Christopher, Joseph G.]]> Serial murders -- New York (State) -- Buffalo]]> Racism -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]>
Catherine Pelonero, author of the book “Absolute Madness,” makes the case that “Christopher’s crimes might have been prevented if he had received the psychiatric help he was seeking.” Ms. Pelonero provides the on-camera introduction and conclusion to this compilation of WIVB-TV reports.

An intensive search for “The .22 Caliber Killer” ensued after the first four homicides.
Two more African American men were murdered on October 8th and 9th. They were taxi cab drivers who had their hearts cut out. Christopher would later confess to these two killings, although evidence pointed away from Christopher as the perpetrator. Both cases remain open and unsolved.

In November 1980, Christopher enlisted in the U.S. Army. While on Christmas furlough, he journeyed to Manhattan and, on December 22nd, allegedly stabbed four people to death. He then became known as “The Midtown Slasher.”

A week later, on December 29th, after returning to Buffalo, another black man was stabbed to death. The following day, on December 30th, an African American male in Rochester was slashed and died from his injuries.

In January, Christopher reported back to his Army base at Fort Benning, Georgia and attacked a black soldier with a knife. The soldier lived and Christopher was confined to the stockade, where he attempted to take his own life with a razor.

In a session with a psychiatrist at the base, it has been reported that Christopher said he “had to” kill Blacks. At that point, Christopher’s home was searched by the police. They found evidence linking him to three murders. In April 1981, Joseph Christopher was indicted based on this evidence.

At his trial in 1982, Christopher rejected attempts by his mother to provide him with lawyers. He represented himself before a trial judge and was found guilty. However, the ruling was overturned because the judge had not allowed psychiatric testimony about Christopher’s mental ability to stand trial.

In 1985, after being found competent to stand trial, he was again found guilty and sent to Attica Correctional Facility. At the prison he was quoted to have claimed credit for thirteen killings. Author Pelonero says Christopher allegedly claimed eighteen victims during “a savage four month reign of terror…”

Christopher died in prison on March 1, 1993. Although it was reported at the time that he died of a rare form of male breast cancer, Ms. Pelonero’s research determined that the cause of death was testicular cancer. He was 37 years old.

This compilation of WIVB-TV news reports includes the manhunt for Christopher and a massive Buffalo rally against racism. Reporter Rich Newberg traveled with photographer Mike Mombrea, Jr. to Fort Benning, Georgia for first hand accounts from soldiers in Joseph Christopher’s barracks. This retrospective also includes special WIVB-TV coverage of an appearance by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, during Christopher’s reign of terror.
]]>

]]>

]]> Vetter, Tom (editor)]]> Terranova, Michael (editor)]]> Teresa, Mother, Saint, 1910-1997]]> Niagara University]]> Niagara Falls (N.Y.)]]>
In this WIVB-TV piece by reporter Emil Jablonski, Mother Teresa says, "The poor are a gift of God to us. They are great people. They are really lovable people." She said no one should ever feel unwanted.

At a news conference she decried the fact that there are children dying of hunger while superpowers pour money into the arms race. She also spoke out against abortion.

In a surprise introduction, Mother Teresa met Elizabeth Collins, a child adopted from her Calcutta mission. Elizabeth, now living in Tonawanda, got a warm embrace and told Mother Teresa she loved her. Her wish was that the founder of Missionaries of Charity could live forever.

Thirty four years after her visit to Niagara University, Mother Teresa was canonized by the Catholic Church. On September 4, 2016, nineteen years after her death, she became known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.]]> Jablonski, Emil (Reporter)]]> Mombrea, Sr., Mike (Photographer, Editor)]]> eng]]> Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- United States.]]> United States -- History -- 1969-]]> Veterans -- Mental health -- United States.]]> War -- Psychological aspects.]]> Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Psychological aspects.]]>
These were some of the stories brought to public light by WIVB’s Rich Newberg in his series of reports dealing with the lasting wounds of war.

Delayed Stress Syndrome
A condition called delayed stress syndrome surfaces as Vietnam War veterans suffer the psychiatric after effects of combat. Five years after the war ended on April 30, 1975, sudden noises can trigger fearful reactions. Some vets have developed a distrust of people, while others cannot tolerate angry responses in a conversation. Outreach centers begin cropping up to deal with these issues.

