Friday, February 6, 2009
Good Morning Buffalo: Local Pastor Blasts Obama Shirts
Loraine and Tom talk to Rev. Darius Pridgen about a controversial t-shirt being sold in Buffalo.
Hometown News: Delphi Retirees May Lose Health Care
Delphi Automotive, which operates a plant in Lockport, has filed a motion in Bankruptcy Court to end its health insurance program for retired employees starting April 1st. Current employees will continue to receive those benefits until they retire, but current retirees are expressing shock and outrage today:
HTN: West Seneca Case Wasn't Kidnapping
Buffalo police have come to a conclusion in an alleged kidnapping case from January. They've determined that a 13-year-old girl reported missing from the Ferry-Fillmore area was not abducted. West Seneca police have arrested two people; the teen girl was not one of them. Her family reported that she had been taken near the intersection of East Ferry and Kilhoffer streets. She was found safe less than two hours later in an apartment on Center Road.
HTN: County Legialators Plan Albany Trip
The dispute between County Hall and the Control Board over borrowing is now headed to Albany. Legislature Chair Lynn Marinelli and some of her colleagues plan to meet next week with State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to try to get a decision on who is better equipped to borrow money for capital projects. Erie County needs millions of dollars to re-start stalled road and infrastructure improvements, but the control board says it can get a better deal.
HTN: Obama T-Shirt Draws Ire
A T-shirt that depicts President Obama as James Bond, complete with gun-shaped microphone and Michelle Obama posed as a "Bond Girl" has many inner-city residents up in arms. Many say it disrespects the President and makes the first lady look like a prostitute. Pastor Darius Pridgen has promised to protest stores that will not remove the shirts from their shelves. Opponents also say President Obama holding a gun sends a bad message to Buffalo's young people.
HTN: Guilty Plea in Drug Execution
A guilty plea yesterday in a drug-related shooting two years ago. Salvatore Vacanti, called a major local marijuana dealer by police, has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter in the execution-style death of Monty Massimi. Vacanti has been in jail since his arrest six months ago. The 24-year-old told a judge he fired shots at the 44-year-old Massimi as he left Jacobi's Restaurant and Pizzeria on Kenmore Avenue in April of 2007. Massimi was hit several times in the back of the head while getting into his car in the restaurant parking lot. He could face 17 years in prison for the crime at sentencing on March 16th.
HTN: Waterfront Hotel may be Redesigned
Specialty Restaurant CEO Howard Bell says developers are proceeding with a ten-million-dollar plan to build a new hotel, despite some resistance from City Hall. A Wingate Inn is being planned next to California company's Shanghai Red's restaurant along the Erie Basin Marina. Former Common Council President James W. Pitts is collaborating on the Wingate project, but some Common Council members object to the design. The comapny says it may revise the look of the hotel.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Hometown Sports: Sabres Recap
WECK's Brad Riter reports from HSBC Arena after a dominant Sabre performance.
Breaking News: Missing Boy Found
A missing six-year-old boy has been found. Jordan Wittcop was reported missing Thursday morning by his mother, believed to be with the mother's boyfriend. The boy was found by a Police Investigator sitting with John Mrozek in Mrozek's truck at Broadway and Memorial in the City of Buffalo. State Police say the six-year-old appears to be in good condition, but was taken to Children's Hospital for evaluation. Charges are pending against Mrozek.
Reason with Scott Leffler
Full two hours of Thursday's show, featuring Beast Radio with publisher Paul Fallon.
Hometown News: State of the County
Erie County Executive Chris Collins talked about creating jobs in his state of the county address today. He said that believing in Western New York will help attract jobs and investment.
HTN: Common Council Member Investigated
A Buffalo councilman is under investigation after allegedly passing a bad check. Authorities are looking into the incident involving Councilman Brian Davis, and a check he reportedly used to pay rent for a Delaware Avenue restaurant and nightclub called One Sunset. The check allegedly bounced, and police are investigating to see if there was any criminal activity. Davis's office says he will be out on medical leave through February 17th. It's not the first time accusations have been lodged against Davis. He is being sued by a musician who claims he loaned the Councilman five-thousand dollars to pay the rent but never received repayment.
HTN: Cause, Victim ID'd in Fatal Fire
Fire officials in the Town of Aurora say Tuesday's deadly trailer fire was probably fueled by oxygen tanks. Investigators say the oxygen caused the fire to spread quickly, which prevented the rescue of 63-year-old Larry Johnson. Authorities say they are looking at careless smoking as the cause. Johnson's 70-year-old roommate was able to escape the flames. A puppy also died in the trailer.
HTN: Little Italy in Buffalo
Little Italy could be coming to Buffalo. Five Rochester Institute of Technology students have created a proposal to re-brand Hertel Avenue between Delaware and Colvin. The neighborhood already hosts to the annual Italian Heritage festival in July, and has many restaurants and shops with Italian themes. The students envision a streetscape including benches painted in Italian colors, with bus stops, street lights and rooftops decked out in Italian designs. They also propose adding murals and flowers to give the neighborhood a real Italian feel. City leaders are considering the idea.
HTN: East Aurora Independence Day Celebration Stays on the 3rd
Village leaders in East Aurora want to keep the rockets' red glare glowing on July 3rd instead of the Fourth. The village hosts an Independence Day celebration in Hamlin Park which draws 10-to-15 thousand people each year on July 3rd. Town officials had expr0essed concerns over the growing size and hoped that by moving it to the fourth the festivities could be more manageable. The town sponsors the event but the village issues the permits. Village leaders say they prefer to keep the party on the 3rd and town officials say they are willing to work with either date.
