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Preview: Advocacy Alert: Hochul Blocks Crypto, Vetoes Duplicative Reporting Bill

Preview: Advocacy Alert: Hochul Blocks Crypto, Vetoes Duplicative Reporting Bill

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November 29, 2022

Governor Kathy Hochul recently acted on two significant pieces of legislation.

Advocacy Win: Hochul Vetoes Duplicative Reporting Bill 

Governor Hochul vetoed legislation that would have imposed duplicative reporting requirements on employers. The BNP vocally opposed this legislation and is pleased the Governor heeded our advice.

Currently, large employers are required to submit an EEO-1 report to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Through the EEO-1 report, employers submit demographic workforce data, including data on race, ethnicity, sex, and job categories, to the EEOC. This data is analyzed by the EEOC for troubling disparities, but the information is not public.

However, this legislation would have required EEO-1 filers to submit the same information to the New York State Department of State, which would then be published on the state website.

The BNP made clear to the Governor that this added reporting requirement would be duplicative, unnecessary, and costly to the state.

While the BNP has been a leader in helping employers diversify their workforce, this legislation would have simply resulted in added paperwork for employers – not meaningful change. Hochul concurred in her veto message, noting: “it would place an enormous burden on the Department of State to duplicate work already being done successfully by the federal government.”

Hochul Signs Crypto Moratorium

The Governor signed into law a two-year moratorium on cryptocurrency mining. Mining is an energy-intensive process in which computer networks validate cryptocurrency transactions. While technology is essential to the newest trend in the financial world, environmentalists took issue with the amount of emissions generated by the process. The moratorium will be in effect for two years, during which the state will study and develop regulations and guidelines for mining.

The BNP opposed this legislation and urged the Governor to veto it.

More Bills to Come

Since Governor Hochul has until the end of the year to sign or veto bills, she has treaded very carefully this year, opting to wait on most legislation until after her election. Now that she has been reelected, expect a flurry of activity between now and the New Year. As the Governor makes decisions on various bills, the BNP will keep you updated.

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The post Preview: Advocacy Alert: Hochul Blocks Crypto, Vetoes Duplicative Reporting Bill appeared first on Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

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Code Blue 32 for Nov. 29-30, two of three shelters open

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Code Blue 32 has been issued for Southern Erie County Tuesday, with an additional Code Blue issued during the day Wednesday in the City of Buffalo. Shelters will be open on Nov. 29 and 30 with temperatures below 32°, however the Niagara Street shelter at Holy Cross is closed for these Code Blues.

Remaining open are:

586 Genesee St., Buffalo, N.Y. 14204 (Formerly a women’s shelter but open to all for Code Blues).  7207 Hunters Creek Road Lot 15, Holland, N.Y. 14080 (The Rural Outreach Center)

Both locations will also serve as daytime warming centers and be open 24 hours, with the Genesee Street location opening at 6 p.m. Tuesday and the ROC opening at 7 p.m.

Those in need of transportation will be permitted to use the NFTA METRO center from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday to get bus tickets to the shelters. Those who require transportation to the Rural Outreach Center shelter should call (716) 222-4020.

To receive Code Blue updates for Buffalo or Southern Erie County, text CodeBlueBuffalo or CodeBlueSouthernErie to 898-211. Outside of Erie County, contact local law enforcement or 211 for information.

Adam Duke is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of his work here.

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WNY doctors talk RSV spread during holiday season

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As temperatures drop, places like Western New York Immediate Care are starting to see more patients with the flu and RSV.

As winter nears and families gather for the holidays, cold-like symptoms are on the rise. And cases of respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV are also on the rise.

The virus causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.

Dr. Shyamal Majithia is a medical director at Western New York Immediate Care.

He told News 4, more and more people are coming in for RSV testing.

“I always encourage people if they are worried about their symptoms to get checked out, said Dr. Majithia. “Don’t take anything too lightly — you never know how it’s going to affect you.”

“Any sort of labored breathing or very high fevers. In elderly or in children, if they’re not themselves,” Dr. Majithia added. “Their activity level is low, their appetite is low, they’re kind of just sleeping all the time — those are all signs to definitely at least get evaluated.”

Majithia says RSV is most common among adults and the eldery, but it has been popping up among adults. We spoke with infectious disease expert Dr. John Crane about treatment options.

“We do not have an approved vaccine right now, although, people are working on it very hard and an RSV vaccine may come out in the next year or two,” Dr. Crane said.

“Treatment is non-specific meaning oxygen, humidified air, IV fluids if the child is dehydrated — things like that,” Dr. Crane added.

Doctors say the best way to stop the spread is to wash your hands, wear a mask and stay home if you feel sick.

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Patrick Ryan is an award-winning reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2020. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

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‘The voice of evil’: Victims’ attorneys react to plea

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Following the guilty plea on Monday from the man has now admitted to killing 10 people and injuring three others in a racist mass shooting at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, lawyers who are representing family members of the victims spoke about their reactions to the plea.

Terry Connors and Ben Crump represent seven families who lost a loved one in the shooting as well as two individuals who were injured in the shooting.

