• Genesee Community College officials concerned about state budget proposal

    BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) – Community colleges across New York State are taking a close look at Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal. They have some major concerns, and at least one president says it could lead to tuition increases.
    Dr. James Sunser is the president of Genesee Community College in Batavia. He says the funding formula proposed in next year’s state budget is basically the same as it is this year. But there’s a caveat. That formula is based on how many st
  • New York State inmates to receive tablets

    ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) – The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision plans to give tablets to all inmates in state prison.
    “In a groundbreaking move, the department will provide each incarcerated individual a tablet at no cost with the ability to access free educational material in E-books and to file grievance,” DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci said at a legislative budget hearing on Tuesday.
    When asked for more information Wednesday, a DO
  • Orchard Park man charged with DWI after vehicle goes off road

    ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) – An Orchard Park man is facing DWI and other charges after his vehicle went off the roadway and became stuck Wednesday morning.
    Kurt Zarnikau, 52, of Orchard Park, was charged with first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, driving while intoxicated, moving from lane unsafely, failure to use an ignition interlock device and open alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle.
    According to Orchard Park Police, officers responded to the Route 219 Expressway
  • Property Owner in Lovejoy says he’s being run out of town, concerned about racism

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – A Lovejoy business owner is claiming he is getting driven out of the neighborhood.
    Rick Mason owns the building that houses Checkmate Bar and Restaurant.
    He says he’s tried to compromise with the city, but now neighbors are trying to run him out town.
    Rick Mason acknowledges the violence that happened at Checkmate on Saturday morning. One man was critically injured after several people with guns started shooting at each other outside the bar.
    Now, Mason ha
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  • Buffalo man, 22, found guilty in fatal Lackawanna stabbing

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – A 22-year-old Buffalo man has been found guilty by jury in a fatal August 2016 stabbing.
    Christian Gillie was found guilty Wednesday of one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree manslaughter, and two counts of first degree burglary.
    According to the Erie County DA’s Office, on Aug. 9, 2016, at 2 a.m., Gillie broke into the Johnson Street residence of 23-year-old Robert Wheeler of Lackawanna and fatally stabbed him. Gillie was arrested nearby
  • Cuba Horse Farm blames tainted feed for killing 6 horses

    CUBA, N.Y. (WIVB) – The owners of a boarding barn in Cuba, New York are blaming tainted horse feed for the deaths of six horses there.
    The barn and training facility houses 31 horses, and we’re told all of them will likely eventually die from being exposed to the poisonous feed.
    We’re told for these horses, eating this feed is like giving a horse a death sentence.
    Now, the owners say instead of running a horse farm, they’re running a hospice facility and watching the
  • Ice concentration on Lake Erie and its impacts on lake effect snow

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) —We all know the crucial role that ice plays in keeping the lake effect snow machine going. This year we have seen lots of changes in ice coverage, and it’s only the end of January.
    It’s not just the air that’s feeling ice cold around Buffalo. Lake Erie is has seen some rapidly changing conditions since the start of the cold season.  Ice fluctuates constantly on all of the Great Lakes throughout the entire winter season so that part is not all th
  • Library on Wheels Bookmobile increases access to books in Erie County

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — When’s the last time you picked up a book? With the Library on Wheels Bookmobile it’s easy to borrow books for free and if you are in Erie County, you can request that it comes to your community.
    “We started this in 2016 and having us back on the road really gets us out there into the neighborhoods where we don’t have physical library buildings, into those communities where we have not had a physical presence,” said Mary Jean Jakubowski,
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  • Morning crash causes delays

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — An early morning accident caused delays during the morning commute.
    A car flipped over on the Niagara St. ramp going onto I-190 southbound.
    The crash happened after 8:30 a.m. It took crews an hour to reopen the road.
    It is not clear if anyone was injured.
  • ECWA warns of fake workers in Town of Aurora

    TOWN OF AURORA, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) says people have been pretending to be ECWA water meter workers in the Town of Aurora.
    Because of that, the ECWA has given tips for how people can identify a legitimate worker.
    All ECWA workers carry a photo ID badge, wear a blue uniform with an ECWA emblem and travel in white vehicles with a blue ECWA decal on each side.
    If proper ID can’t be shown, the ECWA encourages residents to shut their doors and either
  • Train carrying GOP lawmakers to policy retreat hits truck

