Buffalo news

• Trump fires VA Secretary David Shulkin, nominates White House doctor as replacement

  28-03-2018 23:52 via wivb.com
  (CBS NEWS) – Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin became the latest member of President Trump’s cabinet to be terminated on Wednesday. Mr. Trump announced that he was replacing Shulkin in a series of tweets, and said he would nominate Adm. Ronny Jackson, who had been serving as the president’s doctor, to replace him.
  Shulkin’s departure follows a series of blunders for the secretary of the already embattled VA, including reported insurgencies inside his own depar
  
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• Rochester man pleads guilty to lying to FBI during child pornography investigation

  28-03-2018 23:48 via wivb.com
  ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WIVB) – A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to an FBI agent regarding an investigation into child pornography.
  Michael Beers, 68, of Rochester, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to an FBI special agent. He faces a maximum of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
  According to the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case, the FBI conducted a child pornography investigation in Feb. 2017, in which an undercover agent downloaded four vi
  
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• Mittelstadt practices, prepares for debut Thursday Vs. Red Wings

  28-03-2018 23:07 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Casey Mittelstadt was thrown right into the mix his first day on the job, leading the stretches at the beginning and end of practice with the Sabres on Wednesday.
  “I just said thanks for the warm welcome and it was a good first practice,” Mittelstadt said of his chat with teammates at center ice as practice ended.Mittelstadt begins and ends practice leading stretches #Sabres @news4buffalo pic.twitter.com/o8u2x3mxJ9
  — Nick Filipowski (@NEWS4_NIC
  
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• All 22 female senators urge leadership to begin debate on anti-harassment bill

  28-03-2018 22:56 via wivb.com
  (CBS NEWS) – The Senate must begin debating legislation helping people who work in Congress pursue claims of sexual harassment or discrimination, all 22 female senators said Wednesday in a letter to the chamber’s leaders.
  “Inaction is unacceptable,” the group wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York. The letter, signed by 18 Democratic and four Republican women, was an unusual bipartisan display of public p
  
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• New details released about pitch to bring Amazon to Buffalo

  28-03-2018 22:26 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – New information is being released about the pitch Western New York made to reel in Amazon’s new headquarters. The joint bid between Buffalo and Rochester didn’t make the list of 20 finalists.
  That’s despite it including a lot of tax breaks, more than $500 million of tax breaks just in Erie County. Another $700 million of breaks were offered in Rochester.
  “It was obviously a really competitive process,” said Alan Rosenhoch, the direc
  
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• Cheektowaga student accused of making threat against JFK High School charged with falsely reporting incident

  28-03-2018 22:04 via wivb.com
  CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) – A 14-year-old girl who allegedly threatened to shoot up JFK High School in Cheektowaga Wednesday has been charged with third degree falsely reporting an incident.
  The girl and her parents voluntarily surrendered to Cheektowaga Police early Wednesday morning.
  Third degree falsely reporting an incident is a Class A misdemeanor, but because the girl is less than 16 years old, the matter will be referred to Family Court.
  She is currently in Family Court waiting to be
  
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• Buffalo Weather Service gets new warning coordination meteorologist

  28-03-2018 21:55 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) –Buffalo’s National Weather Service is always busy. Living in a lake effect zone, there is little down time. For that reason, the best of the best meteorologists love to come here. The office has recently added another expert.
  We are the faces you see on TV everyday but there’s a team of meteorologists at the National Weather Service that are number crunching 24 hours a day to help make each and every forecast perfect. Mike Fries, is the new warning coordin
  
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• Uniland joins Mountain Development Corp. to become co-owners of Eastern Hills Mall

  28-03-2018 21:40 via wivb.com
  WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) – Uniland has closed on a deal to purchase the Eastern Hills Mall along with existing owners Mountain Development Corp.,  a representative from Uniland confirmed Wednesday.
  The co-owners will plan the redevelopment of the site’s 80 acres into a “contemporary and sophisticated “town center” destination where people live, work, shop and play.” Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
  “This is the first step in what will be
  
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• Gov. Cuomo gets arrested reporter out of jail