Max Cleland
Max Cleland, a severely wounded Vietnam War veteran who headed the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy Carter, expresses concerns that President Ronald Reagan will cut funding for outreach centers.

Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam, has written a book called “Strong at the Broken Places.” He believes war veterans need counseling to help them develop positive outlooks toward life.

William Duxbury Suffers Without Much Relief or Compensation After Being Exposed to Agent Orange
William Duxbury of Wilson, New York was nineteen years old when the Marines assigned him to handle Agent Orange in Vietnam. Now he says his joints are deteriorating and that he has a nervous condition that cost him his job. His wife gave birth to a stillborn child and their five children suffer from bone and muscular disorders.

Duxbury says he knows of only one Vietnam veteran in Erie County who is being compensated for his toxic exposure to Agent Orange. He says the veteran is dying of liver cancer.

William Duxbury Receives a Surprise Visit from a Marine Buddy He Thought was Killed in Vietnam
Mike Metcalf walked into Bill Duxbury’s life eighteen years after each had thought the other was killed during a shelling attack by the enemy in Vietnam. By chance, Metcalf had seen the story of his friend on WIVB-TV. Metcalf had become a trained mental health counselor and was now in a position to help his fellow veteran deal with issues related to his experiences in Vietnam.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington Gets Mixed Reviews
(2 pieces)
A national salute to Vietnam Veterans will take place in the nation’s capitol. The names of the 57,939 American soldiers killed in the war will be read. There is concern that the ceremony will conjure up suppressed anxiety and stress for some who lost friends in combat.

A black granite wall in Washington DC bearing the names of those killed in the Vietnam War gets mixed reviews. There is “unresolved scar tissue that still remains over Vietnam,” according to Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation.

The war ended about six years earlier but now is brought back in a way that forces visitors to the memorial to confront their own memories. The faces of spectators reflect minds that are “searching, reflecting, pondering, mourning,' according to this CBS News report.

Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Seek Compensation
Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange testify about the impact on their health. New York State lawmakers are learning that some veterans are suffering from cancer and painful lumps under their skin. Children of exposed vets are being born with birth defects. Eleven million gallons of the herbicide containing deadly dioxin were used to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam.

Three thousand Vietnam veterans have sued five chemical companies claiming they knew Agent Orange could be deadly but failed to warn the government or its troops of the dangers.
Exposed veterans say they cannot receive free treatment at VA hospitals because it difficult to prove their ailments were caused by dioxin.

Vietnam Ten Years Later
(Series)
April 29, 30, & May 1, 1985
Ten years after the end of America’s most unpopular war, WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg looks back at the televised conflict that divided the nation. Veterans of the war are still suffering from flashbacks and nightmares.
New programs are being created by fellow Vietnam veterans who understand the nature of the lasting wounds of war.
Close to 2,500 American soldiers and civilians are still missing in Vietnam.

Western New York families of POW’s or those missing in action keep the memories of their loved ones alive. The stories of Col. Robert Dyczkowski and Jimmy Rozo are featured.

The Case of Col. Robert Dyczkowski—Missing in Action
In 2001 the United States Air Force closed the case of Col. Robert Dyczkowski. His remains, personal artifacts and parts of his fighter plane that crashed near Hanoi in April 1966 during the Vietnam War have been discovered. He was a husband and father of three children. His widow never remarried. Thousands of people had taken on Robert’s cause, wearing his POW-MIA bracelet. Thirty-five years of uncertainty finally came to an end. On April 6, 2001 Robert Dyczkowski’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Remains of Col Robert Dyczkowski are Buried in Arlington National Cemetery
While one mystery is solved, more than 1,900 families in 2001 were still waiting for answers about their missing loved ones.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)
]]> Kim Root (Photographer)]]> eng]]> Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- United States.]]> Veterans -- United States.]]>
Witnessing the ravages of war in Vietnam Tom decided to leave the Brothers of Mercy and join the Navy as a hospital corpsman (medic). He served three tours of duty beginning in 1966. He flew 221 combat missions with Marines and treated their wounds on the front lines of battle. Eagles was wounded twice.

