NEWS & INFO

Niagara Falls Police responded to the 900 block of Cedar Avenue around 7:30pm on April 14 th after reports of a subject with a knife that was later changed to menacing. Upon arrival, officers detained the suspect who was known to law enforcement from previous encounters as Jessica Ortiz. Officers then spoke with the victim who stated that she was sitting in her wheelchair outside of her residence around 7:30pm smoking a cigarette and minding her own business when a black fem

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 9:41pm on April 17th after reports of a domestic assault on Falls Street in Niagara Falls. The 911 caller and victim told dispatch that her boyfriend just strangled her with a cord. At the time of the call both parties remained on scene. The victim was waiting outside for police. Police responded to the scene. It is unknown if the boyfriend was arrested for strangulation and/or assault. No further information

A longstanding private club in downtown Buffalo has agreed to a $1.5 million payment to settle federal allegations tied to its participation in a COVID-19 relief program, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal officials said The Buffalo Club, an institution that has operated for more than 150 years, improperly represented its eligibility when it applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan during the pandemic. The club submitted its application in March 2021

Nearly 450,000 New Yorkers are set to lose free health insurance this summer as major changes to the state’s Essential Plan take effect following federal funding cuts. Beginning July 1st, more than 2% of the state’s population will be removed from the program leaving many working residents scrambling for alternatives.      The Essential Plan, which has grown to cover about 1.7 million people, has been a key part of New York’s healthcare system. But recent federal policy chang

A sweeping new employment law is set to take effect across New York this month, marking a significant shift in how employers evaluate job applicants. Beginning today, April 18th, 2026, most businesses in the state will be prohibited from using an applicant’s credit score or credit history when making hiring decisions—a move officials say is designed to remove long-standing barriers to employment for thousands of New Yorkers.      The policy change builds on years of debate ov

Niagara Falls Police responded to the 1300 block of Ashland Avenue around 9:30am on April 15th after reports of an unknown disturbance involving both men and women fighting near the residence.   Upon arrival, David Pryor and another individual were all in front of the residence arguing. Officers were on scene to assist and did detail both Pryor and the other individual. Both men were claiming they had injuries. The second unnamed individual repeatedly stated that Pryor struck

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 11:57pm on April 17th after reports of a domestic incident on 73rd and Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls. The 911 caller said a male an female were screaming. A vehicle was parked in the middle of the street. Neighbors were complaining to police of the altercation. The female was screaming that she was going to drive her car into the river and the male was trying to stop her. The female was still on scene when

With playoff hockey back in Western New York for the first time in more than a decade, one longtime Niagara Falls bakery is tapping into the excitement with a creative, team-inspired product. As the Buffalo Sabres prepare for their opening-round matchup on Sunday, DiCamillo Bakery is introducing a limited-edition “Sabre Bread,” a sword-shaped loaf designed to celebrate the team’s postseason return. The specialty item, crafted from the bakery’s traditional Italian bread, stret

Governor Kathy Hochul is advancing a major expansion of New York’s sanctuary-style policies, proposing new laws that would significantly limit how state and local law enforcement interact with federal immigration authorities. The governor, already under pressure from progressive lawmakers, unveiled the latest round of proposals during ongoing state budget negotiations, signaling a shift toward some of the most restrictive immigration cooperation policies in the country. “I ju

A new proposal introduced in Albany aims to close what lawmakers describe as a frustrating gap in New York’s current pothole damage laws—one that leaves drivers financially responsible for vehicle repairs during part of the year.      State Senator Jeremy Cooney unveiled legislation Friday, April 10th that would require New York State to cover damage caused by potholes on state roads year-round, eliminating existing seasonal restrictions that limit when drivers can seek reimb

After years of outrage, petitions, and legal battles, a man loses not just a case—but who he says was his family.      It began on a cold morning in March 2024 in Hamburg when state officers showed up with a warrant, a plan, and a tranquilizer.      By the end of that day, Albert – a 12-foot, 750-pound alligator who had lived in a suburban home for decades – was gone. Sedated, loaded into a van, and driven away like contraband.      Now, more than two years later, the saga ha

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 4:18pm on April 11th after reports of a domestic incident on Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls. The 911 caller reported that a mother was threatening harm to herself and her children, stating that she would drive into traffic with them in the vehicle. Emergency responders and police responded to the scene. It is unknown if the mother was taken for mental health treatment. No further information is available at t

