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Democratic Congressman Eric Massa officially resigned yesterday afternoon. But Massa, who claimed the White House and the Democratic Party were out to get him, did not go quietly.  In a radio interview, Massa called White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, quote, “the son of the devil’s spawn.”  Massa claimed Emanuel, quote, “would sell his mother to get a vote,” and “would strap his children to the front of a steam locomotive.”  Massa criticized Emanuel for confronting him in a gym shower over a congressional vote, one of the few Democratic votes against healthcare reform.

A retrial is about to begin for a man previously convicted in two 1981 murders. Robie Drake is being retried on two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of teenagers Amy Smith and Steven Rosenthal as they sat in a car in North Tonawanda.  The final juror and two alternates are due to be selected Tuesday morning and then opening statements will be made.  Drake was convicted in 1982 and sentenced to serve two consecutive terms of 25 years to life.  After years of appeals, he finally won a new trial last year, when a federal appeals court ruled that there had been prosecutorial misconduct as well as perjury by a witness in the original trial.

A Wilson man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to kill his ex-wife.  68-year-old Jonathan Cheek allegedly attacked the woman in her Amherst home on January 13th before trying to run her car off the road.  Cheek has been indicted on charges of attempted murder, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.  He is free on 100-thousand dollars bail.

Congressman Chris Lee wants the federal government to save some green by going “green.”  Lee is introducing a measure for Congress to stop making copies of legislation.  The Republican representative says the feds could save more than two-million dollars a year if they did not print out five copies of every bill for every member of the House and Senate.  He says the documents could be delivered electronically to save resources.

A Derby man has been found guilty of fraud.  40-year-old Shane bought a 52-inch flat screen television and other appliances and with what he called a bonded promissory note from HSBC Bank.  Buczek alleged that he had 100-million dollars in a Treasury Department account.  He also faces a trial next month on passport fraud and will face contempt of court charges in June.

Family members and friends packed Buffalo-Niagara International Airport Monday night to welcome back gold-medal bobsledder Steve Mesler.  Mesler’s flight from Charlottetouched down about an hour late but that didn’t diminish the enthusiasm among those waiting.  Mesler was one of four members of “The Night Train” bobsled team, piloted by Steve Holcomb.

A new poll finds a majority of New Yorkers believe Governor Paterson should remain in office until the end of his term.  The Siena College poll found that 55 percent of respondents do not believe that Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch should finish the governor’s term.  And an even larger majority, 71 percent, would rather see Paterson finish his term than have the state Legislature move to impeach him.

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Governor David Paterson is facing more trouble. A state commission charges that the governor lied under oath about taking free Yankees tickets to Game One of the 2009 World Series, and allegedly offering to pay for the pricey seats with a backdated check.  The state Public Integrity Commission is turning over the case to the state Attorney General and Albany County District Attorney to see if criminal charges should be filed.  Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says the governor needs to speak out about the latest distraction.

Governor Paterson is contesting the findings from the state panel, insisting he did nothing wrong.  The state ethics laws bar the governor and his staff from accepting gifts from lobbyists.  The Yankees were registered as a lobbyist in order to secure funding for the new Yankee Stadium.

Governor Paterson says he’ll be vindicated as another investigation continues into his alleged role in a domestic violence incident involving one of his top aides.  Paterson says he’s frustrated, but can’t disclose any information while he cooperates with Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s probe. According to the “New York Times,” a mutual friend of the governor and Sherr-una Booker said that Paterson asked her to convince Booker to drop the issue.  Deneane Brown reportedly told investigators that she arranged a call between the woman and Paterson.  Paterson says he’s angry that facts have been mis-stated and lies are being told in the case, and he hopes Cuomo’s investigation leads to the truth.

Freshman Congressman Eric Massa has suddenly dropped his re-election plans.  Massa, a Democrat representing traditionally  Republican rural areas in the Southern Tier and south of Rochester, cites the recurrence of cancer for his abrupt decision to retire.  Massa denied what he called “unsubstantiated” allegations that he harassed a junior male aide.  The House ethics committee is investigating the allegations.  The 50-year-old Massa apparently did not inform his party about his plans in advance.

