Category: PostNews

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — Holocaust Remembrance Day is this Thursday and a local Holocaust survivor is helping to educate children about an important lesson.

Herman Stone was raised in Munich, Germany, where, eventually, Nazis had complete control.

While speaking to students at Congregation Shir Shalom, he remembered when hatred began to spread through his homeland.

Over time, he and his family were stripped of status, property, and their jobs.

Eventually they were able to escape with $4 to their name. First to England, and then to the United States, where they landed in New York and moved to Buffalo.

Herman has dedicated his life to educating others about those who suffered, and the 6 million Jews murdered.

In a time where there is hatred and discrimination all around the world, Herman says speaking to children is more important than ever.

Herman explained to us, there are different groups that form during these times: the small group that promotes hatred, and the small group that tries to stop them. He says there needs to be more who stand up to what is wrong.

Herman says it’s up to this generation, just like others before them, to make sure this never happens again.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Sunday house fire on Myrtle Avenue in Buffalo started spreading to a neighboring home.

Fire crews told News 4 everyone was evacuated safely, including several pets. The fire reportedly started on the first floor and then traveled upstairs.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) – People in Niagara Falls are raising awareness of suicide prevention one step at a time. Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative held its second annual Walk With Us, a 5K wellness walk to bring people together to share resources and prevent suicide rates from rising.

“We connect together, we heal better together, and walking is a huge way to boost your overall mental health and well-being,” Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative co-chair Brian Archie said during Sunday’s event.

Suicide prevention is a topic that hits very close to home for Archie.

“We’ve all been facing many challenges you know due to COVID-19, and folks mental health was suffering. April for me was a particularly heartwarming month,” he said. “I myself had a son, my oldest son who had died by suicide.”

As the nine-year anniversary of his son’s passing approaches, he says this event is meant to help people, who’ve experienced similar trauma in their lives.

“This is really just like to uplift, we get better together, we heal better together, by learning each other and being connected with one another as a community,” he said. “In that same vain we are able to connect to resources that we might not normally do on our own we it’s brought in the communal type of setting.”

“Post-COVID people have struggled more. With the social isolation, being stuck at home, we want connection and that’s our whole mission through AFSP, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,” AFSP board member and chair Lauren Calabrese said.

In Erie County, Jessica Pirro with Crisis Services says death by suicide rates have gone down over the last two years in the county. However, the rates within teens and young adults are going up, not just in Erie county but statewide.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, death by suicide is the third leading cause of death in New York state for people ages 10-24.

“Those trends have been pretty consistent for a while, it’s how we attack those trends, how we make sure that those around our children are trained in a way to be aware of the signs and symptoms to look for, as well as assuring our young children that they always have somebody they can go and talk to,” Pirro said.

“One of the things we’ve made sure as a community to do, is not only highlight the services available, like our 24-hour hotline at crisis services but also normalizing talking about mental health during this time,” Pirro added.

The 24-hour hotline for Crisis Services is (716) 834-3131.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A police presence was established near the Buffalo and Erie County Naval Park Sunday around 9:30 p.m.

News 4 is investigating the matter and has a reporter on the scene. We will provide updates on the situation as they become available.

This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A new Buffalo-based comic book company will be launching its first comic book at Queen City Bookstore next month.

“I’m super stoked and excited,” creator Tivo Rodriguez told News 4, regarding the release event.

Erie County Comics features a line of Buffalo-themed heroes, including Rustbelt, Kensington Bailey, The Courier and more. Rodriguez describes himself as a lifelong comic book fan and a proud Buffalonian, and is glad to be able to merge his hobby with love for his city to create this line.

He said the comics started as a pandemic project, as he wanted to create stories about Buffalo characters.

The first comic, “RUSTBELT,” will be released May 7 at 10 a.m. Rodriguez will be at the store signing autographs, and a limited amount of t-shirts will be available, as well.

“RUSTBELT” tells the story of the iron-plated protector of Erie County, who is controlled by Amalio Ayala, Rodriguez’s real-life grandfather. Ayala raised Rodriguez since birth, so Rodriguez wanted to make him the star of his first comic. Rodriguez said Ayala passed away last month at the age of 89, but did have the chance to read the comic.

The covers of the first edition of “RUSTBELT,” as well as Erie County Comics’ “The Courier” can be seen below.

May 7 is also Free Comic Book Day at over 2,000 comic book stores worldwide, including Queen City Bookstore.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred just before 4 p.m. Sunday.

According to police, a person was struck by gunfire on Dodge Street, near Gerhardt Street. The victim’s injuries are reportedly serious in nature.

News 4 will provide updates as more information becomes available.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — With Sunday being World Day for Animals in Laboratories, a candlelight vigil has been planned for 7 p.m. at UB South.

The event is being held to bring awareness to animals that have been experimented on globally. Organizer Jeffery Termini said it will be a “peaceful, humble, somber” event and that those opposed to experimentation on animals are not looking to engage or cause any kind of confrontation.

