Category: PostNews

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Buffalo Police Department is on scene of a motorcycle crash on Route 33 westbound.

Police said in a Tweet at 6:15 p.m. that the crash is near the Best Street exit and that that stretch of the 33 is closed to motorists and are encouraging motorists to use alternate routes.

Police said that there is no other information at this time.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — You remember playing kickball in elementary school?

Kickstock is all about returning you to your glory days as a gym hero.

Balls were flying at the Outer Harbor all day Saturday.

15 different teams competed in the tournament and the winners, yes, they receive the Kickstock championship trophy. There were also many local Buffalo food trucks to serve some much-needed refreshments.

“We live in such a generous community, and what I love is this is all young people out here, coming out, having fun and doing something really good while having fun,” said Sheila O’Brien, the executive director of Sabah.

All proceeds from this tournament will go towards Sabah’s efforts to provide adaptive recreation and physical education for those with disabilities.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — On Saturday, GObike, Slow Roll and other Western New York cycling clubs held a vigil to honor a bicyclist that was struck and killed in a hit and run.

On july 7, Theodore Dionne bought a new bike frame and later that night was killed by a drunk driver in a hit and run while taking his bike for a test drive on Abbott Rd. Saturday, cyclists from all across Buffalo and Western New York came out to pay their respects to Theodore and his family.

We are a tight-knit community and a very diverse community when you talk about all the cycling clubs in Buffalo and Western New York and they show up because oftentimes they think that could have been me. I think that’s exactly why everyone was here today,” said Kevin Heffernan of GObike.

“Buffalo Police and West Seneca Police have been great, has a very active investigation and justice will be served it just may take some time,” added David Dionne, the father of Theodore Dionne.

GObike Buffalo is pushing for more bike lanes locally and safer streets to protect cyclists.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — While the Tops on Jefferson Ave. is back open, groups and organizations are still helping the local community with any basic needs.

The groups include, the Black Leadership Aids Crisis Coalition, “Social Change” and the local non-profit “Open Buffalo”. All of the groups gathered at the Makowski Early Childhood Center on Jefferson Ave. to provide fresh foods and resources for the surrounding area.

“This is something that we do on a regular basis and we go where the need is so in conjunction with our partner social change and with organizations that do sustainable food and community we try to work together and we make those resources available where the need is,” said Tracy Jones, the regional director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Organizers say they helped between 300 to 500 people Saturday alone to get fresh produce and nutritious food.

OLCOTT, N.Y. (WIVB) — Anyone looking to cool off this weekend is now safe to jump back in the water at Olcott Beach, according to the Niagara County Department of Health.

The health department put out a public health advisory on Tuesday, warning beach-goers not to swim in the water because of “unsatisfactory bacteriological water quality.“

Water samples taken on Friday were good enough for Niagara County health officials to give the green light for recreational swimming.

The bacteria levels at Olcott Beach are still being monitored as a precaution.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Happy 716 Day. July 16th is a day to honor our area code!

Many events are celebrating all things Buffalo! That includes the Totally Sweet Buffalo 716 Day Celebration at Buffalo RiverWorks.

Sweet Buffalo founder, Kim Larussa and Totally Buffalo founder, Mary Friona-Celani stopped by Weekend WakeUp with the details.

100 local vendors and artisans will be on site. Admission is free and the event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information and to stay up to date, visit the event on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/totally-sweet-716-day/369062765008004/

The BFLO Store is also holding its’ Grand Opening of the new BFLO District. Owner Nathan Mroz stopped by Weekend Wake Up! with the details.

There will be food, music, and Buffalo Bills players.

The new location is at 4199 Transit Road in Williamsville.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — We’re highlighting another dog in need of a forever home. On this week’s Wake Up! Wags, meet Sven. The 3-year-old is a Lab/hound mix, saved by Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue.

“Hi my name is Sven. I come from Laredo Texas and my back story is a mystery. I’m dog and kid friendly, currently living with two larger dogs. My mom took me to a parade and everyone was impressed at how well l behaved.  I love to be outside and I’m crate trained… however not a huge fan of it and I make it known. My foster mom says I’m a medium energy doggie who loves to give kisses. I’m working on my house training as I learn the rules of the house. If your interested in giving me the best life contact Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue.” — From Sven’s Foster Mom.

To learn more, head here.

pictured are Buffalo 5 Survivors John Walker (L) and Darryl Boyd

Last Thursday on the steps of City Hall attorneys for “Buffalo 5” survivors John Walker and Darryl Boyd announced that they were filing a $224 million lawsuit against Buffalo and Erie County for their 1970s wrongful conviction. Walker and Boyd , who were wrongfully convicted of murder in 1976, each filed $112 million lawsuits against the City of Buffalo, the County of Erie, and several former detectives for causing them to spend a total of 50 years in prison and another 40 years on parole. Walker and Boyd each seek $84 million in compensatory damages for the years they spent in prison, plus $28 million in punitive damages.

