Top Stories
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Bills fans paid $1.08 million in Erie County’s stadium surcharge in August. Where does it go?
A 6% Erie County surcharge on tickets, food and merchandise at the new Highmark Stadium raised $1.08 million in August alone. Where…
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Sabres keep digging out of early holes, and Lindy Ruff wants them to stop digging
The Sabres keep rallying from two-goal deficits, including Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss in Montreal. Coach Lindy Ruff’s verdict: “We’ve got to fix…
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UB keeps the Flagship Cup in overtime and climbs to 4-3 in its first season at Broadview Stadium
UB rallied to beat UMass in overtime and keep the Flagship Cup, moving to 4-3 and 2-1 in the MAC in its…
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Volunteer firefighter tax credit quadruples to $800, but Hochul’s office describes a narrower law than lawmakers passed
Gov. Hochul signed a bill raising the volunteer firefighter and EMS tax credit from $200 to $800. Her office says it starts…
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Bills are 4-1, but Jim Leonhard says his defense can’t keep waiting for Josh Allen to rescue it
The Bills are 4-1, but defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard says a unit giving up historic numbers can’t keep relying on Josh Allen to bail it out. “Everything’s being evaluated.”
Latest Headlines
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Niagara SPCA gets $5,000 county boost as grace year for New York’s new shelter rules runs out
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No charges in Cheektowaga Flock camera misuse, leaving discipline and oversight as the open questions
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WNY ‘No Kings’ rallies turn protest energy toward early voting
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Buffalo schools revise closure plan after community pushback on high school merger and bilingual seats
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HEAP winter heating aid opens Nov. 2 as delivered-fuel benefits rise
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Alberta votes Monday on a path to separation as Carney warns ‘some outside our borders’ want to break Canada
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Brooklyn judge tosses Trump’s sanctuary suit against New York City and finds a key federal information-sharing law unconstitutional
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WNY ‘No Kings’ rallies turn protest energy toward early voting
Saturday’s No Kings rallies across Western New York pushed early voting Oct. 24–Nov. 1. Mayor Sean Ryan, Supervisor…
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Buffalo schools revise closure plan after community pushback on high school merger and bilingual seats
Buffalo Public Schools is revising its eight-school closure proposal, shifting a high school merger to East Community and…
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Buffalo Water Board sues 17 companies over PFAS in Lake Erie as city tests show levels near federal limit
The Water Board’s lawsuit targets makers of PFAS firefighting foam. Buffalo Water’s own report shows PFOS in treated…
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City declares Broadway Barns emergency after concrete panels fall, winter plow gear at risk
Mayor Sean Ryan declared an emergency at the Broadway Barns after concrete panels fell onto plow equipment, leaving…
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Volunteer firefighter tax credit quadruples to $800, but Hochul’s office describes a narrower law than lawmakers passed
Gov. Hochul signed a bill raising the volunteer firefighter and EMS tax credit from $200 to $800. Her…
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HEAP winter heating aid opens Nov. 2 as delivered-fuel benefits rise
New York’s HEAP season opens Nov. 2 with higher oil and wood benefits. Western New York received 132,462…
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Hochul opens $76 million county infrastructure round, raising housing-linked award caps
Gov. Kathy Hochul opened a $76 million county infrastructure round with higher award caps for projects that unlock…
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New York is $7.3 billion ahead of its tax forecast at midyear. Watchdogs are split on what to do with it
Comptroller DiNapoli reports state tax receipts ran $7.3 billion above projections through September, driven by Wall Street and…
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Alberta votes Monday on a path to separation as Carney warns ‘some outside our borders’ want to break Canada
Alberta’s 10-question referendum asks whether to start the legal process toward a binding vote on leaving Canada. Prime…
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A year after Trump’s promise, New York is still owed $87 million in counterterror grants
Thirteen New York Democrats are demanding DHS release $87 million in counterterror grants still owed to the state.…