What appears to be the fourth suicide attempt in under three months at the Erie County Holding Center is being investigated. 29-year-old Jeremy Kiekbush was found dead, hanging by a bed sheet in his cell just after 12 noon yesterday.  Kiekbush been in the Holding Center for a single night after allegedly trying to run over a police officer during a chase Monday night.   Kiekbush’s wife says she reported to Amherst police that he had threatened to harm himself. The latest suicide comes as a federal lawsuit continues against the jail, claiming poor conditions and a suicide rate five times the national average.  Erie County officials have been hesitant to send in a federal suicide prevention expert.

An Amherst man accused in a shooting last September is facing attempted murder charges.  Thirty-one-year-old Philip Purdue was arrested in Buffalo for wounding Shawn Wilson last September 19th.  Purdue is being held without bail.  Wilson survived the shooting, but was found dead a month later.  His death is being investigated.

Police in Tonawanda are crediting an alert citizen with helping to nab the so-called zip-tie bandits.  Cops say a resident near Katz Jewelers on Delaware Avenue called police Tuesday morning to report suspicious activity.  Investigators say 20-year-old Arthur Swain was busted coming out of the store with a duffel bag allegedly containing an AK-47 gun.  Police say 19-year-old Joshua Green was waiting in a getaway car.  Authorities say the two confessed to six other robberies in the area in which they used plastic zip-ties to restrain store workers.  Police say the heists took place in recent weeks at stores in Buffalo, Amherst, Niagara Falls and Kenmore

A registered sex offender living in Niagara Falls has been charged with allegedly luring a woman to his house and raping her.  Police say 52-year-old Richard Bailey allegedly posted a job offer on the internet.  Investigators say the victim arrived at his house Sunday, thinking she was applying for a secretarial job but authorities say Bailey attacked her once she was inside.  Bailey has been charged with felony counts of rape, criminal sexual act and predatory sexual assault.  Authorities say Bailey was classified as a level one sex offender after pleading guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of sexual misconduct stemming from a 2007 rape accusation in Orleans County.

A blaze consumed a Buffalo home last night.  The two-family house on Gatchell Street went up in flames around 8:30 p.m.  An occupant of the front apartment had to be rushed to a hospital after being rescued from the burning home.  Five others who stay in the back apartment made it out unharmed.  The cause is being investigated.

Buffalo residents won’t have to shell out more money for sewer services.  The city Sewer Authority has approved a new budget which keeps rates stable for the fifth year in a row.  Officials credit the agency’s ability to cut expenses.  The proposed budget includes a one-point-four-percent spending reduction.

State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is speaking out about the scandal.  Cuomo says that calls from Democratic lawmakers for Governor Paterson’s ouster are premature.  The Attorney General’s office is investigating the allegations against Governor Paterson and the State Police.  Cuomo is expected to at some point announce his own plans to run for governor.

The state Democratic chairman does not believe Governor Paterson is making plans to leave office.  Party boss Jay Jacobs says the governor’s side of the story has not been heard. Jacobs says the stories have been one-sided and unfair.  Jacobs met with the governor in Albany, where Paterson is staying out of public view.

A majority of New Yorkers want Governor Paterson to stay in office and finish out his term.  The Marist Poll found that 66 percent of registered Empire State voters want Paterson to remain in office through the end of the year, while only 28 percent are calling for his immediate resignation.  While a majority of those polled think Paterson should stay in office for the time being, they aren’t quite sure on his ability to lead.  The poll finds 62 percent of respondents think Paterson would not be an effective leader during the remainder of his term.

The FBI busted about two-dozen suspects at a pair of western New York strip clubs, ending a year-long drug investigation.  The individuals are accused of running a heroin and cocaine ring out of Rick’s Tally Ho in Cheektowaga and 24-Karat Gold in Hamburg.

Detectives say the club owners never had a clue as to what was going on inside the clubs.

