BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A former Williamsville South track coach pleaded guilty Friday afternoon on charges of exchanging sexually explicit messages with a juvenile.

39-year-old Daniel W. Syracuse of Tonawanda admitted that he acted in a manner that was likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child when he exchanged sexually explicit messages and images through text message and a social media app with a minor who was less than 17 years old in 2015, when the incident took place. At the time, Syracuse was working as a track coach at Williamsville South High School. He is charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

Former Williamsville South track coach appears in court for allegedly exchanging sexual texts with a minor

Syracuse also resigned his New York State teaching licenses as part of the plea. He faces a maximum of one year in jail when he is sentenced on September 14. He is currently released on his own recognizance that the charges are non-qualifying offenses for bail.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Crime Stoppers WNY is offering up $7,500 for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the homicide of Chris James.

James was killed in Buffalo on April 20, 2022, on Weston Avenue.

36-year-old Buffalo man dead after Weston Avenue shooting

Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest or indictment of his killer can contact Crime Stoppers at 716-867-6161. People can also download the Buffalo Tips smartphone app.

Ellicottville, N.Y. (WIVB) — It will be a pair of locals headlining the 23rd annual Jazz & Blues Weekend on July 29-31 in Ellicottville.

The first headliner will be Lackawanna native Mick Hayes, who will take the Ellicottville Main Stage on Monroe St. on July 30. Hayes, a published songwriter and guitarist, has been up for multiple Grammys during his career in multiple different categories. He has released 10 albums throughout his career and began his own independent record label in 2019 and released his album “My Claim to Fame” after recording it for just five days.

Wing Fest coming to Highmark Stadium in September

The second headliner on July 31 on the main stage will be the Bobby Militello Quartet with a special guest in Alex McArthur. Militello, a native of Buffalo, released his first album in 1975 with Maynard Ferguson and released his first solo album in 1982. His guest, McArthur, has become one of the area’s top blues talents, winning the Jazz Buffalo Rising Star Award and the Best Female Jazz Vocalist in 2018.

The weekend will feature nearly 20 performances playing at venues all over town. For more information about the event, click here.

EAST AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — Western New York officially has its eighth unionized Starbucks.

Workers at the Transit Commons store, near N. French Road in East Amherst, voted to unionize 11 to 1. The group bringing employees together, Starbucks Workers United, says it wasn’t an easy road to get there.

The group says the vote was delayed, due to opposition from the company.

With more than 180 unionized stores across the United States, western New York is a special place in the unionization effort. The first American Starbucks to become unionized was right here in Buffalo, on Elmwood Avenue. Cheektowaga’s Genesee Street store followed a month later, in January.

BRANT, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Brant man was arrested and an officer suffered injuries following a high-speed chase and an altercation with the officer.

Early Monday morning, an officer spotted a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer pursued but ended it when the chase reached speeds in excess of 100 mph. Police later searched for the vehicle and discovered it in a driveway of a Versailles Plank residence and prepared it for impound.

Bruce Springsteen coming to Buffalo in March

A man, identified as 31-year-old Cody Sundown of Brant, emerged from the home and was verbally and physically aggressive towards officers, pushing one and threw punches at others. He also attempted to remove an officer’s taser and utility belt and continued to strike the same officer in the head until he was taken into custody. The officer was transported to ECMC and was treated and released following treatment for a concussion as well as shoulder and elbow injuries.

Sundown was charged with assault of a police officer, felony assault, intent to cause physical injury and attempted criminal possession of a weapon, all felonies. He was also charged with a number of misdemeanors, including obstruction of governmental administration, criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

He was transported to Erie County Holding Center for pending court proceedings.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — The next National Buffalo Wing Festival is happening at Highmark Stadium on Labor Day Weekend.

Specifically, that’s September 3 and 4. Admission this year is once again $20, and that includes parking. Kids younger than eight can get in for free.

This event was announced Tuesday morning. Food tickets can be purchased with cash at the event. They are $1.50 each. Drinks must be purchased via debit or credit cards.

According to its website, the event will start at Noon both days, ending at 9 p.m. on Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

GAINESVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) — Originally a dairy farm located in Wyoming County, the Marquart brothers, Ed and Tom, decided to take over the family business in the 1960s. Rather than continuing to milk cows, though, they started planting some potatoes instead.