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With talks stalled and a Jan. 1 auto tariff looming, the Niagara Frontier braces for a longer trade war
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says Washington is “holding fast” with Canada. New Statistics Canada data show Canadians’…
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DHS records on Batavia ICE expansion leave out beds, staffing and even whether it’s a tent
Documents released by Rep. Tim Kennedy show a $16.7 million no-bid contract for a women’s detention structure in…
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Brooklyn judge tosses Trump’s sanctuary suit against New York City and finds a key federal information-sharing law unconstitutional
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s suit against New York City’s sanctuary laws and held that 8…
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Bend police say teen gunman scaled a fence and shot through locked doors before a father stopped him
Police say a 16-year-old former student climbed a fence and shot through locked glass doors at Silver Rail…
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Pro-Israel PAC goes in balls deep with San Francisco’s Wiener
By Staff Reporter State Senator Scott Wiener, the leading candidate to succeed Nancy Pelosi in California’s 11th Congressional…
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Storied Buffalo attorney, Jim Ostrowski, may become National Chairman of the Libertarian Party
By Staff Reporter February 23, 2026 In the ever-evolving world of American third-party politics, the Libertarian Party (LP) stands…
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Niagara SPCA gets $5,000 county boost as grace year for New York’s new shelter rules runs out
Niagara County legislators gave the Niagara SPCA $5,000 to upgrade kennels under New York’s new shelter standards, as…
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Niagara County weighs suing Albany over immigration law it says shields noncitizen voting, though the law exempts election work
The Niagara County Legislature votes Tuesday on suing the state over a new limit on helping immigration agents,…
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Taylor Devices clears IDA hearing for $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in North Tonawanda
Taylor Devices cleared an NCIDA public hearing for an $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in vacant North Tonawanda…
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Love Canal family wants out of its 99th Street home. The state says the data don’t show the landfill is to blame
A petition to relocate the McKiernan family and reinvestigate Love Canal puts the DEC and Health Department on…
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No charges in Cheektowaga Flock camera misuse, leaving discipline and oversight as the open questions
Erie County prosecutors won’t charge three Cheektowaga police employees who used Flock cameras to track a co-worker for…
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Tops gunman’s lawyers say Western New York’s jury lists shortchange Black residents as death-penalty jury selection begins
Payton Gendron’s lawyers moved to dismiss his federal indictment the day before jury selection, arguing Black residents are…
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Buffalo-to-Jamestown drug ring case ends in pleas, with sentences far below the maximums
All seven defendants in the attorney general’s fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine case pleaded guilty. The alleged leader got…
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Parolee pleads guilty to attempted possession of an illegal gun
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 34-year-old Shawn A. Saunders of Buffalo pleaded guilty this…
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With the grape crush ending, Lake Erie growers who lost their buyer are still waiting on help
A Fredonia processor is offering a late outlet for grapes left without a buyer after Refresco canceled 126…
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Taylor Devices clears IDA hearing for $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in North Tonawanda
Taylor Devices cleared an NCIDA public hearing for an $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in vacant North Tonawanda…
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Upstate Niagara’s West Seneca dairy expansion has more than doubled in cost. Now it’s back for more tax relief
The farmer-owned cooperative’s plan has grown from $150 million to $325 million in two years, and it needs…
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Amazon’s Town of Niagara warehouse is hiring. Now comes the test of its $123 million tax break
Amazon is hiring up to 1,000 workers at its Lockport Road fulfillment center, backed by one of the…
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Bills are 4-1, but Jim Leonhard says his defense can’t keep waiting for Josh Allen to rescue it
The Bills are 4-1, but defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard says a unit giving up historic numbers can’t keep…
-
Bills fans paid $1.08 million in Erie County’s stadium surcharge in August. Where does it go?
