Buffalo news

• WNYers make final preparations as Irma heads for Florida

  08-09-2017 23:56 via wivb.com
  BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. (WIVB)- Craig Rogalski and his husband put finishing touches on their “escape room” Friday. They’re hoping the makeshift shelter in their master bathroom will protect them if Hurricane Irma hits Florida the way experts believe it will.
  Rogalski, a Sweet Home graduate, said he’s never gone to such lengths to prepare for a storm before.
  The couple stocked up on water and canned food this week.
  They live in Boynton Beach, which is in Palm Beach County on
  
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• Some changes in place for “Uber Zone” at New Era Field

  08-09-2017 23:53 via wivb.com
  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) – Some changes have been made to the “Uber Zone” at New Era Field.
  The changes were implemented at Tuesday’s U2 concert and will continue throughout the Bills’ season.
  Uber vehicles will now enter the Uber Zone on Big Tree Rd (20A), and queue in Rows A, B and C. Sheriffs will allow Uber drivers through the Abbott/Big Tree intersection only if they have an Uber sticker visible.
  Uber vehicles will exit into the intersection of Abbott and Big
  
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• Tonawanda couple stuck on Sint Maarten

  08-09-2017 23:39 via wivb.com
  ISLAND OF SINT MAARTEN (WIVB)- Cheri Cruse and Chris Meszaros, both of Tonawanda, are stranded on Sint Maarten after Hurricane Irma plowed through the island this week.
  Friday morning Nicole Bilson, Cruse’s daughter, received a frantic voicemail from her mother.
  “I love you, I’m alive,” Cruse said.
  Cheri Cruse and Chris MeszarosThere is no U.S. Embassy on Sint Maarten; American citizens are encouraged to report their location to the U.S. Department of State or go to
  
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• WNY Gas and Steam Engine Association’s Rally underway in Alexander

  08-09-2017 19:39 via wivb.com
  ALEXANDER, N.Y. (WIVB) – Engine enthusiasts and steam power aficionados, this is a big weekend for you. The Western New York Gas and Steam Association’s annual Rally is underway through Sunday at the club’s grounds in Alexander.
  Every year, upwards of 30,000 people turn out over the course of the event, for a long weekend packed with education and entertainment.
  “It’s a four day event where everybody brings out their displays. We have steamers, we have equipment, we
  
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• Security measures in place at New Era Field for 2017 NFL season

  08-09-2017 19:26 via wivb.com
  ORCHARD, PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Erie County Sheriff, joined Bills officials and local law enforcement agencies to talk about security measures at New Era Field. About 70 thousand fans are expected this Sunday and as usual there will be visible patrols in and around the stadium to ensure fan safety.
  Those patrols include SWAT team operators, canine units and specialized Sheriff’s personnel and other agencies.
  The bills employ private security firms, and there will also be undercover
  
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• 4 killed in medical helicopter crash in North Carolina

  08-09-2017 19:01 via wivb.com
  BELVIDERE, N.C. (AP) — A medical helicopter crashed Friday in North Carolina, killing four people, the Highway Patrol said.
  The Duke Life Flight helicopter went down around 11:45 a.m. near the town of Belvidere, close to the Virginiaborder and about 160 miles (260 kilometers) east of Raleigh, patrol spokesman Master Trooper Christopher Knox said.
  Knox said it’s not known where the helicopter was headed when it went down and authorities have no idea what caused the crash.
  The Duk
  
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• Yuck or yum? Swiss offer insect burgers of mealworm larvae

  08-09-2017 18:36 via wivb.com
  GENEVA (AP) — Swallow deeply, pinch the nose and repeat the mantra: “Tastes like beef, tastes likes beef.” Then bite into the burger of rice, chopped vegetables, spices and mealworm larvae.
  The Swiss supermarket chain Coop, to a bit of domestic hoopla, has begun selling burgers and balls made from insects. It’s being billed as a legal first in Europe, a continent more accustomed to steak, sausage, poultry and fish as a source of protein.
  The goal is to convince leery cons
  
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• Shelters for American citizens on St. Maarten

  08-09-2017 18:07 via wivb.com
  ISLAND OF ST. MAARTEN (WIVB)- The following message is from the U.S. Department of State:
  The Department of State is exploring every possible option to assist U.S. citizens in Dutch St. Maarten. At this time, the airport and seaports are closed. Communication infrastructure has been heavily damaged. There is no U.S. consular presence on the island. U.S. citizens should follow the instructions provided by local authorities and call 911 locally if they require immediate assistance. Shelt
  
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• Jose now an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane

  08-09-2017 17:56 via wivb.com
  MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Jose has now become an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane, threatening Caribbean islands already devastated by Hurricane Irma.
  Jose now has top sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and as it moves toward the northern leeward islands at a speedy 18 mph.
  A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for St. Thomas and St. John.
  The government of Antigua has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the British Virgin Islands
  The government of Franc
  
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• Hurricane Irma lashes Cuba; Jose poses threat elsewhere

  08-09-2017 17:56 via wivb.com
  HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and relentless rain, pushing seawater inland that flooded homes and knocked out power across a wide area. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, islands already reeling from Irma prepared for a second pounding – from Hurricane Jose.
  The twin Category 4 storms had desperate residents seeking shelter across the region. In Cuba, high winds from Irma upended trees, toppled utility poles and scattered debris across streets.
  