Tops mass shooter’s parents speak out following guilty plea

Connors and Crump said they knew that this plea would happen three to four weeks before it happened on Monday. The court date was initially scheduled for November 21, but was pushed back a week due to weather.

“It didn’t come as a huge surprise because the evidence was overwhelming, but it’s a strategic move on their part. They hope to avoid the death penalty by demonstrating acceptance of responsibility,” Connors said.

Payton Gendron, 19, pleaded guilty to all state charges, which were one count of domestic terrorism motivated by hate, 10 counts of first degree murder, three counts of attempted murder as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He is also facing federal charges. If convicted of the federal charges, he could face the death penalty.

Buffalo mass shooter’s alleged diatribe leaves no doubt attack was white supremacist terrorism

Crump noted that there was “no remorse” in Gendron’s voice as the proceedings went on.

“There was no remorse in his voice. As Attorney Connors and I noted, they had him clean-shaved and they talked about him as if he was a child. No. He’s a man who killed innocent people and we should treat him as such,” Crump said.

Connors added: “His voice is chilling. His voice is the voice of evil. The way he approached things and the way he said things, just nonchalant, almost like it was mechanical. It was chilling to me.”

The federal trial is still yet to begin, where Gendron is charged with the following:

hate crime resulting in death (10 counts)hate crime involving bodily injury and attempt to kill (3 counts)use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence (10 counts)use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (3 counts)

They said that the families of the victims will be consulted during the trial.

“That’s what I intend to tell Attorney General Merrick Garland and the head of the Civil Rights Department Kristen Clarke, that we need the full breadth and strength of the federal government to say, this is a hate crime and it needs to be treated with the most severe of consequences, even if that means death,” Crump said.

Crump said the families and what happened on May 14 will not be forgotten.

“We won’t let America forget about these families who were impacted in the Tops supermarket,” Crump said. “We’re not going to let them sweep it under the rug. Not today, not ever.”

You can watch the full segment above.

Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.

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Music Monday: No Vacancy

LEWISTON, N.Y. (WIVB) — Alternative band No Vacancy hails from Lewiston, but plays all over Western New York, including the Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester areas.

The band began playing together in high school, with their first gig being a high school dance.

“That was quite the feat for us at the time,” said John Cimino, the band’s singer and guitarist. “Here we are, 12 years later — the original lineup is actually not the same — but we are still representing and we’re happy to be here.”

Music Monday: Amateur Hockey Club

The band released its debut, self-titled EP in early October, featuring songs “Waste Away,” “Where You Belong,” and “Perfect Disaster.” The EP, and the singles No Vacancy has released, can be found at the links below. They also have an album on the way.

“The chemistry that we’ve had over the years has been phenomenal; I think that’s why we’ve stuck together so long,” Cimino said. “I don’t want to speak for everybody else, we do all have our own favorite artists, but I think our biggest influence is each other, personally, and I would stand by that.”

No Vacancy held a benefit concert on Saturday, with Bear the Bronze and Marina Laurendi opening, to raise funds to “Vacate Cancer,” with proceeds going to prostate cancer research at Roswell Park. The show raised over $4,300. To donate, visit the band’s GoFundMe page at this link.

Music Monday: We Were Blank

How the band got its name: The band shares a name with Dewey Finn’s band name from School of Rock, though former frontman Brad would disagree that that’s where the name originated.

Their favorite local artists to play with: Bear the Bronze, Tedesco Knows Best, Amateur Hockey Club, Roy G Biv

Their favorite venues to play: Jack Rabbit, Mister Goodbar, The Griffon House

Their favorite songs to play live: What’s In It For Me?, Frames, Perfect Disaster, Where You Belong

Their dream concert lineup:

No VacancyRed Hot Chili PeppersBilly Joel (with Cory Wong)John MayerArctic Monkeys

Music Monday: Mic Excel

For more information about No Vacancy or to check out their music, visit the following links:

SpotifyApple MusicInstagramFacebookYouTubeTikTokWebsite

Music Monday #13 was filmed at Brickyard Brewing Co., a microbrewery in the heart of Lewiston that hosts a variety of events. To learn more about Brickyard, click here to visit the brewery’s website or here for their Facebook page.

Music Monday is a weekly series designed to showcase artists from Western New York and their work. To be considered for a feature, email Adam Duke at adam.duke@wivb.com.

Adam Duke is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of his work here.

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‘His voice made me feel sick’: Tops shooting victims’ families react to guilty plea

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The man accused of killing 10 people and injuring three others at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo pleaded guilty to multiple state charges against him on Monday morning.

Following the plea, family members of the shooting victims, as well as their attorneys, spoke on what took place inside the courtroom and their feelings towards the shooter and his guilty plea.

“It was just gutwrenching,” said Ben Crump, one of the attorneys representing the victims’ families. “It made you angry all over again to hear how this young white supremacist just so horrendously killed those innocent people who were the salt of the Earth … They were some of the best human beings that you could find anywhere.”

