. in Buffalo Tuesday night just after 11 p.m.
  Residents who heard the crash tried to come out and help the occupant out of the vehicle. He was originally stuck in the back seat, but eventually freed himself.
  The man tried to run once he heard police sirens, but neighbors kept him at the scene with minimal intervention. He was taken away by Rural Metro to receive medical attention.
  The car was totaled. It is unc
  
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• Buffalo Airport busy with holiday travelers

  23-12-2015 12:16 via wivb.com
  
  CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Traveling Wednesday? You’re not alone.
  Wednesday is the busiest day of the Christmas holidays for travel. AAA expects to see record numbers of people traveling this holiday season. They predict more than 100 million people will go more than 50 miles for Christmas.
  Both air fares and gas prices have dipped and remain well below last year’s levels. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to walk through the terminals of the Buffalo Airport over the next
  
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• Genesee County volunteer firefighter killed in crash

  23-12-2015 11:51 via wivb.com
  
  OAKFIELD, N.Y. (WIVB) — An Elba volunteer firefighter was killed in a vehicle accident in the Genesee County town of Oakfield Tuesday night.
  Members of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office say they responded to the scene on Fisher Road shortly after 8 p.m.
  At the scene, authorities say they found a Dodge pickup truck that had traveled off the road and crashed into a tree and a utility pole.
  Oakfield resident David Beehler Jr., 37, had been ejected from the vehicle and w
  
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• East side home destroyed in early morning fire

  23-12-2015 11:10
  
  A home on the east side was destroyed by an early morning fire.        
  
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• Local Man Aims to Revive Shoe Repair with 'Sole Man'

  23-12-2015 05:48
  
  Brian Gavigan is the proprietor of 'Sole Man', a new shop on Buffalo's Elmwood Ave. offering an old service.        
  
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• Residents still fighting to prevent natural gas facilities in Niagara County

  23-12-2015 05:29 via wivb.com
  
  PENDLETON, N.Y. (WIVB) — A meeting in two weeks will no doubt draw hundreds to the community center in Wheatfield. The topic: The construction of two facilities that will transport natural gas from the south through New York to Canada.
  The fight by residents has been a long one. And though they feel they’ve won some battles, some realize they may have lost the war.
  “We just want to be safe,” said Barbara Ciepiela, of Pendleton. “Safe and healthy.”
  Their fight
  
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• Siena slips past St. Bonaventure late, posts 73-70 victory

  23-12-2015 05:21
  
  Brett Bisping gave Siena the lead on a layup with 40 seconds left and Lavon Long and Marquis Wright added three key free throws in the final 22 seconds as the Saints knocked off St. Bonaventure 73-70 Tuesday night.        
  
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• 2015 Recap: Lucille Ball’s scary statue goes viral in April

  23-12-2015 04:54 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — In the month of April, western New York again made national headlines for a number of trivial, yet entertaining, stories.
  The most entertaining of all focused on a comedy legend, Lucille Ball, whose likeness again brought smiles to the face of thousands. A statue in Celoron in her likeness turned out to look not quite like her at all.
  The statue made national headlines as Scary Lucy became a punch line that many would rally around. First came outrage, then
  
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• 2015 Recap: WNY celebrates St. Patrick’s Day in March

  23-12-2015 04:40 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As residents warmed up from the coldest February in history in western New York, they geared up to celebrate the upcoming spring.
  They did so in style at the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the gallery of which generated quite a bit of traffic on WIVB.com. Thousands showed up for the popular parade, including some of News 4’s own talent. Check out photos from the famous event here. 
  Another gallery that drew attention was the rare occurrence of t
  
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• Tyrod Claus: Bills QB buys TVs for his offensive linemen

  23-12-2015 04:34 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Richie Incognito did not receive his wish of a Pro Bowl selection on Tuesday.
  Instead, he got a free 65-inch television, courtesy of his starting quarterback.
  Tyrod Taylor bought televisions for each of his Bills offensive linemen, as a thank-you for the protection he has received in his first year as a starter.
  “It kind of just reinforces what I feel about him,” said center Eric Wood. “That he just gets it man, he understands the game, he
  
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• How to celebrate Festivus on Wednesday

  23-12-2015 04:07 via wivb.com
  
  RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – You might have a friend or co-worker on Wednesday randomly exclaim, “It’s a Festivus miracle!” or challenge you to a feat of strength. Don’t be alarmed – they are just referencing the semi-fictitious holiday Festivus, created by the family of “Seinfeld” writer Dan O’Keefe.
  In the December 18, 1997, episode “The Strike,” the wacky, offbeat holiday was introduced to viewers and it has become a tongue-in-cheek
  
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• Tracking Santa with NORAD

  23-12-2015 04:01 via wivb.com
  
  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KXRM) — Every year on Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command takes on the mission of following Santa’s Christmas journey across the world. This is the 60th year NORAD is tracking Santa for more than 13 million people in more than 200 countries.
  Reporters got a behind the scenes look at what goes in to preparing to track Santa.
  “We are getting all of the preparations finalized for December 24th,” said Stacey Knott, me
  
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• Warm Winter 2015: Good for business, bad for allergy sufferers

  23-12-2015 03:57 via wivb.com
  
  YOUNGSTOWN, Oh. (WKBN) – The first day of winter was greeted with a temperature in the 60s and plenty of sunshine. This, just three days before Christmas.
  While it is highly unlikely that northeastern U.S. residents will see a white Christmas, some businesses are reaping the benefits.
  The warm weather was ideal for workers at Cheap Tree Service, which took down an 80-foot piece of lumber outside of a Jewish temple in Ohio.
  “Because of the nice, sunny weather and the warm days, we did
  
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• Publicist: Nicolas Cage was buyer of stolen dinosaur skull

  23-12-2015 03:54 via wivb.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Nicolas Cage has agreed to give back a national treasure from Mongolia.
  A publicist for the star of the “National Treasure” adventure films confirmed Tuesday that Cage was the unwitting buyer of a dinosaur skull that federal prosecutors in New York say was stolen. Prosecutors announced last week that they were seeking court approval to take custody of the 32-inch fossil so it could be returned to the Asian nation, but they did not name the buyer.
  Cage purchased
  
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• New Zealand judges rules Kim Dotcom can be extradited to US

  23-12-2015 03:42 via wivb.com
  
  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand judge has ruled that colorful Internet entrepreneur KimDotcom and three of his colleagues can be extradited to the United States to face criminal copyright charges.
  Dotcom’s lawyers said they will appeal the decision.
  Judge Nevin Dawson’s ruling on Wednesday comes nearly four years after U.S. authorities shut down Dotcom’s Megaupload website, which some visitors had used to illegally download songs and movies.
  The U.S. has char
  
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• Layaway angels surprise families with holiday donations

  23-12-2015 03:39 via wivb.com
  
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A few families received a holiday surprise courtesy of Pay Away the Layaway at Kmart on Tuesday.
  Officials from the charitable organization say they had a successful evening on Hertel Avenue, making a special holiday for families with existing layaway balances.
  The organization is able to make its magic happen through donations from those who visit the Payawaythelayaway.org website from across the nation.
  With help from professional athletes, the group trav
  
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