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A chartered train carrying dozens of GOP lawmakers to a Republican retreat in West Virginia struck a garbage truck south of Charlottesville, Virginia on Wednesday, lawmakers said.
    APP USERS | Tap here to watch live coverage.
    No lawmakers were believed injured in the accident.
    “We’re fine, but our train hit a garbage truck. Members with medical training are assisting the drivers of the truck,” Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., wrote on Twitter.
    A GOP aide said th
  • Train carrying GOP lawmakers hits truck, 1 on truck killed

    WASHINGTON (AP) — A chartered train carrying dozens of GOP lawmakers to a Republican policy retreat in West Virginia struck a garbage truck in a rural Virginia town on Wednesday. No lawmakers or aides were reported injured, but the White House said one person was killed and another was seriously hurt.
    Lawmakers said the fatality appeared to be someone who was on the truck. One lawmaker who was aboard the train, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said the vehicle had been ripp
  • Funeral arrangements announced for Buffalo boy who died in fire

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Funeral and wake arrangements for the seven-year-old boy who died in a fire this week have been announced.
    Anthony Conti died after a fire broke out at his family’s home on Benzinger St. this past Monday.
    Anthony’s wake will take place Friday at Michael A. DiVincenzo Funeral Home at 1122 E. Lovejoy St. from 4 to 8 p.m.
    His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. That will take place at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, which is located
  • Robot news anchor to debut in Japan

    JAPAN (WIVB) — They walk, they talk, they have perfect hair, and soon, they will be delivering the news.
    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the first known robot news anchor is set to debut in Japan in April.
    Her name is Erica. The robot’s voice will also reportedly be used in autonomous vehicles made by a Japanese automaker.
  • CDC director resigns over financial conflicts

    NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. officials have announced that the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resigned because of financial conflicts of interest.
    Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald had been in the job since July.
    A statement Wednesday from the Department of Health and Human Services said Fitzgerald’s complex financial interests had caused conflicts of interest that made it difficult to do her job. Alex Azar, who was sworn in as head of the department Monday, accepted her
  • OJ Simpson avoids effort to chase down his memorabilia money

    SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — O.J. Simpson dodged an effort Tuesday to force him to turn over cash he pockets from signing autographs to satisfy a $70 million-plus civil judgment for the 1994 killings of the former football star’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
    The ruling in Los Angeles County Superior Court was the latest setback in the dogged efforts by Goldman’s father, Fred, to get Simpson to pay up for a wrongful d
  • 8 die from flu in Monroe County

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WIVB) — The flu continues to take a deadly toll in the Rochester area.
    Eight people in Monroe County have died from the flu this season. Five of those deaths were reported this past week.
    Health officials say all of the victims were age 50 or older.
    Flu cases across the state have jumped 28 percent since last week.
  • Tractor-trailer accident causes closure of Big Tree Rd. in Hamburg

    HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) — A tractor-trailer was involved in an accident in Hamburg Wednesday morning.
    The trailer appears to have struck the bottom of a bridge.
    Big Tree Rd. was closed from Route 75 to Bayview Rd. as a result of the incident.
  • Several hurt in multi-vehicle accident near Fantasy Island

    GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) — Three vehicles, including an NFTA bus, were involved in an accident in Grand Island.
    It happened around 9 a.m. on Grand Island Boulevard, near Fantasy Island.
    Investigators are still working to piece together exactly what happened.
    When firefighters arrived, they found the bus and a silver SUV on one side of the road, and a dark-colored SUV on the other side. The dark SUV was in flames.
    Grand Island Supervisor Nate McMurray was one of the first people on th
  • Multiple vehicles involved in accident near Fantasy Island

    GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) — Multiple vehicles, including an NFTA bus, were involved in an accident in Grand Island.
    The incident occurred on Grand Island Blvd. in front of Fantasy Island.
    At least one person was badly hurt, according to Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray.
    First responders were seen bringing a person off the NFTA bus.
    News 4 is at the scene and will provide more details as soon as they are available.
     
