Current News

Full edition: The Tribune and The Sentinel for July 3, 2020

Lewiston Tops owner Anthony DiMino is shown presenting a check to Village of Lewiston Mayor Anne Welch. The funds will go toward Fourth of July fireworks on Saturday night.

Four years ago this week, Rock Burger made its debut in Niagara Falls - and waistbands throughout the area are still yet to recover.

With Western New York now officially in phase four of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "NY Forward" reopening plan, and the July 4 weekend at hand, many are opting to remain at home in "stay-cation" mode, as far as any travel plans are concerned.

As the Fourth of July approaches, many residents throughout Niagara County say they are fed up with the barrage of fireworks going off at all hours of the night. Community Facebook forums are filled with countless posts by angry residents who want law enforcement to do more to take care of the problem.

This week, Niagara Community College's Board of Trustees discussed fall reopening plans, including its decision to offer fall-season intercollegiate athletics. The board summarized its official reopening procedures that were submitted to, and ultimately approved by, SUNY on Thursday morning.

John Richard Kilmer Sr., 94, died at his home on Grand Island on Father's Day, June 21, 2020, with his younger daughter, Geraldine Rapp, and son, John Kilmer Jr., by his side.

Boaters, anglers, communities and aquatic life in New York will reap benefits in grant funds, thanks to two U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs focusing on ensuring clean water and recreational access. Funding to states under the Service's Clean Vessel Act (CVA) and Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) programs totals over $32 million nationwide in 2020.

For many, the Fourth of July presents an opportunity to gather with loved ones to celebrate our nation's independence with food, fun and fireworks. While this year's holiday will look different due to social distancing and state limitations on gatherings, AMR still wants to remind residents of Western New York of the importance of holiday safety.

Congressman Brian Higgins announced $1.6 million in additional federal funding for the Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Investment Board (WIB). The funding, which is allocated through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, will be directed to the WIB's Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program. The program previously received two five-year awards; this extends WIB's successful HPOG program for an 11th year.

City Hall is now open to the public with some changes as a result of COVID-19.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will increase patrols to crack down on drunk and drugged driving and other traffic infractions during the 4th of July holiday, beginning Friday, July 3, and running through Sunday, July 5. State Troopers will conduct sobriety checkpoints and target reckless and aggressive driving statewide in an effort to keep New York highways safe during one of the busiest summer holidays for travel.

Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest are throwing a wedding on "Live with Kelly and Ryan"! Bridge and tunnel officers Rasheda Patton and Anthony Presley from Brooklyn had to cancel their June plans due to COVID-19, so "Live" is stepping in to throw them a wedding they'll never forget. During "Live's I in I Do Week," Ripa and Seacrest will feature a week of themed segments and surprises all building up to the wedding ceremony on Friday, July 10.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced state outdoor pools across New York will open for swimming for the July 4 weekend under the standard operating schedule of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Pool-goers are reminded to practice social distancing, respect the rules, and do their part to keep the pool area safe for everyone. Pool capacity will be reduced and is expected to fill quickly. New Yorkers are urged to plan ahead by having alternate destinations ready.

Radio station WEBR is making a comeback to its hometown of Buffalo, at 1440 on the AM dial. After a 27-year absence, this historic "Buffalo Born" radio station looks to have a strong reemergence on local airwaves, which will be music to the ears of Western New Yorkers who could not find any trace of the classic standards from the "Great American Song Book" anywhere on the AM or FM dial.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center announced Thursday that it has conducted more than 5,200 tests of area residents for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The Community Action Organization of WNY has launched a new text messaging service for clients in need called the "CAO text line." The tool was implemented to better serve the community and prepare for the reopening of its sites and services. Text alerts will include important announcements, program and event flyers, contact information, and links to CAO's website pages.

An innovative collaboration with several partners will increase internet access by means of public Wi-Fi hotspots for dozens of rural towns in Niagara and Orleans counties, according to Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey and Orleans County legislator Lynne Johnson, who are co-chairs of the Niagara-Orleans Regional Alliance (NORA). Deployment is already underway.

The July 4th Independence Day holiday has traditionally been the day Town of Grand Island residents celebrate the community like few others in this country. It is a holiday they truly enjoy by inviting family and friends for activities from early morning to late evening when a spectacular fireworks show would light up the sky over the Island and even cause travelers along Interstate 190 to pull over in awe of the colorful displays.