While in Vietnam Tom also tended to Vietnamese civilians whose villages had come under attack.

During the war he married Karin Tran, a Vietnamese native. They had two sons. On April 29, 1975 Eagles and his family were among the last Americans to be evacuated from the war-torn country. They were airlifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy.

After the war, Tom managed to bring eighteen of Karin’s nineteen family members to the United States. He served in the Navy until 1993 and developed emergency medical equipment still carried in Marine Corps first aid kits.

Tom Eagles passed away in 2016 at the age of 71. His family says he had suffered from exposure to the deadly herbicide Agent Orange, used by the United States to clear jungle areas where the enemy in Vietnam was hidden. At the time of his death he was the most decorated enlisted man in the Navy. He medals include The Legion of Merit, a lifetime career award for distinguished service.

One retired Marine said of “Doc” Eagles, “We have lost a true American hero...God now has one of the best care givers in the world. A true Lifesaver then and Caregiver always.”

The Navy has an award in Eagle’s name given to a corpsman who distinguishes himself in combat.

Eagles was once quoted as saying, “I don’t really know how many Marines and sailors I helped save. I do remember everyone one I lost.”
]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> ]]> September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001.]]> Terrorism -- United States -- Prevention.]]>
Efforts quickly got underway to prepare for a worst-case scenario, including heightened training for emergency responders and those involved with intelligence gathering. A new center for homeland security in Buffalo was also created.

The following collection of reports by former WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg documents the stepped-up efforts to protect the citizens of Western New York through cooperative efforts among many municipalities and agencies across the Niagara Frontier.

1 WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg presents an exclusive report on plans for a local Homeland Security Department in the soon-to-be-built Public Safety Campus on Buffalo’s East Side.

The 250,000 thousand square foot campus will house Central Police and Emergency Services, and state of the art forensic lab facilities.

There are also plans for Erie County to join forces with the state for the nation’s largest wireless government communications system. The new system would allow police, fire and emergency medical services personnel to talk to each other.

Hard lessons were learned when New York City firefighters and police officers could not communicate with each other during the Twin Towers attacks.

2 1:01:12 - 1:03:26
The Erie County Medical Center conducts a drill for a radiation exposure emergency. Mobile units are training to respond to a terrorist attack. Concern here is for a potential dirty bomb or bio chemical attack that could affect the health of eighty to a hundred thousand people.

Fifty-thousand tons of antidotes are now in place and could be deployed by air or ground. More protective gear is also on its way to Buffalo. Plans are also in the works to develop a system of mass immunization.

3 Close to a million dollars in new federal money has been dedicated to improving anti-terrorist training and response programs in Erie County. Response to a dirty bomb incident would require declaring the radioactive area off limits for quite some time, depending on the strength of the radioactive material used in the device.

4 The post 9/11 era calls for greater security and more sophisticated background checks of employees at airports.
“Ultra-scan, a new device developed in Western New York, identifies people through finger imaging. Its accuracy is believed to approach one hundred percent.

5 A new state-of-the art Emergency Operations Center at an undisclosed location in Western New York is near completion. (The location is later revealed to be in Cheektowaga).

New York Governor George Partaki, urges New Yorkers not to fall victim to fear.

Deputy Erie County Executive Carl Calabrese, one of the local Homeland Security leaders, says an effective response to terrorist threats rests on “having the right information at the right time in the right peoples’ hands.”

Erie County Emergency Services Commissioner Mike Walters says, “There has to be a spot where major decisions are made, and we have that capability here better than we’ve ever had it before in this community.”

6 More details are revealed about the new $2 million dollar Emergency Command Center where life saving decisions would be made during a terrorist incident or natural disaster. The facility can accommodate 105 emergency coordinators who have direct access to immediate lines of communication, including video conferencing and satellite downlink capability.

A new “800 Megahertz Wireless System” statewide would allow emergency responders from different agencies to talk to each other.

7 A major response exercise is conducted using actors as would-be victims of a terrorist attack is carried out on the campus of Buffalo State College. The drill creates a hostage situation following a terrorist hijacking of an NFTA bus. The Buffalo SWAT Team goes into action.

