Category: PostNews

HAMBURG N.Y. (WIVB) – As the war wages in Ukraine and Russia furthers their invasion, a Hamburg couple is asking for the community’s help. News 4 caught up with Alina and Jon Pierowicz who are trying to get their loved ones out of the war torn country.

“It’s been extremely difficult for my family because they’re in Brovary, in one of the villages with the soldiers there. We don’t know what to do, we don’t know who to turn to. We feel extremely helpless,” Alina said.

Alina is originally from Ukraine and moved to Western New York when she was a child.

Alina and her father arriving to the U.S.

She still has more than a dozen relatives in Ukraine, close to where the violence is.

“Most of my family on my mom’s side still lives in Ukraine,” Alina said. “They are extremely scared of evacuating.”

With the war going on she’s had limited contact with her family there.

“The last four days or so it’s been in and out with reception, the service there,” said she. “A lot of the times when we can’t contact them, we don’t know if they’re still alive or if the family is no longer alive.”

Alina and Jon decided to help Alina’s family get out of Ukraine and somewhere safe and so they started a GoFundMe.

“We had so many people reach out to us, reach out to my wife Alina, asking what can we do to help,” Jon said.

The Pierowicz family says traveling to the border of Ukraine and Poland from where their loved ones are, is dangerous.

“When you hear stories of people that you know from their village going through something like this you end up fearing for their life and you don’t know what to do and having zero control here in America,” Alina said.

The couple says ideally they’d want to bring their family to Western New York.

“A desired outcome would certainly be an evacuation to Poland and then to America,” Jon said. “The difficulty, as my wife mentioned, is that our grandfather is in a wheelchair. Transporting anyone in a wheelchair is difficult, let alone in Ukraine, let alone through a war zone.”

The couple has raised more than $6,000 so far, which is going toward evacuation expenses, first aid supplies, food and clothing.

“These people were trying to develop their nation, live in peace and they deserve our support,” Jon said. “The bravery they’ve displayed in protecting their independence is something that’s worthy of our support.”

Alina is also a real estate agent and says 100 percent of the commission on her next closing is going toward helping her family and other families in Ukraine.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — State lawmakers are now calling on Governor Hochul to allow funding for free breakfast and lunch for students in grades K-12 in the New York State budget.

“So many students across New York and across the U.S. are food insecure,” explained Julie Raway of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “One in Five in New York State, and it’s really important that they have access to school meals. A healthy nutrient-rich meal at school every day.”

In an effort to help students in grades K-12 focus better in school, some state lawmakers would like the governor to include Healthy Meals for all New York Kids in the state budget.

“The program will cost about $200 Million, stated Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas. “But we have to remember, it’s $200 Million in a New York State budget of $216 Billion. So, it’s really a drop in the bucket to ensure that our school children across the state have access to healthy nutritious meals.”

This would provide free, healthy breakfast and lunch for students regardless of where they live and their family’s income level.

“50 percent of their nutrients they can access at school,” said Raway. “So with school breakfast and lunch, there’s a lot of fruits and vegetables offered, whole grains, proteins in milk which is a well-balanced meal for a student and gets them ready to learn throughout the day.”

At the start of the pandemic, a federal program similar to this was implemented in some schools across the state. However, it is set to expire in June. That’s why advocates are pushing for this to be put in place statewide soon.

“If the wavier expires and we take no action, over 2,000 schools would be impacted across the state and 800,000 students. So that’s so many lives that will be impacted by lack of access to healthy breakfast and lunch in schools,” said González-Rojas.

Assemblymember González-Rojas added states such as New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine already does this and that New York should follow suit. Capitol Correspondent, Jamie DeLine reached out to Governor Hochul’s office for a comment but did not get a response.

LEWISTON, N.Y. (WIVB) – More than 150 workers at Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston are on strike Wednesday as they ask the nursing home’s owner for better pay and better staffing.

Members of 1199 SEIU have been working without a contract since December 31, union officials say. Their next negotiation session is scheduled for March 21.

“We deserve better wages,” said Jackie Vincent, a nurse at the facility. “We work hard. We’ve worked through COVID. We’ve had people quit. The ones that are here now striking, we’re the ones that stayed and weathered the storm.”

Staffing shortages have been a constant concern across the health care industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Theresa Tomlin, who has been a CNA at Our Lady of Peace for 11 years, believes better pay will get more workers in the door.

“We need to meet our competitors’ wages,” Tomlin said. “This little chump change isn’t working anymore.”

According to Grace Bogdanove, the Vice President for 1199 SEIU’s Western New York Nursing Home Division, Ascension Living is offering starting rates betwen $1 and $5 below the standard starting rates for area facilities.

A spokesperson for Ascension Living didn’t specifically address that claim. But in a statement, she did say the organization was “disappointed” the union proceeded with the strike Wednesday.

“We have been bargaining in good faith with SEIU and look forward to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement,” the spokesperson said. She added the facility enacted a “comprehensive contingency plan” to take care of residents Wednesday.

Our Lady of Peace has a four-star overall rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, it has just a two-star staffing rating.

The strike organized by 1199 SEIU will last just one day. Members will be back at work at 7 a.m. Thursday.

LEWISTON, N.Y. (WIVB) — Effective immediately, Artpark is dropping any entry requirements related to COVID-19.

The Lewiston venue announced that guests no longer need to wear a mask to get in, nor do they need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test.