“Any young farmer who grows potatoes, in their mind somewhere, they love potato chips and that’s the dream,” said Vice President of Operations for New York Chips Chad Heeb.

Eventually, after bringing their sons on board a couple of decades later, the Marquarts made that dream a reality after frying up some chips for fun. The group brought their snacks to ‘Agripalooza’ and had a person inquire about the chips.

Heeb said that man was from Wegmans, which ended up being the company’s first customer in 2016.

Buffalo Behind the Scenes: Skylighters

“We give them a lot of credit for that, because they were the ones who asked us about it first and gave us the idea of, hey, you know maybe we can make Tom and Ed’s childhood dreams a reality and make our own potato chip,” Heeb said.

New York Chips’ first line was fried in avocado oil and seasoned in sea salt, but Heeb said the company wanted to do something that set them apart from the other chip bags on grocery store shelves.

“I was trying to think of something that other chips didn’t have, and that was working with other local companies to bring their unique flavors to potato chips,” he said. “Now we have Anchor Bar spicy Buffalo wing, we have Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, we have Spiedies chicken marinade, we have Craig’s Creamery cheddar.”

Of course, a potato chip company needs a lot of potatoes. The farm grows 60 million pounds per year, sending off 40-80,000 pounds in truckloads to the company’s packer in Syracuse each day.

Buffalo Behind the Scenes: Weber’s Mustard

“Western New York, the one thing that makes us unique, especially when it comes to potatoes – but unique in agriculture in general – is our peak growing season is typically July and August; and the difference in temperature between day and night is average 11 degrees,” Heeb said. “It actually means there’s more gravity in the earth, which makes our stuff grow bigger in that time period. So our potatoes here actually grow bigger than anywhere else in the world in a shorter period of time.”

While the facility in Gainesville is responsible for growing, washing and shipping the potatoes, the Syracuse location cuts, fries and seasons the chips before bagging them. The entire process takes up to three days.

You can find New York Chips at most local grocery stores – something Heeb said is thanks to the loyalty of Western New Yorkers.

“Western New York is special. Our palates are different than anywhere else in the world. Our devotion to our local economy is really something that I think we covet,” Heeb said. “And for the chips, we all know what the national brands taste like, we all know what they look like. But we don’t know what the Buffalo brand looks like, we don’t know what the Rochester brand looks like – what the Syracuse brand looks like. Now we’re trying to bring that to the people of Western New York.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Boss is coming to town. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band will be at the KeyBank Center on March 23, 2023.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 27 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform. Those who are interested in tickets can register through this Sunday, July 17 to get a chance at buying tickets, but it doesn’t guarantee them.

If any tickets are left after the Verified Fan sale, a general sale will start at 3 p.m. No code will be required for that.

This upcoming tour will be Springsteen’s first since February 2017, and the first in North America since the previous September.

The Camp Peaceprints is an opportunity for our children and youth to prepare for tomorrow by exploring “Justice for All,” this year’s theme.

We’ll be learning, communicating, and having fun through swimming, field trips, and more!! Camp Peaceprints is alternative day camp for children 8-13, and is centered on Justice, Peaceful Conflict Resolution, the Arts – and the Beloved Community. It will run July 18-29, Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM at SS. Columba- Brigid Church, at 75 Hickory Street.

Campers will learn about justice issues with community leaders, including: Citizenship; the Law and Law Enforcement; the Justice System and especially How to Work for Change!

Highlights include: •Cariol Horne, former police officer and community shero, will facilitate a session on Law and Law Enforcement, giving her unique insights and current perspectives. •Field trip to Niagara Falls where we’ll go on Maid of the Mist, and explore the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Museum. Also, to Ganondagan, Seneca center with Longhouse and Haudenosaunee teachings.

We’re also planning a trip to the beach, and three trips to the pool!

Camp Peaceprints is a collaboration by the SSJ Sr. Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence (SKC) and the WNY Peace Center (WNYPC). Deidra EmEl is WNYPC’s Executive Director.

There are opportunities for adult and parent volunteers.

For more information, including online registration, please go to CampPeacePrints.  And click here to learn more about NY Peace Institute  For questions, contact Deidra at director@ wnypeace.org (or 716-603-0015) or Vivian at vivian@sisterkarencenter. org (716-982-6501).

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