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• Wegmans issues recall on muffins

  08-09-2017 16:19 via wivb.com
  SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – Wegmans has issued a recall on their brand of assorted, four-pack muffins.
  According to the FDA, the assorted four pack may include a banana nut muffin containing walnuts, which is an allergen that is not listed on the label.
  People who have an allergy or sensitivity to nuts should not consume the product.
  The recall was issued on Sept. 5. The product’s UPC is 77890-22744.
  The product can be returned to the customer service desk for a full refund.
  For more
  
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• DeVos planning to scrap Obama rules on campus sexual assault

  08-09-2017 15:49 via wivb.com
  ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos declared on Thursday that “the era of ‘rule by letter’ is over” as she announced plans to change the way colleges and universities handle allegations of sexual assault on campus.
  DeVos vowed to replace a set of rules enacted by the Obama administration in a 2011 memo known as the “Dear Colleague Letter,” which she said created a system that failed students.
  “Instead of workin
  
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• Teen who helped find stolen Tom Brady jersey gets a front row seat

  08-09-2017 15:27 via wivb.com
  FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WIVB) — The defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, kicked off the regular season Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
  One lucky fan got a special front row seat to the game.
  Dylan Wagner helped track down the stolen Tom Brady jersey after the Super Bowl.
  Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave Wagner front row seats to the opener.
  His seat? Row one, seat number 12 — that’s Brady’s number.
  Wagner did not get to see a win though, as
  
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• Columbus police take suspect into custody after report of shooter at high school

  08-09-2017 15:13 via wivb.com
  COLUMBUS, Ohio (WIVB) — Police in Columbus, Ohio took one person into custody after receiving a report of an active shooter at a high school.
  The suspect was at Columbus Scioto High School.
  A SWAT team went there and recovered a gun. No one was injured.
  
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• Guinness records include long-tailed cat, old bodybuilder

  08-09-2017 14:21 via wivb.com
  NEW YORK (AP) — A long-tailed cat, an octogenarian bodybuilder and a 5-inch-long eyelash are included in the latest edition of Guinness World Records.
  The 2018 version of the chronicle of extraordinary feats and features was released Thursday.
  The honorees include a cat from Ferndale, Michigan, named Cygnus that boasts a tail that stretches more than 17 inches (46 centimeters). It set the world record for longest tail on a domestic cat.
  A Chinese woman has set the record for world’s
  
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• Hurricane Irma slams Turks and Caicos on path to Florida

  08-09-2017 12:38 via wivb.com
  CAIBARIEN, Cuba (AP) — Hurricane Irma battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday and Cuba evacuated tourists from beachside resorts as the fearsome storm continued a rampage through the Caribbean that has killed at least 11 people, with Florida in its sights.
  Waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters) were expected in the Turks and Caicos. Communications went down as the storm slammed into the islands, and the extent of the devastation was unclear.
  The first hurricane warnings w
  
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• President: Mexico hit by biggest quake in century, 5 killed

  08-09-2017 12:29 via wivb.com
  MEXICO CITY (AP) — A major earthquake off Mexico’s southern coast killed at least five people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses toppled and the quake produced tsunami waves and sent people running into the streets in panic.
  The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 8.1, but President Enrique Pena Nieto says it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years. He also
  
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• President: Mexico hit by biggest quake in century, 15 killed

  08-09-2017 12:29 via wivb.com
  MEXICO CITY (AP) — A major earthquake off Mexico’s southern coast killed at least 15 people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses toppled and the quake produced tsunami waves and sent people running into the streets in panic.
  The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 8.1, but President Enrique Pena Nieto says it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years. He also s
  
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• Powerful quake rocks southern Mexico coast; at least 32 die

  08-09-2017 12:29 via wivb.com
  MEXICO CITY (AP) — One of the most powerful earthquakes ever to strike Mexico has hit off its southern Pacific coast, killing at least 32 people, toppling houses, government offices and businesses while sending panicked people into the streets more than 650 miles (1,000 kilometers) away.
  The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake hit off Chiapas state near the Guatemalan border with a magnitude of 8.1 — slightly stronger than the magnitude 8.0 quake of 1985 that ki
  
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• Florida travelers arrive in Buffalo to avoid Hurricane Irma