Numerous concerts at Artpark have recently been announced. Most recently, they shared that Death Cab for Cutie, Ziggy Marley and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats will be appearing over the summer.

Other artists coming to Artpark include Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello, Jack White and “Weird Al” Yankovic.

The New York State budget legislation enacted in 2021 included an expansion of the Excelsior Jobs Incentives Program. The Excelsior Jobs Incentives Program provides job creation and investment incentives for businesses in targeted industries in the form of refundable tax credits that can be claimed over a benefit period of up to 10 years, if the eligible business meets and maintains established job and investment thresholds.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The man who’s currently serving 64 years to life in prison for killing a woman and her grandchild has admitted to another fatal shooting that happened more than a year earlier.

Kenyatta Austin, 29, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 24-year-old Luis Flores. In March 2017, Flores was shot on E. Ferry Street near Bissell Avenue, dying a short time later.

In July of the following year, Austin killed Yvette Johnson, 54, and her 17-month-old grandson Kyrie Johnson. It happened outside a home on Grape Street.

Two other people were shot during that incident, but they lived.

For the killing of Flores, Austin could be sentenced to 25 years in prison. He’ll be back in court on May 9.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — March 7-11 is National School Breakfast Week, and the Buffalo Public Schools’ Food Service Department is making sure all students have access to a healthy breakfast every day. Part of that initiative comes in the form of their “Farm to You to School Food Truck.”

The colorful, mobile meal option brings hot breakfast and lunch to students throughout the district.
The Buffalo Public School’s Food Service Department provides healthy breakfast to over 70 schools throughout Buffalo.

On Thursday, March 10, the truck will be at the Occupational Training Center. On Friday, March 11, they will be at the Math, Science, Technology Prep School.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — From a now-deleted Twitter account, attorney Todd Aldinger announced that he will not be running for office.

After previously sharing his interest in filling the seat for the newly re-mapped NY-24 in Congress, the Republican says it’s no longer in his plans.

Attorney Todd Aldinger intends to run for Congress if NY is re-mapped

“I needed much more support than I have received to stay and fight in New York,” Aldinger wrote.

In fact, Aldinger’s not only giving up his potential run for Congress, he’s not even planning to stay in the state.

“I will no longer be around to take your legal cases. I will be looking to move out of state ASAP,” he wrote.

Instead, Aldinger has thrown his support behind Andrew McCarthy, who’s also running for New York’s 24th Congressional District.

“Thanks to everyone who supported me,” Aldinger concluded. “But now is not the right time for me.”

Aldinger first announced his intention to run for office at the end of January pending New York’s re-mapping, which was made official by Gov. Kathy Hochul days later.

Gov. Hochul signs new State and Congressional redistricting maps into law

“If I am fortunate enough to be elected to Congress, my first bill will be to abolish the CDC. Some of its responsibilities can be delegated to the states, others (like bioterrorism preparedness) will need a new home in the federal government,” a message posted to the Todd Aldinger for Congress, NY-24 Facebook page read. “But that agency has demonstrated too much incompetency during this pandemic to be salvaged in anything resembling its current form.”

As an attorney, Aldinger has been known for standing with people in opposition to COVID-related protocols.

Last year, he represented clients in a lawsuit against the Williamsville Central School District. Ultimately, in May, the Williamsville and Orchard Park school districts were required to offer options for learning in-person five days a week.

The attorney also worked alongside Ralph Lorigo in an attempt to convince Moog to join a group of employees in litigation against a federal vaccine mandate.

One of Aldinger’s clients, Robby Dinero, has been the subject of controversy over the course of the pandemic. Dinero, who owns Athletes Unleashed in Orchard Park, was arrested in December after police there say he “reportedly has had previous violations of the Orchard Park Central School District’s Code of Conduct.”

Here are some of the cases Aldinger was involved with:

Orchard Park police say gym owner who entered high school was charged with criminal trespassingMoog will not join group of employees in litigation opposing federal vaccine mandateLawsuits filed against Williamsville, Clarence Central School Districts by parents demanding a return to 5-day week schoolingOrchard Park Gym Athletes Unleased granted injunction against New York State

Aldinger has not been the only person interested in representing the new 24th District come election time. Chris Jacobs, who currently represents NY-27, is looking to keep a seat in the House of Representatives.

On the same day Aldinger announced his intentions to run for NY-24 if it was re-mapped, Jacobs shared his plans to do the same. According to Jacobs, more than 400,000 of the people currently represented by his district will be in the new 24th District.

The map change was the result of population loss in New York, causing the state to lose a seat in Congress.

According to FiveThirtyEight, the new map includes 20 Democratic-leaning seats, four Republican-leaning seats and two seats that don’t strongly lean one way or the other. They say it would give Democrats more of an advantage in Congressional representation.

MORE | New York lawmakers unveil map that would boost number of Democratic seats

The next election to determine members of Congress will take place in November.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says Ukrainian refugees are welcome in the Queen City.

According to Brown, the federal government is planning to work with local refugee groups to give people a safe place to stay.

“We feel horrible about this terrible, senseless attack on a sovereign nation,” Brown said. “People are really suffering in Ukraine and anything that we can do to support the people of Ukraine at this time, including taking refugees, we will do that in the City of Buffalo.”

It’s not clear if any Ukrainian refugees are on their way to western New York yet.