Termini also noted that most experimentation that works on animals does not yield the same results on humans and said the vigil is to bring awareness to animal suffering.

“We want to bring awareness to animals suffering at UB and the world,” Termini said. “There are other ways to reach the goals without using animals for experimentation.”

OAKFIELD, N.Y. (WIVB) — One woman was sent to the hospital, and two cats died in a Genesee County house fire Saturday night.

The fire broke out on Coe Avenue in the Village of Oakfield around 9:36 p.m.

A woman was trapped in the basement of the home where the flames were coming from, and first responders rescued her and several house pets. Two cats died in the fire, according to the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for smoke inhalation treatment. Her current condition is not known.

Coast Guard performs water rescue for kayaker

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, and no damage estimates are available.

The Oakfield Volunteer Fire Department, Elba, Alabama and City of Batavia Fire Departments assisted at the scene.

pictured CAN YOU HEAR NOW? Teens during their Burchfield Penney Arts center performance earlier this year / Street Legacy Photos

Since November of 2017, a team of artists have gathered with multi-talented youth ages 12 to 21 at the Gloria J. Parks Community Center to participate in an open mic performing arts program called, Can You Hear Me Now.  After over 10 weeks of work a teen ensemble will present their annual Can You Hear Me Now? showcase performance on Saturday April 30 at 6 p.m. and Sunday May 1 at 5 p.m. at the African American Cultural Center on 350 Masten Avenue,. Tickets will be $10 at the door, or on-line at https://bit.ly/cyhmn22tickets.

Can You Hear Me Now? is an open mic program that meets Monday and Wednesday evenings to empower young performers to transition from performing covers of commercial songs to developing original poetry, rap, and movement. 

hese young people come from schools around Buffalo.  There are very few spaces where teens can connect with their peers, while being challenged to deepen and refine their work. Teens need more opportunities to develop their creative ideas, their discipline, and communication skills through the performing arts, and to learn how to reach audiences as performers.  

Founded in 2017 by award-winning Hip Hop artist Solomon Dixon, Can You Hear Me Now is directed by Da’Von McCune, rap artist and owner of D Real McCoy Entertainment, and Ashley Watson, a Marriage and Family Counselor, and owner of # Real Talk, a social emotional learning curriculum for youth. Michael Tritto, the Associate Director at Gloria J. Parks Community Center provides administrative support. 

Youth are drawn to this program for both personal and artistic reasons.  On a personal level, the teens love to cheer for the others and to be celebrated by their peers after they present new work each week on the open mic stage.  The young people also participate each week in a 45-minute #REAL TALK workshop to explore in action the inner qualities of their humanity.  These interactive workshops led by Ashley Watson challenge teens to courageously share their feelings and discoveries about 9 life principles, including safety, respect, empathy, love, honesty, confidence, maturity, focus & empowerment. 

These teens get the most excited when the mic is opened each week for youth performances.  Students are challenged to refine works in progress, and to try out new works for the first time.  

This event is produced by the University District Community Development Association (UDCDA), a non-profit agency offering youth, senior citizen, and adult programs at the Gloria J. Parks Community Center, 3242 Main Street and housing and business development services at 995 Kensington Avenue.

This program is funded by a generous grant from the Erie County Youth Bureau.

The African American Cultural Center is co-sponsoring the showcase events on April 30 and May 1.

For more info about the Can You Hear Me Now Free Open Mic & Coffee House 2022 schedule contact Mike Tritto at the Gloria Parks 832-5085

Buffalo native Bishop Matthew L. Brown will return to Western New York   for  the WNY Ecumenical Episcopal Celebration Service at Elim Christian Fellowship, 70 Chalmers Street on Friday,  April 29 at 7 p.m.  A Bishop’s Brunch will follow on Saturday, April 30 at the Acqua, 2192 Niagara Street from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by going to www.matthewlbrown.org

-Anointed Leader-

Bishop Brown  has been described as “an anointed teacher, exceptional administrator, and gifted motivational speaker.”  He is the author of  Becoming Distinctively You: Awakening The Greatness Within. A  thought provoking, passionate  and captivating read  it was  written to discover, accept, celebrate and release to the world one’s personal uniqueness. 

Bishop Brown currently serves as Senior Pastor of Greater  Community Church of God in Christ  in Marietta, Georgia  where he is credited with reinvigorating the church and focusing on “Bringing Kingdom to Community.”   He also serves as Jurisdictional Prelate, Democratic republic of the Congo 2nd Jurisdiction.

With an emphasis on solid praise, worship, and biblical teaching, he is making the word of God – real, relevant and relational in the life of believers and non-church goers alike.

Bishop  Brown’s many years of experience as the Director of Communications to  former Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello  served him well in developing a comprehensive vision that addresses the diverse needs of the people he is committed to serve. As the former pastor of Pentecostal Temple C.O.G.I.C. in Buffalo, over the years he has successfully established the ministry as a beacon of hope to countless individuals and families served by the church. Welcome home Bishop Brown!