Friday, February 20, 2009

Good Morning Buffalo: Flight 3407

Loraine and Tom talk to aviation expert Dr. Phil Reynolds on the role autopilot and icing may have played.

Hometown News: Flight 3407 News Summary

Church bells tolled for the victims of Flight 3407 last night, one week to the minute when the plane.

Governor David Paterson is ordering flags around the state to fly at half-staff on Monday in honor of the victims of 3407.

Four trailers hauled off the last pieces of Flight 3407 yesterday afternoon. Pieces of the plane, including a dismantled tail, destroyed landing gear, and burned and shredded fuselage, are on their way to "an undisclosed secure location." Heavy construction equipment, including a backhoe, lifted bucket after bucket of debris into dump trucks. A garage was left standing near the destroyed home, but that too, will be torn down and taken away in pieces. A neighboring home has also been flagged for demolition.

Families will begin returning to their homes around the crash site. The Wielinski family has stated through a representative that it does not want another home built on the Long Street site. Clarence Town Supervisor Scott Bylewski has met with the Wielinskis and says it's not clear what, if anything, the family would like to see built on the site.

HTN: BNIA Fares Still Among Cheapest

Airfares at Buffalo Niagara International Airport remain some of the most affordable in the country. Average prices for a flight in the third quarter of 2008 were just over 286 dollars. The national average was nearly 337 dollars. BNIA was the eleventh-least expensive airport nationwide last year. The Cincinnati airport was ranked most expensive, with an average ticket price of nearly 600 dollars. BNIA saw five-point-five-million passengers last year.

HTN: Health Threat at Grand Island Bridges?

The Department of Environmental Conservation has found that benzene levels at the south Grand Island bridges are 100 times greater than what the state considers a risk level. The carcinogen is being released by vehicles idling on the bridge, waiting to pay their tolls. A resolution, which calls the tolls "a major health risk," was passed Thursday to support their removal. Legislators will appeal to Governor Paterson to use funds from the recently passed 787-billion-dollar federal stimulus package to pay for the removal of the toll barriers.

HTN: Price-Rite Hiring

Yesterday we talked about a new PriceRite market coming to the city. Now, Mayor Brown has announced that the Buffalo Employment & Training Cente, is assisting PriceRite with a recruitment event for the opening of the new store. On-site recruitments have been set for today and Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 77 Goodell Street. You can apply online at www.priceritesupermarkets.com before being interviewed. PriceRite hopes to hire between 80 and 100 people. Starting wage will be eight-dollars-an-hour.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Buffalo Uncensored

David DiPietro and Russ Thompson take on Grand Island Bridge tolls.

Reason with Scott Leffler

Two hours from Thursday, including a discussion on the Grand Island Bridge tolls.

Flight 3407: News Summary

Colgan Air is responding to several reports on what might have caused the crash of Flight 3407. The Memphis-based regional carrier has defended its safety record and the experience and training of its pilots and crew members, saying they meets or exceed regulatory requirements. The company also touted its commitment of "significant financial resources" to upgrade aircraft safety, efficiency and quality in recent years.

The crew of the doomed flight may have overreacted to a safety measure. Using data from "black boxes," investigators recreated the final seconds of the ill-fated flight, and found that an automatic safety system had pointed the nose of the aircraft down to generate speed. The "New York Times" says investigators now have a theory that the crew may have overreacted, yanking back on the yoke, causing the nose to point too high. A source familiar with the investigation says that caused the plane to plummet into the home below. The "Wall Street Journal" reports investigators are now looking at crew action as a possible cause of the crash.

Residents near the crash site in Clarence Center will be able to return to their homes this weekend. About a dozen homes have been off-limits since the fatal crash. Local officials say police will limit public access to the neighborhood for the first two days, and then maintain a heavy presence to stifle loitering.

As families from around the crash site prepare to return home, the mother and daughter who escaped their destroyed home returned to the scene yesterday. Karen and Jill Wielinski wanted to visit the place where husband and father Douglas died. Along with the Wielinskis, a neighboring family will also not be returning to their home. That home has been red-flagged for demolition. Clarence Emergency Services Coordinator David Bissonette said it's the only structure unable to be repaired

HTN: Buffalo Schools Cited for All-High Stairway

Buffalo schools have been cited by state labor investigators for safety violations at All High Stadium, after a sports reporter fell to his death. Five violations were written against the district for the steep metal stairs at the stadium, where Buffalo News reporter Tom Borrelli slipped and fell to his death. The school has until July 18th to correct the violations.

HTN: Pot Allegedly Found in Car with Lynch

Police in California now say that Buffalo Bills star Marshawn Lynch running back was in a car with marijuana when he was arrested on a gun charge. Cops in Culver City says they found five marijuana blunts in the vehicle. Lynch was busted for allegedly possessing a loaded gun.