An Amherst man has admitted to gunning down a University at Buffalo student shortly after graduation.  21-year-old DeMario Cordelius pleaded guilty to a reduced count of manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Javon Jackson.  Cordelius admitted to killing Jackson during a street altercation just hours after Jackson graduated from the university last May tenth.  Jackson had been celebrating his engineering degree with friends that night at several night spots in Buffalo.  Cordelius faces 25 years behind bars when sentenced April sixth.

A former bookkeeper for two area law firms has admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Prosecutors say 44-year-old Paulette Reed pilfered more than a half-million dollars over a six year period.  She claims she used the money to pay for her two daughters’ college educations.  Investigators say that from 2003 to 2008 Reed diverted more than 282-thousand dollars from Lippes, Mathias, Wexler, and Friedman of Buffalo.  And rom July 2008 to July 2009, Reed made off with 274-thousand dollars from Simpson and Simpson in Williamsville.  Prosecutors say Reed has agreed to pay back all of the money and has already made more than 250-thousand dollars in restitution.  Sentencing is set for May 24th.  Reed could face 15 years behind bars.

A Buffalo woman who admitted to snatching purses at local churches has had her sentencing delayed.  An Erie County judge postponed handing down a punishment to 36-year-old Sandra Abrams until the end of the month, because Abrams will first go to a drug rehab center in Lockport to kick a heroin addiction.  Abrams pleaded guilty to felony grand larceny on February first.  Prosecutors say she made off with purses at four Buffalo churches before her arrest on November 24th.  The total take from the bags was 22-dollars and some credit cards.

Buffalo police arrested two people for drug possession and selling crack cocaine late Monday.  Twenty-year-old Sidney Mellerson and 41-year-old Joseph Marks were caught with drugs at a home on Swinburne Street.  Several public tips about suspicious activity helped lead to the arrests.

Two men connected to a possible robbery attempt in Tonawanda are in custody.  Police arrested the suspects after receiving a suspicious vehicle call near Katz Jewelry store on Delaware Avenue.  Detectives are investigating whether the men are tied to other recent robberies in the area.

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The Olmsted Parks Conservancy says it would support a revamped Peace Bridge if exit tunnels could be built underneath the Niagara Thruway.  The parks group says the current ramp above the highway blocks the view of the water from Front Park, contrary to Frederick Law Olmsted’s original vision.  Peace bridge officials have not yet agreed to the tunnel proposal but say it is possible but would require much more engineering work.  Supporters of the tunnel like Congressman Brian Higgins say it would cost about 20-million dollars more but that difference could be made up with federal money.

A Grand Island man faces charges that he choked his girlfriend over the weekend.  32-year-old Garrat Olson was charged with assault, reckless endangerment, and menacing after officers responded to a domestic disturbance call Sunday night.  The alleged incident happened at a Carl Road home.

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Harold E. Ford, Jr. now says he will not pursue a seat in the U.S. Senate.  His decision will likely leave incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand without a serious primary challenge in her bid for the Democratic nomination.  In a “New York Times” op-ed posted online Monday night, Ford wrote that he wished to avoid, quote, “a brutal and highly negative Democratic primary -where the winner emerges weakened and the Republican strengthened.” Kelli Conlin, with NARAL Pro-Choice New York, says Ford would have faced heavy criticism for his previous conservative stances on social issues, like gay marriage and abortion.
The Amherst Town Board voted last night to set June 15th as the date residents will vote on downsizing the board from seven to five members by the year 2014.  The June date had been proposed by Supervisor Barry Weinstein so that the issue could be decided before anyone runs for the council seat left vacant when Weinstein was elected supervisor.

Cheektowaga’s Town Board has given the green light to borrowing 15 and a half million dollars to start renovating the police and courts building.  The work which will include a new 28-thousand square foot court, and renovations which would eventually allow the police department to use the entire existing space for offices and jail.

Buffalo and Niagara Falls Police Athletic League after-chool programs will be receiving a financial shot in the arm.  Congresswoman  Louise Slaughter announced that the programs will each get 100-thousand dollars in federal funding.  In Buffalo, the money will be used for programs for at-risk youth at seven community centers.

