Category: PostNews

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Crime Stoppers Western New York is offering up to $7,500 for information leading to the arrest or indictment of the person responsible for the death of James “Dough Boy” Smith III.

Smith was killed on March 1, 2017, outside 111 Pershing Avenue in Buffalo.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers WNY at (716) 867-6161 or submit a tip through the Buffalo Tips smartphone app.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Erie County has moved back into the “high” COVID-19 community level based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention benchmarks.

The CDC designates community levels based on the number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over seven days, new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population (seven-day total), and percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients (seven-day average).

On April 21, ECDOH confirmed 658 new COVID-19 cases and 3,427 total cases over the past seven days. In addition, over the past seven days, there were 359 new cases per 100,000 Erie County residents. The positivity rate sat at 18.2% and the seven-day positivity rate was 17%.

Based on data from April 20, there were 79 people with COVID-19 in Erie County hospitals, and 31 of those patients were admitted due to COVID-19.

Justice Dept. to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate

In response, the Erie County Department of Health has released “recommendations,” not requirements, to combat COVID:

Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinesGet tested if you have symptomsIf you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe diseaseWear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protectionConsider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposedTalk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take other precautions (e.g., testing)Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodiesIf you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe diseaseConsider self-testing to detect infection before contactConsider wearing a mask when indoors with themStay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boostersMaintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possibleFollow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.

“There has been no direction from state or local health officials that masks are required in schools,” said Michael Cornell, president, Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association.

“These recommendations are basic protective measures that we are all familiar with at this point in the pandemic,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “Our department has walk-in rapid and PCR COVID-19 diagnostic testing available six days a week and regular COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Our COVID-19 ‘Test to Treat’ program, introduced last week, can connect eligible, symptomatic people who have a positive COVID-19 test result from our testing sites with a prescription antiviral medication that reduces the risk of serious illness.”

“There is currently a good community pharmacy supply of COVID-19 antiviral medication in Erie County, Burstein added. “Individuals 12 years of age or older weighing at least 88 lbs. with a positive COVID-19 test and who are at high risk for progression to severe disease should talk to their primary care provider or an urgent care center about antiviral medication.”

Check the CDC COVID-19 community level where you live below:

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A man who was recently shot by Buffalo police has been indicted on four counts of menacing a police officer.

On March 14, shortly after 4:30 a.m., four police officers responded to an apartment on Hertel Avenue near Shoshone after receiving a call about an alleged threat.

The caller, Dominique Thomas, 30, told police that someone was threatening to kill him, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.

When police arrived at the scene, they say Thomas was standing in the stairwell, holding a large knife. The scene eventually moved out toward the street after officers left the building in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

“The defendant is accused of intentionally placing the officers in reasonable fear of physical injury or death by displaying the knife and refusing multiple orders by police to drop the weapon,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Watch: Buffalo police share body cam video from Hertel shooting

“When the defendant allegedly ran toward the officers with the knife in hand, he was subsequently shot multiple times by the two of the police officers,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Following this incident, Thomas was taken to ECMC, where he continues to receive treatment. None of the officers were injured.

The officers who discharged their weapons were later identified as Phillip Edwards, who has been with the police department since 2015, and Michael Ramos, who joined in 2020. Edwards and Ramos were not armed with stun guns at the time of the incident.

Since the incident, they have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.

DA: ‘Crystal clear’ officers justified in Hertel Ave. shooting

After his initial arraignment, Thomas underwent forensic examinations by two doctors. He was found to be competent to proceed. Another psychiatric evaluation was requested and granted on Friday.

If convicted, Thomas could spend up to seven years in prison. He’s scheduled to return to court on June 15.

While this is ongoing, Thomas is also scheduled to be back in court for another matter before then. The separate charge he faces is third-degree menacing.

In August 2020, Thomas allegedly threatened to kill his doctor after receiving treatment at ECMC. Regarding that case, he’ll be back in court on May 9 for a pre-trial conference.

Thomas is being held without bail in relation to the March incident.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Cheektowaga police are searching for missing 37-year-old Elizabeth Mancini.

Mancini left her Cheektowaga home on April 8 and hasn’t been in contact with her family, which police said is unusual for her.

It’s believed she could be staying in Niagara Falls area hotels or near the 700 block of 66th Street in Niagara Falls, according to CPD.

BPD investigating after people are pepper-sprayed at post-funeral gathering

Police ask if you see the 37-year-old to call the police.

Elizabeth Mancini has brown hair and eyes, stands at 5’01″, and weighs 115lbs.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A correction officer was injured while trying to restrain an inmate at the Erie County Correctional Facility.

The Sheriff’s Office says it happened on April 18 when the officer responded to a disturbance in a housing unit. They say the inmate, Ameer Miller, “was non-compliant and resistant” at the time.

Officers used pepper spray before entering his unit and restraining him. One of them suffered a hand injury, but remained on duty after receiving medical treatment.

Miller, who was being held on charges of assault, criminal contempt and endangering the welfare of a child, was additionally charged with obstruction of governmental administration. He also faces administrative charges.

LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Transit Drive-In, a western New York staple not far from where Lockport meets Amherst, is getting a new owner.

News 4 confirmed on Friday morning that Dipson Theatres is purchasing the drive-in.

As of this year, the Transit Drive-In has been screening films for 70 years. Rick Cohen’s family has owned it for 65 of them, and he’s been managing it for 35.

Grab your popcorn! Transit Drive-In celebrates 70th anniversary

It’s not clear how much he’s selling it for, but he says it’s time to turn the theater over to someone else; He approached Dipson about buying it.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Sure, we all think a little more about how to help the environment on Earth Day. But for the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, it’s something they do every day.

Senior Program Manager Wendy Paterson joined us on Friday morning to talk about cleaning and protecting natural resources.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Some of the ways you can help preserve the Earth involve what you eat.

As we celebrate Earth Day on Friday, Jen White from the Lexington Co-Op joined us to talk about foods that are good for both the environment and ourselves.

If you don’t know what to make for dinner later, watch the video above for some ideas.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Bills Mafia is loud, devoted and full of generosity. Evidence of that is the Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing at Oishei Chidren’s Hospital.

Friday’s Hope Rises portion of Wake Up! showed us how Bills fans made this happen and the good work that’s being done there.

Josh Allen: ‘So indebted to this great community’ after hospital wing named for his grandmother opens at Oishei

Oishei President Allegra Jaros joined us, along with Cameron Suchora, who is living a better life thanks to the hospital’s neurosurgery team.

Hear about him and the work Oishei is doing to help children in the videos above and below.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — You voted for Pubski Pub as the winner of Buffalo’s Best Polish Dish! Take a look at why they’re the winner in the video above.

BUFFALO’S BEST DETAILS

Buffalo’s Best is the official way to celebrate all things Buffalo and Western New York because this is where YOU decide the best of the best!

Join the thousands of people every week who make their voices heard. We need your expertise, your insight, your taste buds. Come on and tell us who is Buffalo’s Best!

Nominations

Each week we will have an open call for nominations on that week’s topic, which runs from Friday 5 a.m. until Tuesday 9 a.m.

Voting

Voting on the top four nominees runs Tuesday 12 p.m. until Thursday 9 a.m.

Big Reveal

The winner will be revealed, as voted on by you, on Friday morning on News 4 Wake Up!

*Winning locations must be within the WIVB-TV viewing area.