Hoyt Ready to Re-Up

Assemblyman Sam Hoyt expected to announce his re-election bid tomorrow morning. The 16-year legislative veteran will appear at the Polish Cadets hall at Grant and Amherst streets.

Coast Guard Safety Event in May

The Coast Guard is hosting the First Annual Eastern Great Lakes Water Safety Expo in May. Captain Scott Ferguson talked about the event this morning with Donahue and Moore on WECK.
The event is free and open to the public from 10 am to 4pm May 17th.

Coast Guard Safety Event in May

The Coast Guard is hosting the First Annual Eastern Great Lakes Water Safety Expo in May. Captain Scott Ferguson talked about the event this morning with Donahue and Moore on WECK.
The event is free and open to the public from 10 am to 4pm May 17th.

Doctor Takes Plea Deal

A Niagara County doctor accused of molesting three young patients learned his fate. Doctor David Plache agreed to a plea deal where he is no longer allowed to practice medicine, and will be put through a sex offender evaluation. Plache will not have to register as a sex offender because his guilty plea made no mention of sexual abuse. He has also been placed on three-years probation, and must stay away from all children except his nieces and nephews.

Buffalo Place Could Take Over Harbor

Buffalo Place, which manages the downtown pedestrian mall, may soon take over the Erie Canal Harbor's day-to-day operations. Buffalo Place would provide security, maintenance, and dock operations, at a cost of one-point-seven-million dollars.

Sycamore Fire Hits Houses

Buffalo firefighters called to a vacant house early this morning on Sycamore Street. The two-alarm fire caused 50-thousand dollars damages to that house, and 12-thousand dollars damage to surrounding homes exposed to the flames. Fire officials ordered an emergency demolition of the Sycamore Street home. There were no reported injuries.

Cutting Could Continue

Amherst crews could resume cutting down damaged trees after a decision today. Judge Patrick NeMoyer's refused to extend a two-day-old court order that stopped the work. NeMoyer will schedule another court hearing on a possible permanent injunction to stop the tree cutting. Attorney and town resident James says he will think about that offer this weekend.

Guilty Plea in Massage Parlor Case

A woman arrested in a Niagara County massage parlor bust pled guilty today. Lynn Wah-Chong was accused of sex trafficking, fraud and coercion but took a lesser charge. She is suspected to have recruited women to work in a massage parlor as prostitutes, and will have to pay 350-thousand dollars in restitution and serve prison time.

March Shooting Now Murder

It's now a murder, as 17-year-old Buffalo teen has died at ECMC after a shooting. Jamell Wright was shot in March along with 24-year-old William Humphrey and 25-year-old Tasha Washington, both of whom were released from the hospital.

Amherst Tree Cutting Halted

State Supreme Court Judge Joseph Makowski has issued a court order stopping the cutting of Amherst trees. Attorney and resident James Duggan filed the motion. The town wanted to cut down the trees while school kids were on break, and before federal money ran out.

Regional Director Takes Over Local Union

Last week 12 top members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 17 were indicted on federal extortion and racketeering charges. Now the northeast regional director of the national union says he's been asked to oversee the operations of the union's 25-hundred members in Western New York. The 12 under indictment, including the local union president, are on unpaid leave.

No Jail Time for Man who Paid Off Public Works Officials

Two men who admitted taking dinners, trips and golf outings when they headed City of Buffalo Public Works were sentenced to five years probation. Judge Thomas Fronczak apparently thought it was only fair that the company engineer who provided the money for the gifts, and then cooked the books to hide it, gets the same punishment. Brian Shemancik will also have to perform community service and pay a hefty fine. District Attorney Frank Clark says he considers the case closed, but also believes that this same type of thing is going on elsewhere in government.

School Board Members Targeted in Report

Several Buffalo School Board members were targeted in a scathing report regarding events at McKinley High School. Controversy surrounded the firing of a volunteer basketball coach, and the subsequent suspension of student Jayvonna Kincannon. Now an ethics commissopm report says that four board members spoke with a reporter about confidential executive session meetings, and also states that one of more board members were not truthful in sworn testimony. The four members mentioned in the report were Pamela Cahill, Ralph Hernandez, Catherine Panepinto, and Louis Petrucci.