NFTA spokesman Douglas Hartmayer says first responders believe there may be some explosives onboard the bus. The drill is carried out using smoke bombs, the Erie County Sheriff’s helicopter, and a Buffalo SWAT Team storming of the bus.

The drill is deemed to be successful, due to effective cooperation between agencies and a unified command situation.

8 More details on the drill that started on the streets of Buffalo. WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg said “it looked so real it was somewhat frightening.”

The exercise includes a scenario where the terrorists who hijacked an NFTA bus and took hostages, had radioactive material onboard.

Rich Newberg reveals that the Transit Police who gave chase to the would-be hijacked bus, had not been told this was a drill.

9 Another drill is carried out involving first responders from Western New York and Southern Ontario. They dealt with the need for emergency chemical containment should terrorists attack the region. Western New York is third in the nation in the amount of hazardous material shipped through an area.

Buffalo Hazmat Team leader, firefighter Captain Tommy Fitzpatrick, says there toxic industrial chemicals could become a target for terrorists. Six agencies were represented in this drill including the FBI, airport rescue and fire and Twin City Ambulance.

10 More details on the above mentioned Buffalo Hazmat drill that took place at the Training Center in Cheektowaga. Special attention is paid to the potential disruption of a rail line or pipeline carrying hazardous chemicals.

11 The US Coast Guard is bolstering homeland security on Western New York’s border with Canada. Coast Guard Buffalo is about to be equipped with machine gun capability. Since 9/11, there are more patrols on the water.

A new 25 foot fast and powerful response boat is ordered for homeland security in Buffalo. There is also a higher level of cooperation between the Coast Guard and US Border Patrol. Citizen boaters are also being asked to report anything suspicious.

12 More details on the beefing up of US Coast Guard stations. Chief Steven Barr of Coasts Guard Buffalo says the new security boat will be able to turn at high speeds and will be “cabonized” for greater crew protection.

13 FBI Director Robert Mueller, who took over the agency seven days before 9/11, visits Buffalo’s FBI office.
The Lackawanna Six was the major topic of discussion.

Mueller says the men charged with providing material support to al-Qaeda by attending a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan can be considered, in his opinion, a “sleeper cell.” He says the Muslim community in Lackawanna was a big help in brining the case to a successful conclusion.
Mueller also said the US war effort in Iraq was aided by Iraqis in the Buffalo area and across the country.

Relating to another case, Mueller praised the Buffalo FBI office for its work on the James Kopp case. Kopp was arrested for the murder of Buffalo abortion provider Dr. Barnett Slepian.

He also gives credit to the Joint Terrorism Task Force comprised of twenty agencies assisting in anti-terrorism efforts.

14 New York State Police Superintendent James McMann, a Rochester native, is named by Governor George Pataki as coordinator of the state’s counter-terrorism efforts.

The Buffalo-Niagara region is named as one of 30 strategic regions in the country and will receive a federal $10 Million dollar counter-terrorism grant. $8 Million will go for planning, training and equipment. $2 Million for overtime costs in relation to Code Orange terrorist alerts.

15 Dr. Fred Cowie, an anti-terrorism expert, conducts as seminar in Buffalo. He is wearing orange prison garb and is handcuffed. He looks just like the Unabomber Ted KaczynskI and was once arrested by a police officer who mistook him for the suspect responsible for killing three people and injuring twenty-three others during bombings in various parts of the country between 1978 and 1995. He is from the same Montana town where Kaczynski was jailed.

Cowie gets the attention of emergency planners attending the session to learn the latest in anti-terrorism training techniques.

Former FBI Agent In Charge Bernie Tolbert also addresses the group. He is now running security for the NBA. He says big sports venues such as arenas and stadiums need to step up security.

16 More on the homeland security seminar mentioned above. Dr. Fred Cowie says, ”We have to find new ways, exciting ways to deliver the message and say ‘hey, that flammable liquid that took down the World Trade Center, that’s the same one your cop car is going to be pulling up to in a gasoline truck.”

17 The “nerve center” of Erie County’s emergency response operations is officially put into service. The Emergency Operations Center offers a high tech response to the worst of disasters. The center is located on Broadway in the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga. The center is equipped with a 105 seat training auditorium.