“This case is a permanent stain on Buffalo and Erie County – how many other young Black men suffer the same injustices but lack the resourcefulness and courage of John and Darryl to fight their convictions?” said New York civil rights attorney Joel B. Rudin.

According to the lawsuits, Buffalo detectives coerced two teenaged friends of John and Darryl to testify falsely against them, knowing the testimony was false. In addition, the suit accuses the Buffalo Police Department and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office of covering up powerful evidence that a neighbor of the murder victim committed the crime.

The lawsuits seek to hold the City and County responsible based on evidence that alleged wrongdoing by the detectives and prosecutors, including their alleged failure to disclose evidence favorable to the defense as required by law, resulted from unlawful policies and practices of these municipalities.

“We are prepared to fully litigate this case and expose the policies and practices of the Buffalo police department and the Erie County District Attorney’s office,” said Rudin. Their actions the suit alleges, resulted in John and Darryl and other defendants unlawful convictions.

“The Remarkable thing about this case in terms of evidence…. Is that Police documented almost all their wrong doing!” remarked Rubin. “Police misconduct is documented.” He said he felt they had “an exceedingly strong case.”

-Lost Best years of Their Lives-

“My friends and I were 16 years old when the detectives framed us. I lost the best years of my life and don’t want this to ever happen to anyone else,” said Walker, who just turned 63 years of age and hobbled by back injuries he suffered in prison.

“No matter what we get – it can’t give us back what was taken,” he continued. “But it can make our lives better.” Darryl, 62, said of their ordeal: “This was a kidnapping. We were taken from our families and never given a fair chance to show our innocence.”

John and Darryl are represented by attorney Rudin, who has recovered numerous seven-figure damage awards for wrongfully convicted clients, and a team of lawyers led by Ross E. Firsenbaum and Ryanne Perio of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, a firm with approximately 1,000 lawyers in 13 offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

“We are honored to be able to represent John and Darryl in their fight for just compensation for all the years of their lives lost in prison for a crime they did not commit,” Perio said.

Stated Attorney Rubin:“They deserve to live out their lives in peace to try to put this horrendous ordeal behind them. It is the obligation of municipalities and their lawyers to do justice on behalf of their citizens not to perpetuate injustice.

“Buffalo and Erie County cannot give John and Darryl back their lives but they can demonstrate that the policies of yesterday are not the policies of today,” continued Attorney Rubin. “They can take responsibility for the injustices done in their names by honorably resolving this case. We hope they will choose that path.”

Residents Briefly Shut Down Council Meeting!

On Tuesday the Buffalo Common Council found themselves under significant community scrutiny, as scores of residents filled Council Chambers to express their astonishment and anger at a redistricting process gone awry.

For the past six weeks, residents of Buffalo have been writing, calling, and petitioning their Council Members to request that the redistricting process be more transparent, inclusive, and focused on racial equity and keeping neighborhoods together. The Council has ignored these calls, instead presenting a revamped map that is actually less racially equitable and more divisive of neighborhoods.

Buffalo residents convened in Council Chambers Tuesday to let the members know how disappointed and frustrated they were by the myopic, self-interested, gerrymandered map.

These same residents briefly disrupted the meeting, first chanting, “This is what democracy looks like,” and disregarding the City of Buffalo’s Corporation Counsel’s feeble attempt to dissuade the residents of Buffalo to engage the Council on this issue. Finally, disenfranchised Buffalonians from across all parts of the city chanted, “VOTE THEM OUT,” as the crowds departed from Council Chambers immediately following the agenda item.

Our City Action Buffalo will be closely monitoring what happens next.

If the Council’s proposed map remains unchanged prior to adoption, legal action is imminent. Buffalo residents are tired of fighting tooth and nail for something as basic as due process by its city government. They have been misled and lied to by Council Members for the entirety of this process, from being erroneously told that the maps had to be drawn around seated Council Members’ homes, to the illegal rushed attempt at voting in the Council’s preferred maps on the Friday before the 4th of July long weekend, to this latest debacle: late filing and then putting off a vote on a map that is actually more retrogressive than its predecessor.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Police have reported a male victim was stabbed Friday night in the vicinity of Broadway and Ellicott Street.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. and the victim was taken to ECMC with apparent non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to call or text the confidential tip line at (716) 847-2255.