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July 28, 2023 — Buffalo, NY — Governor Hochul announced significant progress in the fight against gun violence in the City of Buffalo. Data reported by the City's Police Department for the first half of 2023 when compared to the same timeframe in 2021 showed a 73 percent decline in the number of firearm-involved homicides; 60 percent decline in those injured by gunfire; and a 59 percent decline in shooting incidents.

Gift card scams are on the rise, so it's more important than ever to be informed. In Erie County, we want to educate consumers and prevent them from falling victim to such scams. Scammers often ask for gift cards as payment, as these types of funds are nearly impossible to trace. One-quarter of all consumer fraud reported in the United States involving money loss is connected to gift cards. The Federal Trade Commission reported that in 2022, nearly 65,000 consumers filed a complaint about gift card scams, amounting to total losses of $228.3 million. Effective June 20, 2023, under New York State General Business Law, all businesses selling gift cards must display a notice, at or near where any gift card or gift certificate is displayed or sold, to caution consumers about gift card fraud. Remember: gift cards should only be used for gifts, not to make payments of any kind. If you receive any communication asking for payment in the form of a gift card, don’t respond—it's a scam! And please contact the Erie County Office of Consumer Protection at 716-858-1987. Learn more about the Erie County Office of Consumer Protection at: https://erie.gov/ConsumerProtection

A brightly flashing “X” sign has been removed from the San Francisco headquarters of the company formerly known as Twitter just days after it was installed. https://apnews.com ​ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/44ac8f5f351246e9b4ca10881c5d3279 #twitter

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Summer weather means that people of all ages are cooling down in pools, ponds, lakes, and streams. Swimming for recreation, relaxation, or exercise is a healthy activity, but swimming can also pose risks like injury, waterborne illness, and drowning. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein shared safe swimming tips and current public swimming pool requirements at a press conference. In terms of public swimming pool requirements, the popularity of private pool rental apps like Swimply that allow property owners to rent their indoor or outdoor pool or hot tub to the public by the hour has raised concerns among county health officials. Public swimming pool operators are required to comply with certain engineering, maintenance, hygiene and supervision standards. Engineering requirements are intended to ensure that provisions are in place to reduce the risk of injury. Lifeguard requirements, signage, and safety plans are in place to ensure adequate supervision. Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) public health sanitarians conduct rigorous engineering reviews of public swimming pools, issue permits when appropriate, and periodically inspect these facilities. Generally, a backyard swimming pool or indoor pool at a private residence would not meet public swimming pool standards. Improperly treated and disinfected pools can lead to disease transmission and chemical reactions. Also, if no restroom is available for the use by swimmers and guests, there are concerns for human waste to be left in or around the pool areas. Individuals who rent their private swimming pool to the public without a permit are violating state sanitary code and putting themselves at risk of penalties/fines. New York State allows penalties of up to $2,000 per violation. Complaints about swimming pools operating without a permit can be sent to the Erie County Department of Health Division of Environmental Health at (716) 961-6800. Property owners who would like more information about pursuing a public swimming pool permit can also call (716) 961-6800.

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