Governor Paterson yesterday reiterated that he has no plans to leave office before his current term is up.  But some state lawmakers are urging the politically-weakened Paterson to resign and allow Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch to take the helm of state government. Paterson has asked for an investigation from state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo about the David Johnson case.  Plus, the state faces a current eight-point-two-billion-dollar deficit, which the Governor says will only get bigger. Paterson has not held any budget talks with legislative leaders in recent weeks.

The woman who ran a call girl operation which took down Eliot Spitzer now says she wants to call the shots in Albany.  Kristin Davis has announced her campaign for governor.  Her platform is called “P”-squared and aims to legalize pot and prostitution. Davis insists this is not a hoax, joke or publicity stunt.  Davis touts a degree in business and a decade as a VP of a hedge fund, not to mention running a multi-million-dollar international call girl operation.  She says that makes her more qualified than most politicians.  She realizes winning is a long shot but hopes to get at least 50-thousand votes.

Buffalo Sabres’ starting goalie Ryan Miller will be coming home with a Silver Medal from the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  Miller was again in net as the U.S. was defeated by Canada’s men’s hockey team in the Gold Medal game on Sunday.  Sydney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored the game-winner in overtime, firing a shot past Miller.  The U.S. had rallied to tie the game with less than 30 second remaining in regulation play after trailing Canada 2-0 earlier in the contest.

Buffalo police have arrested a 33-year-old woman in connection with the murder of an elderly man.  Authorities say April Stone allegedly strangled 72-year-old Lincoln Burks on January 28th in his Cornwall Avenue apartment.  Stone was charged Friday at police headquarters.  Investigators say after the murder, Stone stole Burks’ car and credit card.  The unemployed woman now faces charges of second-degree murder and robbery.

Some high powered weapons may be in the wrong hands on the streets of Buffalo.  A Hoffman Place resident reported Sunday morning that five weapons were stolen from his house, including an AK-47 and two shotguns.  The homeowner told police someone broke a window sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning.  The resident of the Black Rock section told police that 35-thousand dollars in cash, a flat screen tv, leather jackets and a dozen pairs of boots were also snatched.

A Buffalo man faces charges after a brawl at a bowling alley over the weekend.  Police say 21-year-old Stanley Stevens allegedly attacked a man at the Bowl Inn Bowling Center early Sunday morning.  Investigators say Stevens threw four glasses at the victim then smashed a chair over his back during the melee.  The victim suffered a cut to the head and bleeding, bruising and swelling on the back.  Police say Stevens then swung at officers who responded to the scene.  Stevens now faces charges of menacing, assault, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and harassment.

A Colden man faces felony DWI after police say he was involved in a two car crash over the weekend.  Cops say 34-year-old Craig Ortlepp had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit Saturday night.  No injuries were reported in the accident on Hayes Hollow Road.  Sheriff’s deputies say Ortlepp’s DWI conviction back in 2007 bumped this charge up to a felony count.

An out of work woman from Buffalo has been arrested in the strangling death of a 72-year-old man last month.  Buffalo police have arrested 33-year-old April Stone for the murder of Lincoln Burns in his East Side apartment January 28th.  Police documents show Stone allegedly stole the victim’s car and a credit card after she strangled him that morning.  Stone was arrested on Friday.

A resident of Black Rock has reported someone broke into his house and stole a group of weapons including two shotguns and an AK-47.  The resident also reported on Sunday that a safe with 35-thousand dollars inside was stolen.  The resident told police the break-in took place some time between 10 p.m. Saturday and 6:45 Sunday morning.

An apparent assault in a Buffalo bowling alley on Sunday led to charges filed against a Clinton Street man.  Police arrested 21-year-old Stanley Stevens and charged him with a series of offenses including assault and criminal mischief.  He is alleged to have smashed a chair against a man which knocked him unconscious.  Stevens also swung at police officers as they tried to arrest him.

Pond hockey games were called off Sunday at the Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament because of ice conditions deemed to be unsafe.  Buffalo Public Works Commissioner Steve Stepniak said continuous snowfall and slushy ice made for unsafe conditions.  Warm temperatures also added to the ice woes.

