Category: PostNews

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Crime Stoppers is offering up to $7,500 for information on a 2016 homicide.

Christina Banks was killed on July 25 of that year. Authorities say it happened on Vermont Street in Buffalo.

Anyone with information that could help law enforcement solve this crime can call (716) 867-6161 or submit a tip through the Buffalo Tips app.

(WIVB) — National Fuel Gas workers in parts of New York and Pennsylvania could be going on strike after the recent expiration of their contract.

Workers in southwest New York and northwest Pennsylvania are represented by IBEW Local 2154. The union says negotiations for a new contract recently came to an abrupt end after they could not come to an agreement with National Fuel Gas about wages and terms of employment.

According to Local 2154, National Fuel presented a “final offer,” which was overwhelmingly rejected by the union.

The previous contract, which was ratified four years ago, expired on April 13.

The union is fighting for better pay, saying that employees in the mentioned regions make less than those in regions around them.

More than 4,000 gallons of oily waste removed during USS The Sullivans cleanup

“Under the terms National Fuel Gas has recently decided to impose, wages for most employees in the regions of Northwest Pennsylvania and Southwest New York State will be approximately twenty percent lower than the wages National Fuel Gas pays to workers in neighboring regions,” Local 2154 says.

The other point the two sides could not agree on relates to employees being terminated.

“IBEW Local 2154 wants its members to have protection from being subject to termination without
just cause,” the union says. “Currently, the terms National Fuel Gas is imposing on its employees in Northwest Pennsylvania and Southwest New York State eliminates the due process, union representation, and need to present just cause, which employees in neighboring regions are given in disciplinary matters.”

Local 2154 Business Manager Heather Owczarzak says “Pennsylvania contract employees are not
accepting being treated as second class employees any longer.”

A strike vote has been put in place, and will go until April 29 at 5 p.m. A decision on whether or not to strike will be made after that.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Three vehicles were damaged in an overnight crash at Fillmore Avenue and Genesee Street.

It happened shortly after Midnight. It’s not clear what led to the crash, but the vehicles involved were identified as a Tesla and two Jeeps.

It’s not clear if anyone was injured or charged in this crash. News 4 will provide more information when it’s available.

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — According to NFTA officials, a 24-year-old woman from Sacramento, Calif. was arrested at Buffalo Niagara International Airport Tuesday night after what is being described as “unruly behavior.”

“Cynthia McKnight faces a number of charges including disorderly conduct, harassment, trespass and criminal mischief,” NFTA Director of Public Affairs Helen Tederous told News 4. “According to detectives, McKnight actually opened the cabin door of the plane. The American Airlines flight was on route to Chicago.”

The pilot was reportedly preparing to take off, but because of the disorderly passenger, had to return to the gate when the incident occurred. 

BPD releases bodycam video, holds presser on Tasering of rape suspect who jumped from roof

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown was onboard the plane as the incident occurred and tweeted about it afterword.

“Sitting on a plane. A lady is pissed,” Brown said. “Lady pulls the emergency inflatable slide to escape the plane. Lady is running wild through the tarmac currently. Cops have arrived. Flight ruined. Memories made. Noice”

He capped the post off with a thumbs up emoji and later posted a photo of the slide on the tarmac from his spot on the plane.

Local attorney Alfonzo Cutaia tweeted his view of the incident from inside the plane and shared the above photo with News 4.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — State and local prosecutors are looking into allegations Buffalo Public Schools’ drinking water could be tainted, due to corrupt water testing practices. School officials are also on the alert, and it’s all based on a tip.

That tip came from a retired school engineer, who claims he was involved in the shady water testing nearly five years ago, and cited lead levels in one city school that are nearly 10 times what the EPA considers hazardous.

Alarmed by the tip that the drinking water in Buffalo Public Schools could be tainted — literally and figuratively — by corruption, parents and community leaders met with officials from the school district to get answers and come up with a plan of action.

“It appears, many times when it comes to inner city children, we are considered collateral damage,” Bishop Michael Badger of Urban Think Tank said.

The Urban Think Tank highlighted lead in the water at two Buffalo schools that were well above what are considered “action level,” based on tests taken last year. Lead levels at the Charles Drew Science Magnet, at two locations in the school, reached three times the established threshold.

At School 39, the lead at one of the faucets reached almost 10 times the action level.

“Any lead exposure is bad, but students who have high lead exposure have lifelong consequences, as it relates to their cognitive development,” parent Aymanuel Radford said.

Buffalo school officials said in instances where elevated lead levels are discovered, parents are notified and urged to have their children tested, but that is as far as they can go.

“We can’t mandate for parents to get their children tested,” Interim BPS Superintendent Tonja Williams said. “But we give them the information, we give them where they can get tested, and we strongly encourage it.”

Parents and community leaders have pointed out exposure to lead in paint and water pipes can a have a number of developmental consequences that are hard to turn around.

