UB Beating Suspects Free on Bail

Two men indicted for allegedly beating UB student Michael Bliss, leaving him paralyzed, are free on $50,000 previously posted bail after a court appearance today. Kevin Rowland and Charles Jordan pled not guilty to attempted murder and first-degree assault. A third man, Michael Gunderman, the housemate of the two suspects, has been cleared after testifying about the incident. Joseph J. Terranova, attorney for Rowland, contended his client has been wrongly accused.

American Axle Strike Ends

The American Axle strike has come to an end after three months. The deal cuts employees' hourly wages and increases the amount they will pay for health care. UAW member Erik Webb says workers did what they felt was best. Many workers will be eligible to receive a buyout to leave the company, or a buydown to stay at a lower wage. Local shift workers are scheduled to return to work on Tuesday, after the holiday weekend. Workers who were laid off at the start of the work stoppage are asked to call a special hot line at 447-5222 for more information.

Riverside Students Accused of Assault

Two students at Riverside Institute of Technology were arrested by Buffalo Police after attacking a school security officer. Officials say 17-year-old Christina Harvey and 17-year-old Angela Brown were fighting. When a school security guard tried to separate them, the girls kicked and struck him. They have both been charged with assault and disorderly conduct.

Dr. Williams hasn't Read Report

It's been a over a week since a special investigator gave the Buffalo School Board and Superintendent James Williams a copy of his report concerning the suspension of a McKinley student. Dr. Williams told reporters yesterday he hasn't read it. Some board members were shocked at that revelation, especially since Williams was recently criticized for not reading another letter sent to him that outlined charges of sexual misconduct at School 67.

McKinley Student Suspended Again

The student at the center of the McKinley High School controversy has been suspended for a second time. Officials say Jayovanna Kincannon struck a teacher at a charity basketball game and then used profanity when asked to leave. Earlier this school year Kincannnon was suspended for seven weeks after she used her cell phone in school to call the school board in an attempt to get on the list of speakers at a board meeting. She wanted to defend a volunteer basketball coach who had been dismissed by the school principal. A recently released investigation showed that proper state guidelines were not followed in her original suspension.

Sacred Heart Teacher Sentenced

A teacher who has been fired from his job at Sacred Heart Academy has now been sentenced to three to nine years in prison, for sex with an underage female student. Forty-two-year-old James Van Valkinburgh was convicted on three counts of statutory rape. Officials say he had sex numerous times with the girl, who was 16 at the time.

Two Cops Hurt Subduing Shoplifter

Two Buffalo Police Officers were injured fighting with an alleged shoplifter at the Elmwood Market at 214 Elmwood Avenue. One officer suffered a possible broken ankle and the other was hit in the head with a bad full of bottles. Under arrest is 45-year-old Kenneth Youngblood of Best Street. He's been charged with assault and disorderly conduct.

Mothers Fight at Buffalo School

Two mothers got into a fight at a Buffalo elementary school yesterday. Poice say that Kasema Neal shoved another woman and punched that woman's daughter. Neal has been charged with assault, harrassment, and criminal mischief. Buffalo Police Spokesman Michael DeGeorge said the two mothers got into an argument inside Hamlin Park Elementary School. Principal Tracie Michele Lewis received back and hand injuries trying to break up the fight.

Ford to Cut Production, Woodlawn OK

Production at Ford Motor Company will be cut through the rest of 2008 to adjust to the decline in the auto market. Ford also says it does not expect to meet profitability goals set for next year. The auto maker says demand is shifting away from larger trucks and SUVs and towards smaller vehicles, which appears to be good news for the Woodlawn plant, which specializes in crossover vehicles. The company's chief executive says expectations for 2009 are now "about break-even."