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Governor Paterson has reportedly decided not to seek election this fall. Multiple media reports this morning indicated that Paterson had decided not to run for a first full term as governor, but that he will serve out the remainder of his term. The governor has been under fire for allegedly contacting a woman who had accused one of his top aides, David Johnson, of domestic violence. Paterson said earlier this week he was instructing State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate the conduct of his administration and the State Police in the domestic dispute case involving Johnson. Paterson kicked off his campaign just last weekend on Long Island and at that time vowed to “press on.” The 55-year-old Paterson took office two years ago after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer.

If Congress does not act, over a half-million New Yorkers will lose their unemployment benefits. Five-hundred-75-thousand New Yorkers will see the end of benefits without an extension. Acting State Labor Commissioner Colleen Crawford Gardner says for every six people who are unemployed, there is only one job opening. She also said that the average length of unemployment is about 30 weeks. She is hopeful that the U.S. Senate will vote to extend the benefits.

A woman from Town of Boston who had not been seen since Monday has been discovered alive. She was found in her vehicle on the parking ramp at Women & Children’s Hospital Thursday evening. Erie County sheriff’s officials say 50-year-old Sandra M. Biggerstaff had last been seen by her family on Monday morning. She was seen on a gas station surveillance tape getting fuel shortly before nine that morning. She is being evaluated at Erie County Medical Center.

A group of students at Orchard Park Middle School are being disciplined for their involvement in a Facebook network which leveled threats at school teachers. Six students are being disciplined for either creating or taking part in the network which was orchestrated by two students at home on February 18th during winter break. Superintendent Joan Thomas says four other students put comments on the page.

During Thursday’s bi-partisan Health Summit in Washington, DC, a comment concerning a Buffalo family raised a lot of eyebrows. There are many poor people across the country who have no health insurance and Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter relayed a story about a Buffalo woman who is so poor that she used her late sister’s dentures. Slaughter’s comment caused a stir on the Internet with one blog calling the false teeth story the quote of the day. An official at Slaughter’s office said the legislator from Fairport learned about the story from Buffalo from a doctor at the Community Health Center of Buffalo.

Having made national headlines as prosecutor who worked the so-called “Lackawanna Six” terrorism case, William J. Hochul has been approved by a Senate panel as U.S. attorney for Western New York. Hochul won unanimous approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. He had been lead prosecutor in the trial involving a group of Muslim-American men from Lackawanna who had trained at a camp in Afghanistan which was run by the al-Qaeda terror group.

The Buffalo School Board has agreed to pay the legal bills for a teacher’s aide acquitted of sexually abusing an autistic student. The board, on Wednesday night, gave the green light to pay out more than 44-thousand dollars in lawyer’s fees for 62-year-old John Colazzi. The teacher’s aide at the Discovery School was accused of sexually abusing a four-year-old student in the bathroom of the school in November of 2007. He was found not guilty in a non-jury trial. The school board’s attorney says state law requires the board to pay for the defense costs. Colazzi has been reinstated to a teacher’s aide position but in a different school.

Hockey enthusiasts in West Seneca are trying to convince the town board to build a new facility with two ice rinks. At Wednesday’s council meeting, several proposals were put in front of the governing body. Supporters presented options ranging from a new dual rink at Centennial Park to just simply repairing the current facility at that location. Repairs could cost two-and-a-half million dollars while the two rink idea could be nearly 14-million dollars. Those in favor also floated the idea of building the twin rinks at the old Seneca Mall site. Supporters say the new rinks would give kids more ice time to become better hockey players and would keep thousands of dollars in ice rental fees from leaving the town. Local hockey groups say they currently have to seek ice time from East Aurora to Fort Erie. They say the new facility could be a revenue generator from hosting tournaments.

 

Light snow spreading over Western New York is expected to intensify later today as a storm moves in from the Atlantic Coast. National Weather Service forecasters have issued a winter storm warning through 1 pm tomorrow. Snow, sometimes mixed with rain at lower elevations, will get steadier and heavier as the day goes on, with the heaviest snowfall expected overnight. Total accumulation could about ten inches, and water-laden snow could snap power lines and tree limbs.