18 More on the Erie County Emergency Operations Center which will help coordinate responses by the county’s five thousand volunteer fire fighters and EMS providers.

19 The position of Buffalo Disaster Coordinator falls victim to budget cuts. Jack Sneiderhan was in working on an $880,000 thousand dollar grant for the city’s disaster efforts when his job was eliminated.

Plans are in the works for Erie County to take over Buffalo Police and fire dispatch functions. It will all be housed under one roof in the soon-to-be built new public safety campus on Buffalo’s East Side.

John Gibb, head of the New York State’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Task Force says the Western New York region has become a model for inter-agency, inter-regional cooperation. He is the point man for two $10 Million dollars grants to the Buffalo-Niagara region.

20 More on plans to put regional police and fire dispatchers under one umbrella in a Homeland Security campus being developed.

21 Erie County works to link up core buildings under one surveillance system. A new control center has the capacity to monitor 500 cameras. Erie County’s Public Works Commissioner Maria Lehman calls it “one stop shop surveillance for everything that’s going on in the buildings.”

22 A new million dollar alarm and communication system pinpoints the fire on any given floor in Buffalo’s major high-rise buildings. On every floor, firefighters have direct contact with the Control Center and are no longer dependent on cell phones.

23 New York State Homeland Security Chief Jim McMahon announces that $5.5 Million dollars in anti-terrorism funding is on its way to Erie County.

Some of the funds are earmarked for anti-terrorism training. Some of the training will take place on a new Public Safety Campus on Oak Street. The building is nearing completion. A top priority in spending will also go toward a new Rescue One truck for Buffalo. It will be equipped to respond to a terrorist attack. Money will also be spent on new protective gear for Buffalo firefighters responding to hazardous situations.

24 More on Homeland Security funds for Erie and Niagara counties. The state will pick up $2 Million dollars in labor costs for dispatchers.

25 Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg gives Western New York its first look at plans for a new $31 Million dollar Regional Training Center at Oak and Elm streets in Buffalo.
The first building designed to house local Homeland Security departments and a state-of-the-art forensic lab.

The new Training Center will bring in ECC criminal justice students and potentially offer anti-terrorism training for officers across the Northeast. An outdoor training facility simulating terrorist situations is another high priority.
A quarantine center is tops on the Erie County Health Department’s list.

Erie County is also looking to partner with the University at Buffalo to make Western New York a “Region of Excellence” for terrorism research.

26 New York State is ready to award a contractor to install America’s most advanced emergency communications network. It would allow first responders from different agencies to communicate with one another. Erie County Deputy Erie County Executive Carl Calabrese says the new Public Safety campus could potentially serve as the “brain center” for the new system.

27 A new approach to tracking victims of a biological attack is being developed in Erie County. A system using mobile computers at hospital bedsides would feed information into a central site for instant analysis.

Mike Moskal of the Calspan UB Research Center says it would be possible to prevent the spread of a disease further or start treating patients faster.

Paramedics would also be able to electronically record information while a patient is being transported to a hospital.

Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Anthony Billittier says health officials need information to determine if there is a disease spreading or victims are suffering from a terrorist event.

28 Western New York’s most spectacular tourist attractions, including the Maid of the Mist boat ride at Niagara Falls, have become a major security concern.
All ports and vessels must soon comply with new safety regulations.

Training sessions are held warning venue owners what to look for as tourists enter their attractions. Checking passengers for weapons on cruise vessels and tourists boats and security cameras are among the security measures taken.

29 More on anti-terrorism training sessions for tourist operators of major attractions on the Niagara Frontier.
Emphasis is placed on monitoring suspicious behavior of tourists, not their skin color, cultural attire or ethnic background. Training should be made available to the ticket-taker to the deckhand.

All of the nation’s ports and vessels must soon comply with tighter security measures. The belief is that terrorists will try to find the venue that is not protected.

30 Another major federally-funded drill has a hundred emergency responders from Western New York training for major “dirty bomb” attacks. The exercise includes the scenario of an attack on the Canadian side of the Peace Bridge. The drill takes place at the Emergency Operations Center in Cheektowaga.