In court on Monday, a minute-by-minute account of who was shot by the shooter as well as how and when was recounted. Multiple family members stated their displeasure with the shooter’s treatment since being in custody, as well as his “cleaned up” appearance in the courtroom.

‘Mentally, it’s still 5/14’: Six months since mass shooting

“A lot of the details I didn’t know, and then to hear Zaire’s name spoken out loud, that was a hard pill to swallow,” Zeneta Everhart, the mother of Zaire Goodman, who was shot in the neck but did survive, said. “[The shooter’s] voice made me feel sick. But it showed me that I was right. That this country has a problem, this country is inherently violent, it is racist, and his voice showed that to me today — because he didn’t care.”

One of the biggest messages, however, was to ensure this doesn’t happen again — and for the family members, that includes making certain this shooting doesn’t get forgotten or “swept under the rug.”

“Let’s park here,” said Pam Young, the daughter of shooting victim Pearl Young. “Let’s think about what happened, why it happened. Let’s think about why he was taken into custody when others can have their hands up and they are not taken into custody, they end up on the ground with bullets in them. My mother had bullets in her. I did not know the full extent until I came here today.”

Other family members were adamant that change needed to happen — both through laws regarding gun control and as well as in the culture of America.

“Am I happy he’s going to jail for life? At this point, honestly, I don’t care, because that was automatic he was going to go to jail for life,” said Mark Talley, son of Geraldine Talley, who was killed in the shooting. “What would make me happy is if America acknowledges its racist history and the racism currently going on now.”

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“We have a problem in America, and it’s much bigger than May 14th,” Garnell Whitfield Jr., son of shooting victim Ruth Whitfield, said. “What makes Buffalo different is the condition of this community before May 14th. There’s a reason why he targeted this community. It’s because it’s segregated, it’s under-resourced, underfunded, it’s discriminated against, it’s criminalized. All of those things led to May 14th … I heard a lot about justice today — there is no justice unless we deal with that.”

The shooter, Payton Gendron, is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 15 for sentencing.

“I want the most harsh sentence for this heinous act of violence done to people just because the color of their skin,” Crump said. “They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a video is worth a billion.”

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Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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How to stay safe and avoid hacks on Cyber Monday

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — It’s that time of year again when the holiday shopping bills are piling up, and many shoppers are heading online to check off their loved ones’ wish lists. But as much as those deals online seem too good to be true, the Better Business Bureau wants to let people know that sometimes, they are.

“Scammers go where the people are,” said Matt Krueger, Communications Manager for Better Business Bureau.

How to set your Cyber Monday shopping strategy

According to Krueger, this year, they are expecting a record-breaking over 160 million shoppers to shop online during Cyber Monday. However, with more people shopping online, more hackers will be trying to scam you for your information.

“They want your personal information, and your financial information.” said Krueger, “They’re looking for your credit card number, social security number, home address and anything they can use to build an online profile, that’s going to help them steal your identity.”

But even Krueger himself plans on doing the majority of his holiday shopping online, and he has some tips shoppers should keep in mind as they shop online.

As you head to check out, he encourages shoppers to use a credit card instead of a debit card.

“A lot of people don’t see a distinction between the two, but there really is an important one, is that when you are at a retailer, and you check out, sometimes they add on those extra fees and charges, or they charge you an amount that you didn’t agree to pay.” said Krueger, “Your credit card company is in a position to help you mitigate that, and get your money back, whereas a debit card doesn’t have those same protections.”

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He also encourages shoppers to take a look at the URL of the website and be weary if the site doesn’t start with “https” as well as price check with other sites before you hit purchase.

Other tips to keep yourself safe online include watching out for phishing scams, and to always keep your antivirus software up to date. For their full list of online safety tips, visit the Better Business Bureau website here.

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.

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Franklinville man arrested after dispute leads to shooting
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Franklinville man arrested after dispute leads to shooting

FRANKLINVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Franklinville man was arrested Sunday after allegedly shooting one person following a verbal altercation, New York State police announced.

Darel D. Tingue, 55, was charged with second-degree assault, a felony, after police say they responded to a domestic dispute involving a firearm on Bakerstand Road in Franklinville.

19-year-old dies in mid-day shooting in Buffalo

Police say Tingue was in a verbal altercation that escalated to the point of another party approaching him with a bat. Tingue then fired one shot, striking a 31-year-old victim, they said. The victim was taken to ECMC and is listed in stable condition.

Tingue was arraigned and released under probation supervision.

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Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

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19-year-old dies in mid-day shooting in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo police say a 19-year-old man was killed as the result of a mid-day shooting on Busti Avenue.

According to officials, the shooting happened Sunday, just after Noon, on the street’s 300 block. The victim died at the scene.

A suspect has not been named by law enforcement. Anyone with information that could help them solve this case is asked to call or text the Buffalo Police Department’s confidential tip line at (716) 847-2255.

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Jamestown woman awaiting arraignment for endangering child

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Jamestown woman is facing charges after police say her child allegedly overdosed on prescription drugs in the City of Jamestown on Friday.

According to police, Tina Keeler left drugs in an area that her child could reach them. Keeler is behind bars and is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

She is currently awaiting arraignment.