A raging fire consumed a 100-year-old Dunkirk office building that housed several human services agencies. The fire also touched off blazes in other nearby buildings. Firefighters stretched hoses for blocks so they could pump water directly from Lake Erie onto sky-high flames. More than 100 firefighters from over six cities and towns fought the fire that first erupted at the four-story Masonic Temple on Central Avenue. About 30 six-year-olds were in a gymnastics class when the blaze broke out, but they escaped safely. Part of the building is the Chautauqua County Family Court, which will move proceedings today to the Jamestown Community College’s north campus.

Former Buffalo Common Council member Brian Davis has received his punishment for misusing campaign funds. A judge sentenced Davis to a conditional discharge after he performs 200 hours of community service. The judge also barred him from holding a job which requires handling money. Davis had been facing up to a year behind bars on each of two counts, after pleading guilty to in November. Davis argued that his actions were not out of criminal intent but rather stemmed from “stupidity.” Davis resigned his council post a week after his guilty plea.

An embattled former University at Buffalo researcher has been found dead. 48-year-old William Fals-Stewart was discovered unresponsive Tuesday at his home in Eden. The former UB scientist had been embroiled in controversy since 2005, when he was forced to leave his job after allegations that he falsified data in a federally funded study. Last week he was accused of hiring actors to testify falsely at his misconduct hearing, after which he was cleared of the accusations. Fals-Stewart tried to sue the state for four-million dollars alleging he was improperly forced out of his job. An autopsy has been scheduled to pinpoint the cause of death.

A man who has been holding up stores all over Western New York has struck again. Amherst police say the bandit hit the Books 4 Bucks store on Millersport Highway just before noon Wednesday. Authorities believe it is the same suspect who has robbed six stores in Buffalo, Amherst, Niagara Falls and Kenmore in the past few weeks. Investigators say the robber in each case tries to tie up the victims. The suspect in the latest incident is described was seen wearing a black jacket, purple bandanna and black gloves. Anyone with information is urged to call police.

A Newstead woman has been charged under the state’s new tougher DUI law for allegedly having a child in the vehicle. 27-year-old Julie Haas was pulled over just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on Main Road in Newstead. Investigators say Haas was under the influence of drugs and had her six-month-old son in the car at the time. She was charged with a felony under the new “Leandra’s Law.” She also faces a felony counts of DUI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Governor David Paterson wants to make texting while driving a primary offense. Currently, police can only issue a ticket to texters if they first observe another violation such as speeding. Paterson says his bill would “take the handcuffs off of law enforcement” and make the highways safer. The Governor says any kind of distraction while driving is dangerous and texting while driving is one of the most dangerous distractions possible.

State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says his office has reached an agreement on behalf of Toyota and Lexus owners that offers free pickup and return of recalled vehicles. Motorists would receive transportation from their dealership and a free rental car while repairs are being made. Toyota and Lexus owners can go to newyorktoyotahelp.com for more information.

Buffalo firefighters were out in force this morning, but it was for fun, not fire. They flooded a secton of streets to form a giant outdoor skating rink for the Buffalo Powder Keg Festival this weekend. Tomorrow, the downtown Seneca off-ramp from the Skyway will be turned into a giant tubing hill. And an ice-block maze being built for the weekend is being considered by the Guinness Book of World Records. The family-friendly winter festival is Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, the financial outlook for Ontario’s Winter Festival of Lights has dimmed a bit. The cost of a new 750-thousand-dollar outdoor skating rink has sent the festival organization skating to Niagara Falls, Ontario city hall to seek a government loan guarantee. The guarantee would allow the festival to borrow 500-thousand dollars to finish the so-called “Rink at the Brink” and pay for some of its operations.

Sabres Olympic goalie Ryan Miller stopped all 19 shots as Team USA skated into the semifinals with a 2-0 shutout over Switzerland. Miller says they felt the pressure of elimination.  Zach Parise scored both goals. The USA faces Finland in the semifinals on Friday. 

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