A 6% Erie County surcharge on tickets, food and merchandise at the new Highmark Stadium raised $1.08 million…
-
Sabres keep digging out of early holes, and Lindy Ruff wants them to stop digging
The Sabres keep rallying from two-goal deficits, including Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss in Montreal. Coach Lindy Ruff’s verdict:…
-
UB keeps the Flagship Cup in overtime and climbs to 4-3 in its first season at Broadview Stadium
UB rallied to beat UMass in overtime and keep the Flagship Cup, moving to 4-3 and 2-1 in…
Latest News
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With the grape crush ending, Lake Erie growers who lost their buyer are still waiting on help
A Fredonia processor is offering a late outlet for grapes left without a buyer after Refresco canceled 126 contracts. Growers say a $20 million federal juice purchase did…
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Tops gunman’s lawyers say Western New York’s jury lists shortchange Black residents as death-penalty jury selection begins
Payton Gendron’s lawyers moved to dismiss his federal indictment the day before jury selection, arguing Black residents are systematically underrepresented in the district’s jury lists. Here is what…
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Canadians are driving back to the U.S., but not across the Peace Bridge, StatCan data show
Canadian car trips home from the U.S. rose 5.6% in September. At Fort Erie, the Canadian end of the Peace Bridge, they fell 2.1% and remain 35% below…
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Niagara County weighs suing Albany over immigration law it says shields noncitizen voting, though the law exempts election work
The Niagara County Legislature votes Tuesday on suing the state over a new limit on helping immigration agents, arguing it protects ‘illegal non-citizen voting.’ The law itself exempts…
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Buffalo Water Board sues 17 companies over PFAS in Lake Erie as city tests show levels near federal limit
The Water Board’s lawsuit targets makers of PFAS firefighting foam. Buffalo Water’s own report shows PFOS in treated water at up to 3.56 parts per trillion, just under…
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A year after Trump’s promise, New York is still owed $87 million in counterterror grants
Thirteen New York Democrats are demanding DHS release $87 million in counterterror grants still owed to the state. Erie County says the program funds police radios and in-car…
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Gillibrand bill would let Washington and the Seneca Nation end New York’s criminal jurisdiction on Seneca land
A Senate companion to Rep. Nick Langworthy’s bill would let the Justice Department and the Seneca Nation end New York’s 1948 criminal jurisdiction on Seneca land. Its broader…
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Hochul opens $76 million county infrastructure round, raising housing-linked award caps
Gov. Kathy Hochul opened a $76 million county infrastructure round with higher award caps for projects that unlock new housing. Applications are due Feb. 5, 2027.
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Taylor Devices clears IDA hearing for $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in North Tonawanda
Taylor Devices cleared an NCIDA public hearing for an $8 million aerospace landing-gear expansion in vacant North Tonawanda buildings, with a November vote on tax incentives.
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City declares Broadway Barns emergency after concrete panels fall, winter plow gear at risk
Mayor Sean Ryan declared an emergency at the Broadway Barns after concrete panels fell onto plow equipment, leaving winter readiness hanging on a failing roof.
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Love Canal family wants out of its 99th Street home. The state says the data don’t show the landfill is to blame
A petition to relocate the McKiernan family and reinvestigate Love Canal puts the DEC and Health Department on a legal clock that could run out in early November.
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With talks stalled and a Jan. 1 auto tariff looming, the Niagara Frontier braces for a longer trade war
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says Washington is “holding fast” with Canada. New Statistics Canada data show Canadians’ car trips from the U.S. are still 31% below 2024…
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Six Nations’ Haldimand Tract lawsuit is finally on trial, and its roots run through New York
Thirty-one years after filing suit, Six Nations of the Grand River is in court against Canada and Ontario over lost lands and trust funds, with potential damages estimated…
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New York is $7.3 billion ahead of its tax forecast at midyear. Watchdogs are split on what to do with it
Comptroller DiNapoli reports state tax receipts ran $7.3 billion above projections through September, driven by Wall Street and business taxes, even as $31.7 billion in out-year budget gaps…
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Upstate Niagara’s West Seneca dairy expansion has more than doubled in cost. Now it’s back for more tax relief
The farmer-owned cooperative’s plan has grown from $150 million to $325 million in two years, and it needs $30 million in generators because grid power isn’t available. A…
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Bend police say teen gunman scaled a fence and shot through locked doors before a father stopped him