HTN: Goodyear Cutting More Jobs Nationally

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will cut another five-thousand jobs by the end of this year. The company announced the cuts yesterday, along with its 330-million-dollar fourth-quarter losses. Few details have been released about where most of the cuts will take place, but there will be around 150 jobs leaving Buffalo. Those 150 are actually part of four-thousand cuts the company announced in 2008. The company also announced salary freezes across the world, lowered manufacturing costs by reducing work schedules and third-party sourcing, and decreasing manufacturing capacity by 15-million units over the next two years. Goodyear will launch about 50 new products worldwide this year, including 16 new products presented at the North American Dealer Conference earlier this month.

HTN: New Market Coming to Kenmore Avenue

A former Tops and Vix store on Kenmore Avenue in Buffalo is becoming a PriceRite store this summer. PriceRite parent company Wakefern Food Corporation bought the 40-thousand-square-foot retail site for 875-thousand dollars. The Connecticut-based company will sink another three-million into the conversion of the building. The Kenmore Avenue site became a Tops in the early 1970s, then converted to a Tops-owned Vix Deep Discount drug store in the 80s. Vix closed in 2003.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Good Morning Buffalo: Auto Bailout

Loraine and Tom talk with Fox News Radio's Jennifer Keiper.

Reason with Scott Leffler

Wednesday Edition: Outrage over Westboro Baptist plan to protest Flight 3407 funerals.

Hour One

Hour Two

Hometown News: All-High Stairs Unsafe in State Study

State investigators are calling steep metal press box stairs at All High Stadium unsafe. The Buffalo Public Schools were cited in a report commissioned after the accidental death last November of Buffalo News sportswriter Tom Borrelli. Five serious safety violations were charged, including the angle of the stairway, and lack of handrails.

HTN: Lockport Soldier Honored

Flags across New York State will fly at half-staff on Thursday to honor Lockport native Albert Jex, the Army Private who was killed in Iraq on February 9th. His vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Mosul. Three other American soldiers were killed in the blast.

HTN: December Death Not a Homicide

Authorities say a woman whose body was found inside a garbage tote near a Buffalo church died of a drug overdose. Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita says Amanda Wienckowski's death was accidental, with no signs of violence.

HTN: Wilson Judge Dismisses Some Hazing Charges

Wilson Town Justice George Berger dismissed some of the charges against two of the tree youths involved in last year's baseball team hazing. The three defendants will be back in court March 10th to face the remaining charges. Trial dates have not been set pending potential plea bargains.

Flight 3407: News Summary

The Erie County Health Department says it has finished gathering the remains of victims. Now, the medical examiner's office will work to identify each of the 50 victims. Examiners will look at medical and dental records provided by family members, and DNA could be needed for some identifications. Health Department officials say all of the victims will eventually be identified. They inform families as soon as a victim is positively identified.

A damaged second home in the neighborhood, adjacent to the Long Road residence destroyed by the crash, will be demolished, according to Clarence Emergency Services chief Dave Bissonette.

Senator Chuck Schumer says when President Obama appoints a new FAA chairman, that person will need to make sure all pilots follow the rules in place regarding ice buildup on an aircraft whether on the ground or in flight. Ice buildup on the wings is believed to have played a part in the crash.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

WNY Real Estate Wealth Building Strategies

Dedicated to helping Western New Yorkers analyze, invest, and build wealth in real estate. Hosted by Russell Gullo.

Buffalo Uncensored - Show #2

Hosted by David DiPietro with special guest Carl Paladino.

Good Morning Buffalo: Extreme Home Makeover

Veronica Penn-Turner from the popular TV show talks to Tom about their WNY search.

Reason with Scott Leffler

Tuesday edition: Governor Paterson or a Bag of Rocks?

Hometown News: Flight 3407 News Summary

Crews have removed nearly half of the plane of Continental connection Flight 3407 from the crash site in Clarence. The pieces are being placed into bins and then onto trailers in order to move them to other locations. Officials hope to have everything cleared out by tomorrow afternoon in anticipation of snow coming to the area. Crews have found five of six de-icing valves, which could help determine whether the de-icing system was working at the time of the crash.

Just a minute or two before Continental Flight 3407 crashed, it was coasting in on autopilot at about 154-miles-an-hour. Just 30 seconds later it was dropping at a rate 20-times faster than normal, falling about 800 feet in just five seconds. The last recorded data showed the plane 250 feet above ground, going 115-miles-an-hour, less than five seconds before impact. Data from flight recorders suggest that the plane automatically attempted to add speed to the plane and increase lift to avoid a stall.

For the first time yesterday, family members of the victims were able to visit the crash site. About 100 people were shuttled to the site with a police escort, where they placed flowers, cards, teddy bears and other personal items. Family members were able to stay for about an hour.

