Friday, May 8, 2009
Good Morning Buffalo: Friday 5/8/09
Letter Carrier Bill Robideau talks to Loraine and Tom about the Annual Food Drive.
And Michael Calleri talks about the new Star Trek movie.
And Michael Calleri talks about the new Star Trek movie.
Hometown News: Kemp's Final Farewell
The nation's capital will say its farewells to former Congressman Jack Kemp at the National Cathedral. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern time today. Kemp, a former quarterback for the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills, died on Saturday of cancer at age 73. In 1996 he received the Republican Party's nomination for Vice President and ran on a ticket with Bob Dole. He was secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H.W. Bush. He was a tireless champion for Social Security, education and tax reform. Kemp represented Buffalo in the House of Representatives for 18 years between 1971 to 1989.
HTN: GM Plant Gets Extended Break
LanThe GM plant in Tonawanda will be on an extended summer break. It's among 23 plants to be temporarily closed either completely or in-part for several weeks because vehicle plants they serve are going to be idled as well. The closures will come about sometime in June and last between two and six weeks. Tonawanda's engine plant serves plants in Shreveport, Louisiana; Lordstown, Ohio; Flint, Michigan and Detroit/Hamtramck, Michigan.
HTN: Mayor Plans to Run Again
Mayor Byron Brown is close to announcing whether he will run for another term. Buffalo City Council member Michael "Mickey" Kearns has already made his intentions known. Kearns is bashing the mayor about his handling of the police department and his use of, quote, "rhetoric and taking a reactive approach to solving problems." Brown is set to publically announce whether he'll run tomorrow. He'll also talk about improving the quality of life in Buffalo and lowering both crime rates and taxes.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Hometown News: Delano Will Retire
The penalty phase of Buffalo detective Dennis Delano's disciplinary hearings could be a moot point. The suspended detective has retired from the force, one day after a police hearing concluded that he was guilty of insubordination for failing to stop his investigation of the death of 13-year-old Crystallynn Girard. Authorities say turned over police evidence to a local TV station. Delano says he is retiring because the Buffalo department is not an environment for honest police work.
HTN: Buffalo Building Inspectors Sharpen Up
Buffalo building inspectors will bump up their dress code a notch. The inspectors are now required to wear shirts with collars. The inspections chief admits things have become a little too casual, with inspectors seen in shorts, flip-flops and sweatshirts. One Council member is suggesting the inspectors wear uniforms. But the workers' union says the city does not want to pay for the uniforms, so the upgraded dress-code is a small step to give the workers a more professional look.
HTN: Yoko Invited to Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario has invited Yoko Ono to town on May 30th as a promotional tie-in with a musical showcase at the Lundy's Lane Historical Museum entitled "All We Are Saying." Ono and John Lennon toured the area in June of 1969 as part of their "Bed-In for Peace" tour. The May 30th date will be nearly 40 years to the day since the two were in Niagara Falls.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Good Morning Buffalo: Financial Advice
Tom and Loraine talk with WECK's financial guru Mark Stevens.
Hometown News: 3407 Probe Speeds Up
A Federal Aviation Administration probe is focusing on pilots scheduling, as part of the investigation of Flight 3407. The FAA is trying to determine if Colgan Air violated federal regulations by over-scheduling its pilots. A parallel National Transportation Safety Board investigation is scrutinizing Colgan's pilot training program, especially related to how the plane's stall-protection system operates during icy conditions. The NTSB will be holding a three-day hearing in Clarence Center on those findings next week.
HTN: Finger Lakes Student Shoots Self
A high school student shot and killed himself in a bathroom at Canandaigua Academy yesterday morning. Seventeen-year-old Thomas Kane was a senior at the school. Police found 30 rounds of ammunition, two explosive devices, two glass bottles containing liquid, and rags in his locker. Kane died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound caused by the sawed-off shotgun he brought to campus with him. An investigation into the incident continues as police interview other students to make sure no one else was involved. No one else was hurt in the incident.
HTN: Summit Mall Will Close
The owners of Wheatfield's Summit Park Mall have filed for bankruptcy, and will close the mall in 30 days. Nearly 200 people could lose their jobs if two-dozen stores inside aren't able to relocate. The owners had purchased the property several years ago out of foreclosure, but now it's become a financial burden because so many retailers have moved in and out of storefronts.