Deliveryman Throws Pizza at Robbers

A LOCAL DELIVERYMAN USED HIS PIZZA IN SELF-DEFENSE TUESDAY NIGHT TO AVERT A GUNPOINT ROBBERY. THE DELIVERYMAN, WHO WORKS FOR A KENSINGTON AVENUE PIZZERIA, WAS MAKING A DELIVERY ON CAMBRIDGE AVENUE WHEN TWO ARMED MEN TRIED TO ROB HIM, ACCORDING TO BUFFALO POLICE. THE MAN RESPONDED BY THROWING THE PIZZA AT THEM AND REACHING INTO HIS COAT POCKET FOR HIS CELL PHONE, POLICE REPORTED. THE MEN FLED.

Deliveryman Throws Pizza at Robbers

A LOCAL DELIVERYMAN USED HIS PIZZA IN SELF-DEFENSE TUESDAY NIGHT TO AVERT A GUNPOINT ROBBERY. THE DELIVERYMAN, WHO WORKS FOR A KENSINGTON AVENUE PIZZERIA, WAS MAKING A DELIVERY ON CAMBRIDGE AVENUE WHEN TWO ARMED MEN TRIED TO ROB HIM, ACCORDING TO BUFFALO POLICE. THE MAN RESPONDED BY THROWING THE PIZZA AT THEM AND REACHING INTO HIS COAT POCKET FOR HIS CELL PHONE, POLICE REPORTED. THE MEN FLED.

Sedita III Picked by Dems for DA

ERIE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP HAS CAST ITS LOT WITH FRANK SEDITA THE THIRD AS ITS ENDORSED CANDIDATE TO REPLACE FRANK CLARK AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SEDITA IS THE GRANDSON OF A FORMER BUFFALO MAYOR AND SON OF A STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE, AND A CURRENT ASSISTANT DA. HE'LL BE OPPOSED BY KEN CASE, WHO SAYS HE'LL CONTINUE HIS FIGHT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION IN A SEPTEMBER PRIMARY.

New Jobs in the Falls

GLOBE SPECIALTY METAL WILL REOPEN AND EXPAND UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP. THE COMPANY IS PLEDGING 60-MILLION-DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT AND 500 NEW JOBS OVER THREE YEARS. THE AVERAGE SALARY WILL BE $52,000. GLOBE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURES SILICON USED IN SOLAR PANELS AND OTHER PRODUCTS. IT WILL REOPEN AT HIGHLAND AVENUE IN THE FALLS, A FACILITY THAT'S BEEN SHUTTERED SINCE 2003. THE COMPANY WILL RECEIVE $25 MILLION IN EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT ZONE BENEFITS OVER TEN YEARS. LOW COST HYDROPOWER MADE THE FALLS AN ATTRACTIVE CHOICE FOR THE NEW OWNERS.

Body ID'd Out of Niagara River

THE ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER HAS IDENTIFIED A BODY FOUND LAST WEEK IN THE NIAGARA RIVER. 52-YEAR-OLD EUGENE APPLEBY OF KENMORE, WHOSE CAR WAS FOUND NEAR THE SENECA NIAGARA CASINO IN NIAGARA FALLS. APPLEBY'S GIRLFRIEND REPORTED LAST MARCH THAT HE WAS DEPRESSED. OFFICIALS HAVE STILL NOT IDENTIFIED THE BODY OF A WHITE WOMAN FOUND LAST SATURDAY IN THE RIVER. THE CASES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE RELATED.

UAW Votes for American Axle Agreement

ABOUT EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE NEARLY 600 MEMBERS OF THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS FROM THE LOCAL AMERICAN AXLE PLANTS HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OF A NEW CONTRACT. UNDER THE AGREEMENT THE TONAWANDA FORGE PLANT WILL CLOSE WITHIN A YEAR, LEAVING ONLY THE CHEEKTOWAGA MACHINING PLANT OPEN HERE. AMERICAN AXLE WORKERS IN DETROIT WON'T VOTE UNTIL TOMORROW.