Slaughter Will Run Again

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has told the news media that she plans to run for a 12th term in Congress. She's currently the chairwoman of the House Rules Committee.

Lockport Baby's Death Questioned

Law enforcement officials in Lockport are suspicious about the death of 13-month-old Sierra Doxey. The girl's parents are not cooperating with police, and the father is in jail on unrelated charges.

All Three Elephants Now in Columbus

The third Asian elephant was moved from the Buffalo Zoo overnight. Buki, Suapa and Jothi are relocating to Columbus during renovation at their old house. The elephants may come home by summer's end.

Cold Case on Ice

The murder case against Dennis Donohue is on hold until at least next week. Donohue is charged with killing Joan Giambra in 1993. Defense attorneys Monday asked the judge to allow further DNA testing. She'lll rule on that Thursday.

Amherst Fire

Carelessly discarded fireplace ashes triggered a fire on Oakwood Drive in Amherst last night. Fifty-nine firefighters responded from Main- Transit and Snyder. Damage is estimated at 200-thousand-dollars; no injuries.

Assault Report Leads to Arrest

A Marilla man has been charged with falsely reporting being assaulted by sheriff's deputies at his home. Twenty-four-year-old Joseph Craft was arrested on Aptril 4th after reports of a disturbance at his house. On the way to the station, he told deputies that other officers had assaulted him. He has now been charged with two misdemeanors.

Drugs Arrest in Brant

At a traffic stop in Brant, Erie County sheriffs arrested a Buffalo man after they discovered crack cocaine and marijuana. They pulled over 30-year-old Ralph Coleman and found 20 bags of illegal drugs.

Davis In, Hochul Out

Businessman Jack Davis has officially announced a run for Tom Reynolds' seat. Davis will self-finance a three-million-dollar campaign. On Monday, Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul announced that she will not pursue Congress.

Bills Schedule Out

The Bills 2008 schedule is out, and the Toronto game is a bit of a shock. Buffalo will "host" the Dolphins at the Rogers Center on December 7th - that may be an unpleasant surprise to fans who look forward to "Miami Week" - they'll now have to pay higher prices and travel to T.O. if they want to see that game. The Bills host a Monday Night for the second year in a row - November 17 vs. Cleveland, and finish the season at home Sunday December 28, against the Patriots.

Grand Island Father/Son Called Heroes

Erie County Sheriffs are crediting a Grand Island father and son for saving two lives on the Niagara River Saturday afternoon. Brian Mahoney of Buffalo and Charles Faraci of Lockport were thrown into the water when a wave capsized their canoe. Barry Arbogast and son Cory saw the accident from their house, set out in their boat and rescued them after the two spent near half an hour in the cold water. Deputies and Grand Island firefighters assisted, and treated the men for hypothermia.

Dennis Donahue Trial Begins

Jury selection begins today in the trial of Dennis Donohue, accused of strangling Joan Giambra in 1993. Police claim that DNA found on her body is linked to Donohue, who was arrested and charged last September. Donahue is also considered a suspect in two other cases. One is the death of Crystallyn Girard, in which Lynn Dejac served 14 years in prison, and Donahue received immunity. The other is the murder of Carol Reed. Those cases date back to the 1970s.

Sister Karen Honored With Book

On the second anniversary of her murder, Sister Karen Klimczak is being honored with a new book. “Peaceprints: Sister Karen's Path to Nonviolence” will be released Saturday during an event at the SSJ Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence. Sister Karen was killed on Good Friday 2006 by a parolee who lived in the Bissonette House, where Sister Karen had served for twenty years.

Depew Consultant Nominated to Thruway Board

Governor Patterson has nominated Depew transportation consultant Donna Luh to fill a vacancy on the State Thruway Authority Board. Jeffrey Williams of Lewiston is the only current representative from Western New York. Donna Luh runs a consulting company, Luh Consulting Services, focused on community-government relations, and has more than ten years experience in the transportation industry, including a stint at the NFTA as airport project coordination. She spoke with Donahue and Moore on WECK this morning:

Wellsville Alert

Wellsville Police are investigating a Stranger Danger case. An older male reportedly tried to get a young woman into his vehicle after asking her for directions. The vehicle was described as a bright orange Ford Explorer. If you have information for Wellsville Police, call 585-593-5600.