HTN: Counties Change Swine Flu Recommendations
Health officials in Erie and six other Western New York counties say one case of suspected or confirmed case of swine flu will not be enough to recommend closing the facility. Officials say cases of the illness so far have been mild, about the same as seasonal flu. The decisions come after the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revamped its policy, saying that a single case does not mean a school should close.
HTN: Delano Awaits Punishment
Buffalo cold case detective Dennis Delano was found guilty on departmental disciplinary charges yesterday. Police brass say he released evidence to a local television station in the Crystallyn Girard case. A penalty hearing could be held as early as next week, when Police Commissioner McCarthy Gipson will determine punishment. A hearing officer recommended a 60-day unpaid suspension, but McCarthy could still chooses to fire Delano.
HTN: Kemp Funeral in DC
Jack Kemp will be laid to rest Friday. The private service will be held in the National Cathedral in Washington DC. Kemp died Saturday from cancer at age 73.
HTN: Paterson Bans Bottled Water
Governor Paterson wants state workers to head for the tap if they want a drink of water. Paterson has signed an executive order that will phase out the usage of state funds to buy single-bottle and cooler-sized bottles of water at state agency facilities. Those agencies will have to provide tap water fountains and dispensers instead. Paterson says billions of dollars of taxpayer money have been spent to ensure that the state has clean drinking water, and he wants the state and state workers to use that water. Paterson says the move to tap water will help save taxpayers millions, but also improves the environment.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Good Morning Buffalo: Swine Flu
Loraine and Tom talk with Dr. Ronald Frederick on the psychological effects of the outbreak.
Hometown News: Swine Flu Update
A case of swine flu has been confirmed in Chautauqua County. Health officials say the total number of confirmed cases in the state now stands at 90. The Bemus Point Central School District reopened today after closures last Friday and yesterday. A male student was reported to have a probable case of the swine flu. Chautauqua County health officials say they felt confident that it was safe to reopen the schools today. The state Education Department released a statement yesterday that said it will not grant exemptions to the 180-day rule for schools closed because of swine flu.
After receiving an unexpected week off due to the school being closed for a week, students returned to Saint Francis Prep in Queens, the epicenter of swine flu outbreak in New York. Janitors spent the past week scrubbing down the Fresh Meadows high school. Principal, Brother Leonard Conway, says some parents waited till today to send their children back to school, but attendance was high yesterday.
Governor Paterson's office reports that no new swine flu cases were reported outside of New York City on Monday, with the number of confirmed cases remaining at 17. There are 73 confirmed cases in New York City. All of the cases have been relatively mild, with no fatalities reported.
After receiving an unexpected week off due to the school being closed for a week, students returned to Saint Francis Prep in Queens, the epicenter of swine flu outbreak in New York. Janitors spent the past week scrubbing down the Fresh Meadows high school. Principal, Brother Leonard Conway, says some parents waited till today to send their children back to school, but attendance was high yesterday.
Governor Paterson's office reports that no new swine flu cases were reported outside of New York City on Monday, with the number of confirmed cases remaining at 17. There are 73 confirmed cases in New York City. All of the cases have been relatively mild, with no fatalities reported.
HTN: Creek Erosion in Town of Boston
Homeowners in the Town of Boston living around 18 Mile Creek are worried their homes could fall in. Water is eroding the ground from underneath, and some homeowners have experienced their land cracking off and falling into the creek. Homeowners insurance will not cover the damages if a home collapses into the creekbed because it is considered "earth movement" and is exempt from coverage. Last week, an Amherst home slid into Tonawanda Creek, leaving one home on the verge of collapse.
HTN: Creek Erosion in Town of Boston
Homeowners in the Town of Boston living around 18 Mile Creek are worried their homes could fall in. Water is eroding the ground from underneath, and some homeowners have experienced their land cracking off and falling into the creek. Homeowners insurance will not cover the damages if a home collapses into the creekbed because it is considered "earth movement" and is exempt from coverage. Last week, an Amherst home slid into Tonawanda Creek, leaving one home on the verge of collapse.
HTN: Buffalo School Board Elections
Today is election day in Buffalo. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership is reportedly responsible for a 30-thousand-dollar direct-mail campaign supporting the three at-large incumbents on the Buffalo School Board, and is being taken to court for possible wrongdoing. The BNP is accused of violating education laws, by surpassing the legal contribution limit, and for not registering the name on the flyer. The three candidates: Dr. Catherine Collins, Chris Jacobs and Florence Johnson have said they did not approve of the flyers.