Byron Fire Being Investigated

FIRE INVESTIGATORS WERE BACK AT THE SCENE IN THE TOWN OF BYRON WHERE A MOTHER AND HER THREE CHILDREN WERE KILLED MONDAY MORNING. THEY BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS ACCIDENTAL BUT THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT STARTED IT. THE BODIES OF 51-YEAR-OLD SHERRIE REIS ALONG WITH HER CHILDREN, 21-YEAR-OLD VIRGINIA, 19-YEAR-OLD EMILY AND 17-YEAR-OLD TIM, HAVE BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE REMAINS OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING. FRIENDS HAVE ESTABLISHED A MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL IN FRONT OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

McKinley Report Released

The investigative report on the controversies at McKinley High School was released yesterday, but much of it was blacked out, because of what the district called confidential personnel matters. The report does find that the seven-week suspension of student Jayvonna Kincannon was excessive and not in accordance with New York State Education laws. Twenty-nine people were interviewed for the report. McKinley Principal Crystal Barton has been critized for three times refusing to testify.

Ex-Purple Eagle Arrested in Akron

Former Niagara University men's basketball player Rydell Brooks was arrested after a police chase in Akron, Ohio. Investigators say that Brooks and another man fired at officers during a foot chase. Brooks played for Niagara in 2006, when the won its conference championship and went to the NCAA Tournament. Following that, Brooks transferred to Akron to be closer to family members.

Another Buffalo Cold Case Arrest

The Buffalo Police Cold Case Squad has zeroed in on a suspect in a 1984 murder. Eighty-nine-year-old Alma Strasner was raped in her Willowlawn Street home before she was killed. Blood was left behind at the scene, and detectives recently matched the blood DNA to 55-year-old Edward Richardson. Richardson's DNA was in a national database. He had been serving time in Seattle, and was returned to Buffalo for arraignment. Dennis Donohue and Rusty Chatt were both recently convicted for cold case murders.

Family Dies in Byron Fire

The family of four that died in yesterday's tragic apartment fire in the town of Byron has been identified. The victims were Sherry Reis and her three children, 17-year-old Tim, 19-year-old Emily and 21-year old Virginia. Autopsies will be completed by the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office. Tim was a junior at Byron-Bergen High School. The two daughters, Emily and Virginia were home after completing the year at colleges in New York City and Binghamton respectively. Investigators say that the fire appears to be accidental.

Bandits Win Pro Lacrosse Title

The Buffalo Bandits are champions of the National Lacrosse League after a thrilling 14-13 win over Portland Saturday night at sold-out HSBC Arena. The Buffalo Bandits picked up their fourth championship, and first since 1996, the final season at the Aud.

NT Standoff Ends With No Charges Filed

A North Tonawanda man with a gun barricaded himself in the garage of his parents' home Sunday evening. North Tonawanda's SWAT Team responded to Niagara Street near Pine Woods Park, where the man surrendered after two hours. The 29-year-old man was taken to Niagara Falls Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. No charges were filed.

City Honors Ranks #11 in US Poll

Here's some positive education news. New York has twelve schools in the top 100 public high schools in America, and City Honors takes top state honors at #11 in the survey, which is based on the percentage of students taking college-level exams including advanced-placement. Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore spoke with Donahue and Moore this morning about the good results:

Body Found in Niagara River

The body of a young woman found along the Niagara River near Old Fort Niagara. It was discovered by three men who were fishing. No word yet on the cause of death. Niagara County Sheriffs said the body was badly decomposed and had been in the water for awhile. No identification is available.

Tentative Pact Will Close Plant in Tonawanda

Striking American Axle workers should see a tentative contract today. UAW officials got the proposal yesterday, as details were hammered out on Friday. Word is that the Cheektowaga Plant has gotten a reprieve and will stay open for at least the next four years, while the plant in Tonawanda will close. The union agreed to significant cuts in pay. If an agreement is reached, it will end the eleven-week strike. A vote could come as early as tomorrow.