“Lead cannot be undone,” Sam Radford of We the Parents said. “No amount of lead exposure is safe. We have heard that our children have been exposed to lead in the schools, possibly.”

The parents conceded lead exposure in the schools is just one possibility, because the school district has been replacing lead pipes with new ones, and because children are more apt to come across lead paint at home due to Buffalo’s older housing stock.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo man was arraigned Tuesday morning on charges of attempted criminal sexual acts.

Juliene Moore, 40, also known as Julian Johnson, was arraigned in Erie County Court on one count of attempted criminal sexual act in the first and second degrees, a Class C and Class E felony, respectively, as well as one count of attempted sexual abuse in the first degree, a Class E felony.

If convicted of all charges, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

According to the DA’s office, Moore allegedly approached a minor on the North Buffalo Rails to Trails path near Heath Street and Angle Street in Buffalo on March 31. He is accused of grabbing the victim’s waist from behind and covering the victim’s mouth with his other hand, while attempting to subject them to sexual contact by force. The victim reportedly screamed and tried to fight off the attack. The victim did not know Moore, who is said to have rode off on a bicycle when two bystanders intervened.

Moore was arrested shortly after and was arraigned on April 1 on charges of attempted criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child.

He is scheduled to return on May 5 on Tuesday’s charges and continues to remain held without bail.

ERIE COUNTY N.Y. (WIVB) – Local governments in Western New York will soon start to receive the first payouts from opioid lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Western New York will receive nearly $13 million.

“These funds are the result of our litigation against big pharma, for the devastation and the destruction they have caused not only in New York but all across this nation,” she said Tuesday during a Zoom news conference, adding that the money will be put to good use.

“These funds will go directly into treatment, prevention and education efforts,” she said. “These funds will have an immediate impact.”

A little more than $8 million of those funds will go to Erie County, while the city of Buffalo will receive 582-thousand dollars.

“The resources provided from the resettlements will be helpful in our efforts to battle opioid addiction in the city of Buffalo,” said Mayor Byron Brown.

“This is a settlement that is fair for the people of our state,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “The dollars will be used to stop drugs from coming into our community, and to help those who are addicted get off their drugs so they can once again live their best lives possible.”

Poloncarz said the county did see a rise in opioid-related deaths during the pandemic. He said prior to the pandemic, the county’s numbers were declining. He wants the county to get back to seeing fewer opioid deaths, and said these funds can help the county get there.

“We are doing better than we were in early 2020 and early 2021, but we’d like to get back to the point where we were a few years ago, in which we were declining in overdoses and deaths,” he said. “The reason that happened is because of a unified effort by all on the state level and the local level to address this in every way possible and we’re going to continue working hard to make certain that, that older trend continues.”

James said $197 million will be distributed statewide and the funds represent payments for just this year, and that there is more money to come.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — We’re all still paying too much at the pump, but help could be on the way.

The state has already approved a cut in sales taxes, and now counties in Western New York — including Niagara — are looking into doing the same.

Niagara County Economic Development Chairman Rich Andres joined News 4 at 4 Tuesday to discuss possible tax cuts.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As crews work around the clock on USS The Sullivans, the community is doing everything it can to make those long days a little easier.

Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park officials said since last week, people and businesses in the community have been donating food, money, and anything else the crew needs.

Naval park education director Steven Tedesco said the food donations give them one less thing to worry about during this tough time.

“The food has just been coming in and we have [about] 58 people today and that’s a lot of people that are hungry and they want to keep their mind on safety and so do we, so the food coming in has been an absolute blessing, really,” he said.

The Little Bakery in Niagara Falls and Sports City Pizza in Buffalo each donated several pizzas.

Tuesday’s lunch was donated by Pat Ardent, a staff member at the naval park gift shop.

The team at the Explore and More museum donated money and food.

Joe Miranda and his family gave the crew two microwaves, which are now set up on site.

Freed Maxick CPAs committed to buying the crew breakfast and lunch.

Tedesco said the city is living up to its reputation.

“The outreach has been absolutely amazing the support that the community, that Buffalo, has given to us- you know they call it the city of good neighbors for a reason and it is shining through right now.”

He said eventually they’ll need help cleaning on site and he has no doubt the community will step up once again – because that’s Buffalo.

Anyone else looking to donate can visit savethesullivans.org or just bring food down to the naval park.

Kayla Green is a reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.

………………..

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Police will be holding a press conference at 4 p.m. today to address the Tasering and arrest of a rape suspect who jumped from a roof last week in an attempt to flee the scene.

The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning near the intersection of W. Utica Street and Brayton Street. Victor Cramer-Williams, 27, was taken to ECMC for treatment of his leg after fighting off officers and jumping off the roof.

The press conference will be live streamed above and this article will be updated following Commissioner Gramaglia’s remarks. With this being the second use of Tasers following the BPD’s implementation of the new Taser program, Gramaglia will be addressing the program and the department’s efforts to be more transparent.