  28-03-2018 21:28 via wivb.com
  ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo got NY Daily News reporter Ken Lovett out of jail on Wednesday.
  Lovett was reportedly arrested for talking on his cellphone in a restricted area.
  Free!!!! For the record, state police were very professional.
  — ken lovett (@klnynews) March 28, 2018at least the arrest occured AFTER I got my Springsteen on Broadway tickets
  — ken lovett (@klnynews) March 28, 2018 
  Lovett says he was buying Bruce on Broadway tickets on his
  
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• Tonawanda man charged with DWI after almost striking a police vehicle

  28-03-2018 21:20 via wivb.com
  CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) – A City of Tonawanda man is facing felony DWI charges after police say he almost struck a police vehicle.
  Joseph R. Wecker, 41, of Niagara Street, was charged with felony DWI, felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, operating his vehicle without a court-ordered interlock device, and four vehicle and traffic charges.
  According to City of Tonawanda Police, Wecker was arrested early Wednesday morning after backing out of a Niagara Street driveway a
  
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• Death of eight-year-old in Elmira ruled a homicide

  28-03-2018 21:09 via wivb.com
  ELMIRA, N.Y. (18 NEWS) – The death of an eight-year-old girl on East Thurston St., in Elmira, on Saturday, March 24, has been ruled a homicide.
  The Elmira Police Department responded to the home, in the 300 block of East Thurston St., around 11 a.m. on Saturday for a death investigation.
  The Police Department says that due to the sensitive nature of the case, no further information will be released at this time.
  The investigation is ongoing, and they encourage anyone with any information r
  
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• Sal Capaccio: Goodell says Pegulas are looking at long term stadium planning

  28-03-2018 19:56 via wivb.com
  ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Pegulas are looking at long-term stadium plans, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, and are in the “very early stage,” according to Sal Capaccio.
  The WGR 550 reporter and News 4 contributor tweeted that Goodell said “I think those (talks/updates) are better coming from the Pegulas, whenever they want to share them with the community. I think they are in the very early stages.”
  The exact plans for New Era Field are not clear.
  News 4 w
  
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• WATCH: Local commission to focus on ‘First Amendment, First Vote’ initiative

  28-03-2018 19:41 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Dr. Karen King, the executive director of the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, joined News4’s Dave Greber Tuesday to discuss what has been a busy month.
  The commission has participated in a series of events in March, to commemorate Women’s History Month.
  King also announced a new program that will be launched soon.
  First Amendment, First Vote, which is an “inclusive, non-partisan civic engagement program designed to encourage high scho
  
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• Donated books to be used by Sheriff’s Office to comfort children

  28-03-2018 18:24 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard came together with the Books to the Rescue organization to announce that $3,000 worth of books and supplies were donated to the Sheriff’s Office.
  The books will be used by Domestic Violence Unit deputies, road patrol officers and detectives during calls involving children, or when kids are present during situations.
  “This is another tool my deputies can use to provide aid and comfort to children who were present at a dis
  
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• Batavia police looking for Arby’s robbery suspect

  28-03-2018 18:07 via wivb.com
  BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Batavia police say an Arby’s restaurant was robbed on Sunday night.
  According to police, an armed suspect went into the restaurant around 11 p.m. (closing time) and demanded money from people working there. Police say he was armed with what appeared to be a gun.
  After this, authorities say he fled the restaurant with cash. No one was injured.
  Police are investigating the incident. Anyone with helpful information can call Detective Matthew Wojtaszczyk at (5
  
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• Easter fun in WNY

  28-03-2018 17:33 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — There’s lots of fun to be had as Easter approaches this weekend. Here’s a list of activities taking place in western New York:
  BUFFALO
  Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
  Enjoy breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the Buffalo Zoo on Saturday. Families have two different opportunities to attend at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Seating is limited so advanced tickets are required. Tickets for non-members are $18 for adults and $15 for children. Children 23 months and younger
  
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• State lawmakers push to expand Tesla showrooms in NYS

  28-03-2018 17:25 via wivb.com
  ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Tesla officials, owners of the company’s electric cars and people who are on a waiting list to buy one are pushing the state Legislature to allow Elon Musk’s corporation to expand in New York.
  State law requires car manufacturers to sell through franchises. But a state law passed in 2014 allows California-based Tesla five direct-to-consumer sales offices in New York, all of them in the New York City metro area.
  Under legislation sponsored by Assembly M
  
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• Town of Tonawanda man sentenced after girlfriend’s fatal opioid overdose

  28-03-2018 16:55 via wivb.com
  TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Town of Tonawanda man was sentenced after the drug-related death of his girlfriend.
  In 2016, Jon Herrle, 55, gave his girlfriend a crushed opioid pill, but told her it was cocaine. This led to a fatal overdose and Herrle was charged with second-degree manslaughter.
  On Wednesday morning, Herrle was sentenced to one and 1/3 to four years in prison.
  