  • 7 hurt in multi-vehicle accident near Fantasy Island

    GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) — Three vehicles, including an NFTA bus, were involved in an accident in Grand Island.
    It happened around 9 a.m. on Grand Island Boulevard, near Fantasy Island.
    Investigators are still working to piece together exactly what happened.
    When firefighters arrived, they found the bus and a silver SUV on one side of the road, and a dark-colored SUV on the other side. The dark SUV was in flames.
    Grand Island Supervisor Nate McMurray was one of the first people on th
  • Nassar to face another sentence, victims in return to court

    LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Larry Nassar, the former sports doctor accused of sexually assaulting more than 150 women and girls, will be confronted again by scores of victims as he faces another prison sentence for molesting gymnasts, this time at an elite Michigan club run by an Olympic coach.
    Judge Janice Cunningham has set aside several days for roughly 60 people who want to confront Nassar or have their statement read in court. The hearing starting Wednesday could unfold much
  • Hard-nosed ex-Michigan governor to lead Michigan State

    LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State University is turning to a hard-nosed former governor and alumnus to right the ship following scathing criticism over former doctor Larry Nassar’s ability to molest young female athletes for decades under the guise of medical treatment.
    APP USERS | Tap here to watch the Board of Trustees meet to name former Michigan Governor John Engler as the interim president. 
    John Engler, 69, led the state for a dozen ye
  • Xerox confirms agreement with Fujifilm to form combined company

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – Xerox has confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Fujifilm to combine Xerox and Fuji Xerox.
    According to a statement published on Xerox’s website, Xerox shareholders will own 49.9% of the company and Fujifilm will own 50.1%.
    Bloomberg reports that the joint venture will eliminate 10,000 jobs globally.
    Just days ago, Xerox announced it’s moving all employees from Xerox Tower in Rochester to its Webster campus.
    Xerox will hold a conferen
  • Taylor Swift groper hired as a DJ at Mississippi station

    GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP) — The man fired from his radio DJ job for groping superstar Taylor Swift has been hired by a Mississippi radio station.
    The Washington Post quotes Delta Radio CEO David Fuss as telling news outlets he believes David Mueller’s side of the story and hired him because he sounds good on air.
    Swift sued Mueller for a dollar last year, saying he grabbing her bare backside while posing for photo. Mueller, who uses the last name “Jackson” on air, denies the
  • LIVE STREAM: Super Blue Blood Moon

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Watch live video of the Super Blue Blood Moon in the video above, courtesy of CBS and NASA.
    APP USERS | Tap here to watch.
    The moon is putting on a rare cosmic show Wednesday.
    It’s the first time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse.
    Hawaii and Alaska have the best seats, along with the Canadian Yukon, Australia and Asia. The western U.S. should have good viewing, too, along with Russia. The U
  • West Seneca West improves to 17-0, McKinley tops East

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Juston Johnson scored 42 points to help West Seneca West rally past Williamsville East for a 71-67 win and improve to 17-0 on the season.
    Johnson also eclipsed the 1,000 career points in the Indians’ win.
    West trailed for three quarter and finally took their first lead with a little less than five minutes to play on three pointer from Johnson, which gave the Indians a 55-54 lead.
    After exchanging the lead with the Spartans, WSW used a 7-0 run to pull away down
  • Local politicians respond to Pres. Trump’s first State of the Union address

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Pres. Donald Trump gave his first State of the Union address Tuesday night.
    Shortly after, local lawmakers began weighing in on the president’s words.
    Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) applauded the president’s speech, saying “President Trump had a record-setting first year of his Presidency- the United States was suffering under the failed policies of President Obama, which resulted in high unemployment, slow economic growth, burdensome regula
  • Trump warns of immigration dangers in State of the Union address

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Addressing a deeply divided nation, President Donald Trump called for a “new American moment” of unity Tuesday night and challenged lawmakers to make good on long-standing promises to fix a dangerously fractured immigration system, warning of evil outside forces seeking to undermine the nation’s way of life.
    Trump’s State of the Union address blended self-congratulation and calls for optimism amid a growing economy with dark warnings about deadly g
  • Bulls blow 18-point lead, snapping 9-game winning streak