  08-09-2017 04:38 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As people in Florida rush to get out of Hurricane Irma’s path, dozens of people have been flying into the Buffalo airport.
  Thursday night, passengers who arrived from Fort Lauderdale and Miami described what it was like in Florida as Hurricane Irma heads towards the state.
  “It is so chaotic, there’s no other words for it, but just chaos,” said Jennifer Koren, a Buffalo resident who was vacationing in Ft. Lauderdale.
  “Everyone’s pre
  
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• Meet Harvey and Irma, a couple married 75 years

  08-09-2017 04:24 via wivb.com
  SPOKANE, WASHINGTON (WOWK) – In Spokane, Washington, the New York Times has found a married couple who bear the names of the two major hurricanes that have threatened the U.S. these past few weeks.Harvey and Irma Schluter have been married for 75 years. He turned 104 in July; she will be 93 in November.
  They vividly remember many of the major events of the 20th century, from her first time spotting an airplane, during the Great Depression, to his wonder at watching Neil Armstrong walk on
  
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• Man who shot Zoe Restaurant owner confesses to other violent crimes

  08-09-2017 04:17 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo man who shot the owner of Zoe Restaurant in Clarence about a year ago has confessed to a series of violent crimes.
  Christopher Boyd pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the shooting, as well as breaking into a home and carjacking a woman in separate incidents since last July.
  He also brought a gun into a deli in November.
  Boyd will be sentenced Oct. 12. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
  
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• Cities already want to host Amazon’s second headquarters

  08-09-2017 03:57 via wivb.com
  (CNN) – Cities are already eager to be the new home for Amazon’s second headquarters.
  Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) on Thursday announced plans to open a second headquarters in North America. Dubbed “HQ2,” the facility will cost at least $5 billion to construct and operate and will employ as many as 50,000 workers.
   Cities and regional economic development organizations have been invited to submit proposals, and several cities have already expressed
  
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• City of Buffalo looking for residents’ ideas to bring new global Amazon headquarters to city

  08-09-2017 03:51 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The City of Buffalo is looking to residents for ideas on how to convince Amazon to bring a new, $5 billion second headquarters for the corporation.
  Residents are encouraged to call the city’s 311 line Friday to share creative ideas and ways to convince Amazon to pick Buffalo as the city to build its second home.
  Amazon currently has its headquarters in Seattle. The online retail giant announced Thursday that it is looking to build a second global headquarters s
  
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• Hurricane Irma likely to be far worse than monster Andrew

  08-09-2017 02:28 via wivb.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — For an entire generation in South Florida, Hurricane Andrew was the monster storm that reshaped a region. Irma is likely to blow that out of the water.
  Bigger and with a 90-degree different path of potential destruction, Irma is forecast to hit lots more people and buildings than 1992′s Andrew, said experts, including veterans of Andrew. At the time Andrew was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history with damages of $26.5 billion in 1992 dollars (about $50 billion in
  
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• Late-season wildfires choke US cities, towns with smoke

  08-09-2017 01:19 via wivb.com
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Heavy winter snow and a very wet spring in the Western U.S. generated predictions the 2017 wildfire season would be tame. But it’s shaping up to be one of the worst in U.S. history in land burned.
  Across the region, smoky haze in cities and towns prevented people from going outside except for short periods and prompted potential bans of high school football games. In some areas where homes have burned, people have stayed in makeshift shelters for weeks.
  Some of th
  
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• Second open casting call for “True Adventures of Wolfboy” will be held Saturday

  08-09-2017 01:01 via wivb.com
  SANBORN, N.Y. (WIVB) – A second open casting call for “The True Adventures of Wolfboy” will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at NCCC’s Fine Arts Building F.
  The producers of the film are looking for people from Western New York “of all ages” to participate in the film as “carnival attendees” for a carnival scene with the lead cast members. Parking and meals will be provided, as well as raffles throughout the shoot days.
  Shooting for “T
  
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• Prospects challenge starts Friday in Buffalo

  08-09-2017 00:54 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The first sign that the Sabres season is right around the corner, the prospects challenge is back in Buffalo.This year the Bruins, Devils and Penguins are in town. But, don’t expect to get an update on the Jack Eichel contract situation during this time. Head Coach Phil Housley will not be meeting with the media, and General Manager Jason Botterill won’t speak til the challenge wraps up.
   The Sabres roster is highlighted by many of the same guys
  
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• Local family rescues baby deer from depths of Lake Ontario

  08-09-2017 00:53 via wivb.com
  LAKEVIEW, N.Y. (WIVB) — Joe Schmelzinger loves to fish. The Lakeview resident has caught small fish, big fish in all kinds of water — Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, you name it.
  On Aug. 26, Joe and his family were on vacation in the Thousand Islands, where they travel often. It’s the scene of perhaps his biggest fish story — and doesn’t involve a fish.
  The family — kids included — was enjoying one of the final weekends of the summer a few weeks ago, cruising L
  
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