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• Wellsville teen charged with selling heroin

  28-03-2018 15:57 via wivb.com
  WELLSVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) — A teenager is facing felonies after Wellsville police say he sold heroin in the village.
  Spencer Carl, 17, faces charges of possessing and selling a controlled substance.
  Carl is on pre-trial release under the supervision of Allegany County’s probation department. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday morning.
  
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• Ice boom not likely to open before Easter

  28-03-2018 15:33 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The International Niagara Board of Control says it is not likely that the ice boom on Lake Erie will be open before Sunday.
  The opening of the ice boom has not started yet due to heavy ice covering the eastern side of the lake.
  The latest time in the year that the ice boom was ever opened was May 3 in 1971.
  
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• Rochester firefighters rescue woman from Genesee River

  28-03-2018 15:07 via wivb.com
  ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester Fire Department rescued a woman from the Genesee River Wednesday morning.
  The rescue happened near the Andrews Street Bridge.
  Although mud and fallen trees created a challenge, firefighters were able to get the victim out of the water. She was then taken to a waiting ambulance.
  It is not clear how the woman got into the water.
  
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• Attorney for porn star seeks to depose Trump on payment

  28-03-2018 14:19 via wivb.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — An attorney for an adult film star claiming a sexual encounter with President Donald Trump filed a motion Wednesday seeking to depose the president and his attorney.
  Michael Avenatti filed the papers in federal court in California. In the documents, he seeks to depose Trump and Trump attorney Michael Cohen about a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election.
  Avenatti wants to question each for “no more than two hours.” In
  
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• Study: Bath toys may be making your children sick

  28-03-2018 13:47 via wivb.com
  SWITZERLAND (WIVB) — Bath toys could be making your kids sick.
  A study released in Switzerland looked at rubber ducks and other popular toys that often make it into the tub.
  Scientists compared toys put into bath water with those kept in clean water and found that 58 percent had some sort of fungus or bacteria in them.
  Researchers believe so-called bio-films result from organic carbon that leaches from the flexible plastic and a combination of dirt and human body fluids in the bath water.
  
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• Report: “I Love New York” signs will be removed

  28-03-2018 13:24 via wivb.com
  NEW YORK (WIVB) — It looks like those big, blue “I Love New York” signs along state highways will soon be gone.
  Newsday quotes a federal transportation spokesperson, who says the New York state DOT will begin removing the signs “next month.”
  The signs got the empire state in hot water with Washington. Federal officials said the original signs that were put up, starting in 2013, were illegal because they contained too much information and could distract dri
  
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• Chronic toilet-clogger costs a city thousands of dollars

  28-03-2018 12:55 via wivb.com
  SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WFRV) – Sheboygan has a problem. And it is a bit murkier than Lake Michigan. It is happening in the city’s only year-round public restroom.
  “I think it’s terrible that people have to behave that way,” said Kris Williams, a local of the city. “That bathroom should be open and accessible to anyone.”
  Joe Kerlin, superintendent of parks and forestry in Sheboygan, says a man in his twenties is going into the women’s restroom at the Dela
  
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• Police: Thief prayed before breaking into boutique

  28-03-2018 12:46 via wivb.com
  NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police are searching for a man who they say was caught on surveillance video praying before stealing from a Brooklyn clothing store.
  WCBS-TV reports the theft happened March 22 at Ziani Fine Italian Clothing in Brooklyn. Police say the suspect is seen making the sign of the cross before he breaks into the store with a brick. Investigators say the man stole 18 pieces of clothing.
  Police have released surveillance images of the suspect.
  An investigation continu
  
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• Kim, Xi portray strong ties after North Korea leader’s China trip