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – It is often said that all good things must come to an end.
    For the UB Men’s Basketball Team, their nine-game winning streak was snapped with an 82-79 loss on the road to Kent State.  The setback is the Bulls’ first in Mid-American Conference play as they dip to 16-6 overall and 8-1 in league action.
    Leading by as many as 18, UB went cold from the floor over the final three minutes of the game, allowing the Golden Flashes to pull even at 77 in the fin
  • Cold Case Tuesday: Carol A. Fitzmaurice, 23, found stabbed in her home in Oct. 1970

    ALLEGANY, N.Y. (WIVB) – New York State Police in Olean continue to investigate the 1970 murder of Carol A. Fitzmaurice in the Town of Allegany.
    Fitzmaurice was 23 when she was found murdered at her residence of 2678 West Five Mile Road on Oct. 20, 1970. She was found by her husband when he returned home from work.
    Fitzmaurice was stabbed multiple times in her abdomen and neck during a struggle in the living room.
    During a search of the surrounding area, a carving knife believed to be from
  • LIVE STREAM: Pres. Trump delivers State of the Union address

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Pres. Trump is delivering his first-ever State of the Union address.
    APP USERS | Tap here to watch. 
  • Woman denied emotional support peacock on United Airlines flight

    (WTNH) — A woman was recently denied her emotional support animal when she attempted to fly on United Airlines, a peacock.
    According to a post in the airline blog “Live and Let’s Fly“, a woman tried to bring the peacock on board a recent United Airlines flight at Newark’s Liberty International Airport. She offered to pay for a second seat for the oversized bird, but claimed she had a right to bring it on board as her emotional support animal.
    Photos o
  • Buffalo Police investigating shooting at Amherst Street and Germain Street

    BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Buffalo Police are investigating a shooting that happened just after 7 p.m. Tuesday at Amherst Street and Germain Street.
    Police say a 45-year-old North Tonawanda man was struck in the leg by gunfire.
    He was transported by ambulance to ECMC with apparent non-life threatening injuries.
    Anyone with information is asked to call or text the confidential TIPCALL line at (716) 847-2255.
  • Oklahoma rapist avoids jail; blindness cited as major factor

    SULPHUR, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma man who is legally blind has been sentenced to probation for raping a 13-year-old Texas girl at a church camp, after prosecutors cited his disability in agreeing to a plea deal that spares him prison time.
    Benjamin Lawrence Petty, 36, pleaded guilty to attacking the girl in 2016, while she was attending the Falls Creek church camp in southern Oklahoma. Petty, who was a cook at the camp, tied a rope around the girl’s wrists, raped her and threatened t
  • Over 1,400 without power in Chautauqua County

    CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVB) – Over 1,400 National Grid customers are without power in Chautauqua County Tuesday night following a failure at a National Grid substation in the Town of Ellery.
    The towns of Ellery and Chautauqua are affected.
    Shelters are being set up for those not able to safely stay in their homes.
    Reverse 911 and other forms of contact are being used to inform residents about the situation.
    National Grid has contacted critical power users and are in the process of setti
  • Upstate NY man dies after winning lottery

    SIDNEY, NY (WROC) – A Binghamton-area man has died weeks after winning the lottery.
    According to WBNG, Donald Savastano, of Sidney, NY, won a million dollars off a Merry Millionaire ticket in early January.
    Friends say Savastano was self-employed and didn’t have insurance. They say he hadn’t been feeling well recently and after winning the money he went to the doctor.
    During the visit, he found out he had stage four cancer. He died last Friday, 23 days after winning.
    “I w
  • Man accused of deadly Pa. car wash shooting dies, police say

    MELCROFT, Pa. — The man accused in the shooting deaths of four people over the weekend at a Pennsylvania car wash has died, CBS Pittsburgh reports. Timothy Smith, 28, was pronounced dead by two different doctors at Forbes Hospital Sunday night, police said.
    Smith is accused of fatally shooting 27-year-old William Porterfield, 25-year-old Chelsie Cline, 23-year-old Courtney Snyder and 21-year-old Seth Cline early Sunday morning.
    Police believe Smith then turned the

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