Police say a 16-year-old former student climbed a fence and shot through locked glass doors at Silver Rail Elementary, killing three children and a teacher, before a parent…
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Poloncarz’s $2.4 billion budget trims the tax rate but raises the levy as federal cuts loom
Erie County’s proposed 2027 budget cuts the tax rate to $3.01 but collects $12.7 million more. It also absorbs $13.8 million in new SNAP costs, with a possible…
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Waymo brings robotaxi testing to Toronto, setting up a winter test Buffalo will watch
Waymo says its self-driving cars will begin mapping Toronto streets within days, with driverless rides targeted for 2028. A Queen’s University expert warns that snow can blind the…
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DHS records on Batavia ICE expansion leave out beds, staffing and even whether it’s a tent
Documents released by Rep. Tim Kennedy show a $16.7 million no-bid contract for a women’s detention structure in Batavia. The bed count is redacted, and DHS and ICE…
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Dollar General overcharged state investigators on 14% of items. The settlement refunds no shoppers
AG Letitia James’s $1.875 million deal with Dollar General follows secret-shopper visits in Erie and three Finger Lakes counties and hundreds of failed price inspections. The penalty is…
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Buffalo school board faces vote on eight closures as da Vinci students push back
The Buffalo Board of Education could vote Oct. 21 on a plan to close eight schools, merge da Vinci and Research Lab at East High and cut 108…
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Buffalo-to-Jamestown drug ring case ends in pleas, with sentences far below the maximums
All seven defendants in the attorney general’s fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine case pleaded guilty. The alleged leader got 10 years after facing up to 24, and two defendants…
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Amazon’s Town of Niagara warehouse is hiring. Now comes the test of its $123 million tax break
Amazon is hiring up to 1,000 workers at its Lockport Road fulfillment center, backed by one of the largest Amazon incentive packages in the country. Here’s what Niagara…
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Hochul raises heating aid for oil users, but at WNY prices the bigger check buys a third less fuel
HEAP opens Nov. 2 with a $990 base benefit for oil, kerosene and propane. With Western New York heating oil at $6.44 a gallon and federal LIHEAP money…
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Federal judge sends Buffalo’s Seneca One Stop lawsuit back to state court, denies emergency halt
Judge Meredith Vacca remanded the city’s case against Seneca Nation leaders to Erie County Supreme Court and said she lacked authority to grant a restraining order, leaving the…
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Trump urged to ‘seize Panama on paper’ to construct new canals, transcontinental railways
WASHINGTON — Matthew Ricchiazzi, a Washington-based political consultant and founder of Enkindle Capital, is urging President Donald Trump to “seize Panama on paper” by invoking original U.S. rights…
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Blakeman revives Amazon HQ2 project, likes Hirschfeld Properties for rail yard redevelopment
Blakeman expresses private desire to revive Amazon HQ2 project in Long Island City — and wants to make a waterfront rail yard owned by the MTA available for…
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Blakeman will seek ‘Trump funds’ to expand discount airports in NYC suburbs
Expansion of airport terminals at MacArthur, Westchester, and Stewart airports would accommodate discount flights to tourist destinations, alleviating congestion at LGA, JFK Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial…
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Blakeman pledges to address Western New York’s toxic legacy
BY STAFF REPORTER On a stretch of Fox Avenue in the Town of Niagara, where lawns sit beside modest postwar houses and the distant roar of the falls…
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Blakeman may explore National Park status for Adirondacks to boost tourism, federal funding
Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has floated the idea of elevating New York’s Adirondack Park—or significant portions of it—to National Park status, arguing that…
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ORELL: Richard Franke left a legacy on the liberal arts education
By Brent Orell This weekend, the Wall Street Journal marked the passing of Richard J. Franke,…
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TEWS: 5G, Planes, and Progress
By Shane Tews Last week, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s…
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ABRAMS: New England liberal arts colleges are dangerous to American civility
BY SAMUEL J. ABRAMS With their leafy campuses, visually diverse student bodies, well-stocked libraries, and attentive…
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PETHOKOUKIS: So Big Tech massively investing in itself is worrisome now?
By James Pethokoukis Imagine a world much like this one where the most valuable companies were…
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POMERLEAU: A progressive corporate income tax doesn’t make a lot of sense
By Kyle Pomerleau The House version of the budget reconciliation bill includes a provision to raise the corporate…
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