HTN: Common Council Considers Cameras
Just how much green will proposed red light cameras in Buffalo generate? Budget hearings began Monday with some Common Council members skeptical of the estimated revenue projected for the traffic enforcement devices. Mayor Byron Brown's Administration estimates nearly two-point-eight million dollars will be generated from motorists running red lights. The Mayor says that's enough cash to hire 20 new police officers. But, some Council members say it's hard to estimate the revenue from the cameras, since this would be the first year of installation. The red-light cameras were recently given approval by Albany, but still need the green light from the Common Council.
HTN: Paterson Approval Craters
Governor David Paterson's approval rating is so bad that a majority of New Yorkers would be willing to have sex scandal plagued Eliot Spitzer back in office. According to a new survey by Marist, Paterson's approval rating is now a dismal 19-percent, down from 26-percent in March. Fifty-one percent of those polled say they'd rather have Spitzer back in office than have Paterson at the helm of state government.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Hometown News: Remembering Jack Kemp
Western New Yorkers are remembering a football star who became a national political power. Jack Kemp served nine terms in Congress from Hamburg, and ran for Vice-President in 1996 on the Bob Dole ticket. Kemp died over the weekend at age 73. Kemp is equally well-known as the quarterback of the Bills during the Sixties. He led the Bills to AFL championships in 1964 and 65 before moving into the political arena. Kemp died Saturday night at his home in the Washington DC suburbs, after a fight with cancer.
President Obama is remembering Jack Kemp. Obama said the one-time Republican vice presidential candidate applied lessons he learned as a professional football player to his political life.
President Obama is remembering Jack Kemp. Obama said the one-time Republican vice presidential candidate applied lessons he learned as a professional football player to his political life.
HTN: Swine Flu News Summary
Chautauqua County health officials are still waiting for confirmation on a probable case of swine flu [[ H1N1 ]] in Bemus Point. Bemus Point schools remain closed today as the CDC continues to look into the case of a Maple Grove Junior Senior High School student. The student in question hasn't been in school since last Monday, and is linked to the St. Francis school outbreak in Queens. New York currently has 96 total cases, both probable and confirmed, of H1N1. Seventy-nine of those cases are in New York City, while the other 17 are scattered across the state.
That Queens high school with the largest cluster of swine flu cases in the United States reopened today. St. Francis Prep has been sanitized from top to bottom and Brother Leonard Conway says the 45 students diagnosed with the swine flu "have recovered or are recovering.
In light of the swine flu scare, New York State is hoping to get a jump on any future flu outbreaks. Governor David Paterson says scientists are working on ways to curb the severity of any future flu strains. The State Health Commissioner is urging New Yorkers to get a flu shot in the fall, when the disease typically starts to show up again after taking the summer off.
That Queens high school with the largest cluster of swine flu cases in the United States reopened today. St. Francis Prep has been sanitized from top to bottom and Brother Leonard Conway says the 45 students diagnosed with the swine flu "have recovered or are recovering.
In light of the swine flu scare, New York State is hoping to get a jump on any future flu outbreaks. Governor David Paterson says scientists are working on ways to curb the severity of any future flu strains. The State Health Commissioner is urging New Yorkers to get a flu shot in the fall, when the disease typically starts to show up again after taking the summer off.
HTN: Falls Lawmaker Arrested
A Niagara Falls councilman spent some time behind bars this weekend. Police say 36-year-old Councilman Steven Fournier was handcuffed just before 3 a.m. early Saturday morning at Bragg's Tavern, and was allegedly highly intoxicated. Authorities say the Councilman lunged at an officer and hurled a racial slur before being cuffed by police. Fournier says he was being attacked by another bar patron, when he was unexpectedly handcuffed. The Councilman says he has a lawyer and will fight the charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
HTN: Gillibrand, Higgins in WNY
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will be holding an economic development roundtable discussion this morning in Niagara Falls. Then, this afternoon she will be at the Union Road Tops Market in Cheektowaga with Congressman Brian Higgins. The two will be speaking with residents on economic and other issues.
HTN: New Nests for Terns
A newly-created nesting area on the harbor near the Peace Bridge is designed to help protect tern eggs and chicks. The new habitats rest on a barge next to the inner breakwater across from the Erie Basin Marina and on top of an existing nesting area on an outer sea wall. Terns moved in quickly after the platforms were finished April 17th.
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