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 8:10pm on April 6th after reports of a domestic incident on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Buffalo. The 911 caller told police that a teenage girl was being dragged along the street by a man believed to be her father. She was screaming for help and crying. Police responded to the scene. It is unknown if the male was arrested. No further information is available at this time. These are merely allegations and shoul

A divided Niagara Falls City Council has approved a new long-term energy agreement with the New York Power Authority, clearing the way for continued access to low-cost hydroelectric power tied to the Niagara Power Project.      The measure passed by a 3-2 vote and authorized Mayor Robert Restaino to sign the updated agreement, which replaces a previous pact that had expired. The deal ensures the city remains part of a group of designated “host communities” that benefit from p

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 9:31pm on April 6th after reports of a domestic incident on April 6th on Pritchard Street in Buffalo. The 911 caller told police that a man was outside on the porch following an argument involving a BB gun and choking. He was later found crying. Police responded to the scene. It is unknown if any party was arrested. No further information is available at this time. These are merely allegations and should not

By: Jack R. Harrow      DoorDash in Niagara Falls isn’t a side gig — it’s a slow education. You learn more about people in three deliveries than you do in a year of conversation. The city looks different from behind a steering wheel at 11:45 p.m., when the porch lights flicker like coded signals and every address feels like a small mystery. You’re helping people, sure — feeding them, supplying them, showing up when they don’t want to be seen — but somewhere along the way, the

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 7:09pm on April 5th after reports of menacing with a weapon on Grand Street in Lockport. The 911 caller reported that an evicted male was sitting outside with a large butcher knife. The suspect was near the residence where he was previously evicted. Police responded to the scene. It is unknown if the male was arrested. No further information is available at this time. These are merely allegations and should n

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement responded to the Seneca One Stop on Niagara Street around 1:45pm on April 4th after reports of an assault in Niagara Falls. The 911 caller said that an adult white male was attempting to strike others with a stick and choke them with a phone cord. The items were taken away. Police responded to the scene. It is unknown if the male was arrested. No further information is available at this time . These are merely allegations and shoul

LISTEN TO POLICE AUDIO BELOW Law enforcement received a call around 11:07am on April 1st after reports of a domestic incident on Tennessee Avenue in Niagara Falls. The 911 caller told police that her boyfriend forced entry into her home, put hands on her, and then stabbed himself with a knife. The extent of his injuries were unknown. At the time of the call he no longer had control of the knife. Police and medical responded to the scene. It is unknown if the male was arrested

A late-night dispute over a small tip inside Bar-Bill Tavern in East Aurora almost escalated into a shootout after police say a customer left the restaurant, retrieved a firearm, and returned to threaten multiple people inside.      According to East Aurora Police, officers were called to the restaurant around 11:15pm on April 1st after reports that a man had displayed a weapon during an altercation. By the time authorities arrived, the suspect had already left the scene.   

April 12th marks the grim anniversary of a discovery that ended one mystery but exposed a deeper, darker pattern tied to a notorious address.      Two years after the body of 12-year-old Jaylen Griffin was found inside a South Buffalo home already stained by a disturbing history, investigators say the case remains far from solved—and the house where he was discovered continues to cast a long shadow over the city.      Buffalo Police are once again urging the public to come fo

By: Frank Parlato Special to Niagara Action      Mayor Robert Restaino addressed the public via YouTube, promoting his Centennial Park project—a proposed $200 million arena.      The vision was compelling—ice rinks and concerts, a city reborn under bright lights.      A mayor. A vision. A rink in the middle of a town. He appeared on screen, earnest, poised.      He talked. I listened.      The Mayor said, “We continue to move forward with our efforts relative to the event cen

By: Sumit Majumdar CEO of Buffalo Biodiesel & Limited Partner of Verite Capital Partners      The global energy transition is currently caught in a precarious tug-of-war between idealistic environmental goals and the hard, uncompromising realities of industrial economics. We are told that the future belongs exclusively to renewable energy, but the intermittent nature of solar and wind leaves power grids vulnerable to catastrophic failures. We are told that nuclear power is th

By: Sumit Majumdar How Consolidating a Crumbling System Will Pay for Itself, Save Taxpayer Dollars, and Rescue a Burnt-Out Workforce      In the public discourse surrounding the American justice system, the spotlight is almost always fixed on the incarcerated. We talk about inmate rights, overcrowding, and the systemic failures of the "inside." These are necessary, often heartbreaking conversations. However, a massive shadow is cast by that spotlight, hiding the human beings