HTN: Buffalo News Raising Price
The "Buffalo News" announced Tuesday that it will raising its daily newsstand price from 50- to 75-cents. It's the first price hike in 14 years at the region's largest daily new publication, which is owned by Warren Buffett's Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway. The new price will be stamped on the February 23rd edition. Daily papers have faced declines in circulation and advertising revenue. The "News" has also offered a buyout package to employees, including reporting and editorial staff. They have until the end of the month to accept the packages.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Hometown News: Albany Budget Deal Could Hurt Upstate
The state legislature has passed a plan which is intended to eliminate a one-and-a-half-billion-dollar budget deficit this year. The measure will increase fees on health insurance policies, and use money from the state university system and a low-cost hydropower program to close the gap. Not everybody thinks these are good ideas. It will likely take lawmakers and Governor Paterson a lot longer to close the deficit in next year's budget, which is estimated at over 13-billion. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is again pushing a "millionaire's tax," and other tax increases.
HTN: County Tax Mistake may Prove Costly
As if Erie County doesn't already have enough budget worries, an error which resulted in the county undercharging multitudes of taxpayers could end up in a two-and-a-half-million-dollar cash deficit. Approximately a quarter of a million people who live in Buffalo and eight other locations were not charged enough in their property taxes. The culprit was a single line in a computer program which appeared on the tax bills. The mistake was not uncovered until January 23rd.
HTN: Alleged Robber Loses Pants
You've heard the saying "getting caught with your pants down." For one robbery suspect in Lackawanna that was literally the case. Police nabbed 19-year-old Christopher Gorzynski of Buffalo running without his pants after an alleged gas station hold up. Cops say Gorzynski and 45-year-old Michael Deering attempted to rob the Getty station on South Park Avenue Saturday morning. Authorities say the station clerk ran out of the booth and locked the two would-be robbers inside. Police say Gorzynski escaped through an emergency exit and removed his pants in an attempt not to be linked to the crime.
Exclusive: Ruben Brown Hangs Up Spikes
After sitting out the 2008 NFL season, former Buffalo Bills LG Ruben Brown has officially announced his retirement from football. The announcement was made exclusively on The Brad Riter Show tonight on WECK-AM in Buffalo and WLVL-AM in Lockport. Announcement is in segment 2.
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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Hometown News: Fatal Fire in East Aurora
An early morning trailer fire in East Aurora has taken a life. Fire crews were alerted to the blaze just before 5 a.m. When they arrived at the Olean Road location, a mobile home was fully engulfed. The victim is believed to be a male in his early 60s; he is yet to be identified. His 70-year old roommate escaped.
Reason with Scott Leffler
Tuesday's Hour Two - grammar, e-mails, the economy, and your calls is wide-ranging hour
Reason with Scott Leffler
Tuesday's Hour One - Scott's miffed that out-of-town sports announcers can't pronounce our players' names.
Hometown News: Job Centers Promoted
Responding to tough economic times, Erie County Executive Chris Collins and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown teamed with the president of ECC to promote two free employment and training centers. The location at 77 Goodell in Buffalo has seen a 90% increase in traffic this past year; while the ECC location on Abbott Road in Orchard Park has seen a 60% increase.
HTN: State's First Lady Visits for Youth Health
Governor David Paterson's wife Michelle came through Buffalo as part of her Healthy Steps effort. Middle schools will compete against each other over the course of six weeks, and there will be prizes for the class which earns the most points for combining a proper diet and the right amount of exercise to stay in shape.
HTN: Fillmore Facelift
Buffalo's Fillmore Avenue is getting a facelift. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has announced more than a million dollars in federal grant money will be used to spruce up the area near Martin Luther King Park. Repairs will include resurfacing streets and sidewalks as well as new lighting and landscaping, in an effort to make the area more attractive for businesses and residents.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Good Morning Buffalo: Live from Super Bowl 43
Loraine and Tom talk with WECK's Joe Major after the big game.
WNY Real Estate Wealth Building Show
Sponsored by the R.J. Gullo Companies of Real Estate Investment Services. Dedicated to helping Western New Yorkers analyze, invest, and build wealth in real estate. Hosted by Russell Gullo.
Hometown News: Groundhog Day
It's Groundhog Day, the day when Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether we'll see an early spring or whether winter hangs on for another six weeks. This morning the groundhog emerged from his burrow and saw his shadow scaring him back inside where, tradition says, he'll stay to await warmer weather.
HTN: Questions in Mayoral Threat Probe
Questions have come up in an investigation of a critic of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Did Mayor Brown use the Buffalo Police Department to go after a political enemy, or if was the safety of the mayor and his family actually threatened? The Breckenridge Avenue home of Syaed Ali was raided about three months ago. Ali reportedly maintains friendships with some of Mayor Brown's political enemies. E-mails were sent to media outlets last year, demanding the resignations of Mayor Brown and Deputy Steven Casey, alleging "a number of improprieties." A police spokesman says the safety and security of the mayor and his family could be at stake. The investigation is ongoing.
HTN: Gillibrand Visits
The state's new U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, made a trip to Western New York over the weekend. Politicians, business, education and healthcare executives held closed-door meetings with the new Senate appointee, as Gillibrand outlined her plan for job creation. She wants to use funds from the pending economic stimulus package funds to invest in energy, education, and infrastructure.
HTN: Lawsuits over Niagara Landfill
The "Residents for Responsible Government" group is suing the State Department of Environmental Conservation over a proposal to increase the capacity at the Northeast's only hazardous waste landfill. CWM Chemical Services operates a hazardous waste landfill on Balmer Road in the Town of Porter. CMW has proposed a redesign of the landfill cap that allows for an increase in available waste space by about three-percent. CWM's plan calls for a thinner cap which uses synthetic clay. CWM says the new plan does not exceed the maximum permitted landfill height. Niagara County has also filed a suit against the DEC regarding the CWM proposal.
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