B.J. Thomas, Lisa Loeb, George Thorogood, Corey Taylor alongside Gavin Rossdale, Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of the Eagles), Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge), Lzzy Hale & Joe Hottinger (Halestorm), Jesse Hasek (10 Years), Filter, The Dead Daisies, Chris Robertson (Black Stone Cherry), Starset, Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Ricky Byrd, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel, Joe Grushecky, Kathy Sledge, Bones Owens, Danielia Cotton and Matt Bigland (Dinosaur Pile-Up) are set to perform during United Stations Media Networks and Storic Media Podcast Network present "Rock For Relief" benefit concert supporting Feeding America's COVID-19 response fund on July 3 (8 and 11 p.m. ET).

Peacock, NBCUniversal's new streaming service, announced an agreement to license popular Paramount movies and TV shows from the ViacomCBS library.

Bill Baldwin, a park entertainer for nearly 30 years who played Black Bart - among many roles - in the popular Western shows, proudly said he was shot and fell to the ground in Western Town 28,678 times during his Fantasy Island career. Upon hearing the park was closing, he contacted his friend, Jay Wilcox, a maintenance supervisor at the park for 20 years and now chief operating officer of Empire Adventures Inc. They began brainstorming about what it would take to bring the park back under local ownership and led by a team of former employees.

The Rotary Club of Grand Island's annual Shred-It event on June 27 was such a huge success members have scheduled another one on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to noon in the KeyBank parking lot in the Tops Plaza on Grand Island Boulevard.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced $4.3 million in federal funding is being made available to county emergency management agencies and the City of New York to support COVID-19 planning and operational readiness.

The 2020 summer tourism season has begun in Niagara County, with Western New York now into phase four of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "New York Forward" reopening process.

Allowing someone you don't know to drive away with your belongings is among the many stressful aspects of a long-distance move - especially if that move is complicated or may be prompted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Unfortunately, some people find their stress compounded by fraudulent movers who charge them many times the amount quoted, subject them to unreasonably long delivery windows, hold their items hostage for additional undisclosed fees, and leave them with damaged goods.

With the Fourth of July approaching and communities across the country still battling COVID-19, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) urges everyone to stay safe and take precautions with large gatherings and firework celebrations, but not to hesitate to go to the ER if you have an emergency.

With many traditional Fourth of July events canceled across the country, CNN'S "The Fourth In America" will showcase musical performances from U.S. military bands, iconic singers, Broadway performers, and feature firework shows in multiple U.S. cities.

Artpark & Company is looking for volunteers to check-in, participate and assist guests attending "The Art of Walking" treks at 4 and 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Volunteers will receive a free ticket for a family or friend to accompany them on the walk on the day they volunteer. Walks are one hour long.

Bhuvana Ramkumar, M.D., was appointed medical director of the Golisano Medical Oncology Center at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, which is a member site within the Roswell Park Care Network.

Congressman Brian Higgins announced $98,435 in new federal funding to support telehealth expansion at Erie County Medical Center. The funding, approved by Congress, is distributed through the Federal Communication Commission's COVID-19 telehealth program.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos urged New Yorkers to practice the utmost safety during the upcoming holiday weekend. Dry weather throughout the month of June has increased the risk of fires.

A paper and two editorials by University at Buffalo pediatrics researchers call attention to key issues in health care that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light; they also recommend guidelines for evaluating and treating children infected with COVID-19. All were published in Progress in Pediatric Cardiology.

Congressman Brian Higgins on Tuesday announced two federal grants totaling $2,061,984 to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority for snow removal equipment at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The grants were awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration, under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

A multidisciplinary team of University at Buffalo researchers has received a nearly $184,000 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to develop a reliable measure of recovery capital, a potentially powerful instrument that could drastically change how clinicians and other health and human service providers treat people recovering from alcohol addiction.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the Trump Administration will award nearly $800 million in airport safety and infrastructure grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to 46 states, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Marshall Islands.

The Fourth of July may feel a little different this year due to COVID-19. Smaller barbecues, less parties and limited celebrations filled with displayed fireworks. Although sparklers and similar items can be bought and sold in much of New York, the Firemen's Association of the State of New York urges residents to let professionals handle the fireworks.

With COVID-19 drastically altering how young athletes will be able to spend their summers, NBC Sports and Chelsea Piers present "NBC Sports Camp powered by Chelsea Piers," a free, virtual summer program for 7-to-12-year-old athletes to learn and play a variety of sports from their home turf. "NBC Sports Camp" is a four-week online VOD program starting the week of July 6, offering immersive instruction across more than 10 sports.

HBO renewed the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm," starring Larry David, for an 11th season, it was announced Tuesday by Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO programming.