Afternoon News Brief
Written by Tom Tharp on February 16, 2024
Did you know drowning is the leading cause of death among children under the age of five? That is why New York State will soon require all new parents to watch a video about the dangers of drowning before they even leave the hospital. Last fall, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law that would require hospitals to show new parents a swim safety video. The New York State Department of Health says the video, which will be provided to the hospitals, will be ready this spring. Experts say most children ages one to four drown in home swimming pools, and infants under the age of one are most likely to drown in a bathtub.
Since Wednesday’s shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally, donations have been pouring into Mercy’s Children Hospital in Kansas City, including from Buffalo Bills fans. The children’s hospital has treated 12 patients since Wednesday’s shooting. Nine of those 12 patients were injured by gunshots. As of Thursday afternoon, three patients remain hospitalized. Hundreds of donations have come in from the Bills Mafia.
Attorney General Letitia James today sent a cease-and-desist letter to New York City-based law firm Held & Hines, warning the firm to immediately stop its attempts to get Uber and Lyft drivers to pay a fee for their settlement funds secured by the Office of the Attorney General. Held & Hines has been sharing deceptive posts on social media and in rideshare driver chat groups representing that the firm will help drivers claim their share of the settlement funds for a 15 percent fee to be taken out of the amount due to each individual driver. In reality, the process to receive settlement funds is simple and does not require legal representation.
Some say he’s a hero and some say he’s a villain. Either way 51 year old Peter Christopher of Buffalo will be spending a year in prison for stealing parking meters. Between May 1st and May 19th of 2023 Christopher stole 91 City of Buffalo Parking Meters from Downtown Buffalo. How, why and where he put them are all unanswered questions in this caper. He pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree attempted grand larceny in December 2023.
The Buffalo Zoo is mourning the loss of its longtime silverback gorilla, Koga. He was born at the Bronx Zoo back in 1987, before coming to Buffalo in 2007, where he became the father of three offspring. The zoo says he passed away due to a cardiac event, and had been undergoing treatment for heart disease. There are still three other gorillas living at the zoo.
There’s an exciting new way to experience the new Highmark Stadium before it opens in 2026! The Bills Stadium Experience is set to open next month in the Walker Center, located at 5110 Main St. in Amherst. Fans will be able to take an interactive sneak peek on the upcoming venue and pick out their seats. Season ticket holders will have priority access and previews are available by appointment only.