  28-03-2018 12:37 via wivb.com
  BEIJING (AP) — With smiles and firm handshakes, North Korea and China used a surprise summit this week to show that despite recent tensions, Pyongyang still has a powerful backer and Beijing will not be sidelined in discussions about the fate of its unpredictable neighbor.
  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s secretive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing appear aimed at improving both countries’ positions ahead of Kim’s anticipated meetings with South Korean P
  
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• Catholics react to Buffalo Diocese sex abuse scandal

  28-03-2018 05:23 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As the Buffalo Diocese celebrates holy week, it is also reeling from a sex abuse scandal involving dozens of priests.
  Last week, Bishop Richard Malone released the names of 42 priests accused of child sex abuse. This week, the Bishop placed an active Dunkirk priest on administrative leave following abuse claims.
  Tuesday night, Catholics filed into St. Joseph Cathedral for a standing room only Chrism Mass.
  Some faithful followers refuse to let the scandal rock their f
  
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• Lawmakers working on budget as deadline approaches

  28-03-2018 04:34 via wivb.com
  ALBANY, N.Y (NEWS10) – Budget watch continues as we are in the final days of when the budget is supposed to be passed.
  Rumors are flying rampant over here at the Capitol as most of the deal-making is happening behind closed doors. Legislators say what is really holding up the budget is policy issues.
  “The budget is dollar and cents and how you will run the government and the more policy issues the more trouble there is,” Senator John DeFrancisco (R-Syracuse) said.
  One of these
  
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• Larry Nassar’s former boss accused of sexually assaulting female students

  28-03-2018 04:15 via wivb.com
  (CNN) – Larry Nassar’s former boss at Michigan State University used his power to sexually assault, harass, and solicit nude photos from female students, according to a criminal complaint.William Strampel, the former dean of MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, has been charged with one felony count of misconduct in office and a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for his own actions as dean from 2002 to 2018, according to court documents.
  The 70-
  
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• Alligator helps Louisiana family with gender reveal

  28-03-2018 03:07 via wivb.com
  PONCHATOULA, La. — What’s more Louisiana than having an alligator help out at a gender-reveal party?
  One Louisiana family’s video of an alligator helping reveal the baby’s gender is going viral.Sally, a 10-foot American alligator, is 61 years old.
  The video features several people around the large reptile as they wait for it to smash through a watermelon containing a blue substance.
  The original video has more than 1 million views and has been shared thousands of tim
  
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• Albright-Knox to offer week of free admission

  28-03-2018 02:43 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Admission to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery will be free from March 29 to April 5 for Erie County Free Week.
  The week of free admission is “a popular way for the museum to express its gratitude to all Erie County residents, the County Executive, and County Legislators for their generous support of museum operations,” a press release from the museum said.
  Exhibitions on view during the week of free admission include We Wanted a Revolution: Black R
  
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• Kansas considers making schools liable for not arming staff

  28-03-2018 02:17 via wivb.com
  TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas schools that refuse to allow teachers to carry guns could be held legally responsible in the event of a tragedy under a proposal drafted after last month’s mass shooting at a Florida high school.
  Opponents of the measure, which got its first hearing Tuesday in front of the House Insurance Committee, expressed concern it could effectively mandate arming teachers rather than allowing it, as several states have done.
  “It would certainly open the door for
  
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• Federal agents raid Western New York offices of CCS Oncology

  28-03-2018 01:41 via wivb.com
  BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Federal agents, armed with search warrants, raided at least 4 medical offices of CCS Oncology in Erie and Niagara counties, Tuesday, as part of an FBI investigation that is nearly three years old.
  In a separate legal case, Bank of America, a major CCS Oncology creditor, is seeking court approval to seize the medical group’s assets, federal authorities are trying to secure medical records for what sources say is a probe into suspected fraud.
  Attorney Robert Trus
  
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• Pres. Trump floats idea of using Pentagon budget to pay for border wall

  28-03-2018 00:48 via wivb.com
  WHITE HOUSE — President Trump has long said that Mexico will pay for the border wall — and Mexico has been just as insistent that it will not. Now the president is floating a new idea: Have the Pentagon pay for it.
  It was candidate Trump’s signature campaign promise: “Who is gonna pay for the wall? They may not know it yet, but the answer is Mexico!” But last week’s budgetincluded $1.6 billion of American taxpayer money for what the preside
  
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