HTN: Charges Pending in Orchard Park Homicide

Orchard Park Police are "very confident" they have enough evidence to charge a local high profile TV network president in the beheading of his wife. Muzzammil Hassan will likely be charged with second-degree murder in the beheading death of wife Aassiya. She was found murdered in the offices of Bridges T.V. in Orchard Park Friday, shortly after Muzzammil reported her death. The couple created the network to help promote positive news about the Muslim community. Aassiya had filed for divorce February 6th and subsequently filed a restraining order against Muzzammil, who appears in court for a felony hearing tomorrow.

HTN: WNY Home Sales Drop, Prices Stable

Area home sales were down 17-percent in January compared to the same month in 2008. The Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors reported 465 transactions, the lowest sales total for January in 14 years. Median prices held steady, while average prices were down four-percent.

Brad Riter Show: Audio Anthology

2-16-09 Ruben Brown 1 2 3

2-16-09 Reggie Witherspoon 1 2

2-13-09 Erie County Legislator Ray Walter

2-9-09 Ruben Brown 1 2 3

2-5-09 Turner Gill

2-5-09 Bob Gaughan

Monday, February 16, 2009

Reason with Scott Leffler

Monday 2/16 -

Hour One

Hour Two

BuffaloStyle: Flight 3407 Edition

Christina Abt's special two-hour broadcast in the aftermath of the accident.

Reason with Scott Leffler: Flight 3407 Edition

Revisit the full-three hour broadcast from Friday as the story unfolded.

GMB: Calleri at the Movies

Micahel Calleri catches up on last weekend's movies in a special Monday edition.

Sports: UB Hoops Win Streak Ends

WECK's Josh Whetzel reports from Ball State

Good Morning Buffalo: Economic Stimulus Plan

Buff State professor Dr. Bill Ganley broke down the new federal stimulus package with Loraine and Tom.

Hometown News: Lynch Arrested in Cali

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is back in hot water. Police in southern California say Lynch was arrested last week for possessing a loaded firearm. Authorities say Lynch and friends were sitting in a Mercedes-Benz in Culver City, a suburb of Los Angeles, when police officers approached. Lynch was released on 35-thousand dollars bail. The 22-year-old was a first round draft pick in 2007 and recently played in his first Pro-Bowl. Back in June, Lynch pled guilty to a traffic violation after a hit-and-run incident which injured a pedestrian. Lynch could possibly face penalties from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the wake of the latest situation.

Flight 3407: Investigation Continues

Meanwhile the crash investigation continues along with the recovery of victims. Investigators now say the commuter plane plunged 800 feet in five seconds before smashing into a home killing one occupant. The remains of more than a dozen people have been recovered from the charred remains of the aircraft with recovery crews hoping to complete their grisly task before snow hits the area Wednesday. Authorities say 15 victims so far have been pulled from the wreckage. Investigators say it could be several more days before all of the bodies are recovered. A temporary morgue has been set up near the crash site.

Over the weekend, the NTSB said it was still too early to tell if icing played a factor. A spokesman says while the pilots deemed the ice "significant" that is not a technical term of light, moderate or severe. The role any icing conditions had on the crash are still to be determined.
The Red Cross will continue to staff a shelter for evacuated residents living near the site of the plane crash. The assistance center is located at the Clarence Senior Center on Thompson Road. A family member must show a photo ID to gain entry.

Flight 3407: Memorials Planned

Two public memorial services are planned this week for the victims of Continental Express Flight 3407. A community prayer service is planned for Monday in Clarence where the crash occurred beginning at eleven a.m. On Thursday a public memorial service will be held from noon until eight p.m. at the Mason Sittniewski Funeral Home in Buffalo. Private memorial services for some victims have also been planned, beginning today.

Flight 3407: Clarence Still Feeling Effects

The area around the crash site of is still being heavily monitored. Nearby residents are still not allowed to return home, but investigators say three people have been arrested trying to get a closer look. Continental Airlines and its insurance company will be working with state, county and town officials to remediate the area.

Governor Paterson has granted residents in the Town of Clarence a one-week extension to pay property taxes without penalty through Tuesday, February 24th. After that, all regular penalty periods as stated on tax bills will apply. Town offices are closed again today for Presidents' Day. The Town Clerk's office can be reached at 741-8938 for more information.

Flight 3407: Plane Landed Flatly

Federal investigators say there's evidence that Flight 3407 landed flatly. A National Transportation Safety Board member says when the cockpit, tail section, wings and engine were found in the debris field, they were found in a way that indicates the plane was flat on the ground. Erie County Sheriff Tim Howard told WECK NEWS his survey of the site on Friday indicated that the plane came down "like a helicopter." Investigators also say the plane was pointed away from the airport runway it was meant to land on.