Public Health agencies are notified. A decision is made to shut down traffic on the Thruway. The drill is conducted by federal emergency experts from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).

In the drill, the Boulevard Mall is targeted by terrorists. There is also another threat on the New York State Thruway.

The exercise provides an opportunity for emergency responders from different agencies get to know each other. Representatives from Canadian agencies, including the Niagara Region Public Health Department, took part in the session. The exercise took a year to plan.

31 More on the above drill, testing the ability of emergency responders to handle a terrorist “dirty bomb” attack on the Peace Bridge in Buffalo and Boulevard Mall in the Town of Tonawanda. A decision is made to keep people sheltered in their homes and businesses.

The exercise includes a mock TV news anchorman who presents updates as the drill unfolds. The idea is to help define the information that citizens would need to know for protection. The lines of communication during a crisis situation is a critical element that must be considered.

32 A plan is put forward to consider a state-of-the art training center at the Niagara Falls International Airport.
The piece opens outside of Rochester, New York where a drill is underway, challenging firefighters from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to respond to a mock-up 737 plane whose cabin is on fire. It simulates a terrorist attack.

Deputy Erie County Executive Carl Calabrese attends the drill. He is considering a joint proposal that would have Erie and Niagara Counties building a training center on land at the Niagara Falls Airport. A feasibility study is underway. There is a long history of mutual aid.
34 More on the above story that includes graphic video showing response training for a terrorist attack on an airplane. It is pointed out that computers often drive training programs like this one. In this exercise, sensors show whether the firefighting techniques employed are effective.

WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg shows viewers what it looks like inside the cabin of the mock-up plane after flames were extinguished.

The NFTA firefighters are given a good review by a training instructor.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> eng]]> 2001-]]> September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001.]]> Victims of terrorism -- United States.]]> Five months after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in Lower Manhattan, Western New Yorkers were still lending support at Ground Zero.

One of the environmental cleanup experts, Steve Sherman, had found a wallet in the debris containing the Buffalo driver’s license of Sheri Leach. She had been on the 78th floor of Tower One when one of the wings of the plane that had penetrated the building made contact with her floor.

Sheri’s survival and her meeting with Steve Sherman is the basis of the first story in this collection of reports by Rich Newberg.

“Western New Yorkers Lend a Hand”
In February 2001, bodies were still being recovered from under the debris at Ground Zero.

Buffalo Salvation Army workers Barbara Janicki and Maj. June Carlson were among those giving help and encouragement to responders still on the scene.

Ron Papa of Buffalo helped assess damages to the Century 21 department store on the site. He recalls barely making his way through the cement dust following the September attack.

“Governor Pataki at Ground Zero”
In his final report in this series, Rich Newberg meets with New York Governor George Pataki at Ground Zero. The Governor was in Manhattan on 9/11 and shares his feelings after New York City firefighters brought him to the scene of mass destruction.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> eng]]> Aircraft accidents--New York (State)--Clarence]]>
The twin-engine turboprop belonged to Colgan Air, a regional airline company serving Continental Airlines. The flight had originated in Newark, New Jersey. It crashed only a few miles from the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport.

This composite of stories begins the night of the crash. WIVB-TV’s Lisa Flynn was the first to report that it was a commercial airliner that crashed, not a small plane, as had been first thought. The crash sent a shock wave across Western New York. Many of the victims were from the Buffalo area.

Families and friends of those who perished in the crash remembered their loved ones during grief stricken moments, and Western New York went through a period of mourning. Many questions were raised about the cause of the crash and whether the crew had been properly trained to operate this particular aircraft. Family members began attending hearings in Washington DC and closely followed the investigation.

A year after the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that pilot error was the probable cause of the accident. Captain Marvin Renslow had failed to correctly respond to a stall, which is the sudden reduction in lift of an aircraft. The pilot had pulled back on the control column, tilting the nose of the plane up instead of lowering it and applying full power.

Families had begun questioning whether Federal Aviation Administration regulations for regional airlines were adequate. Critical safety issues raised included pilot training and fatigue. On the one year anniversary of the crash, family members and supporters walked from the accident site on Long Street in Clarence to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport to draw attention to their cause.

In a series of WIVB investigative reports, Rich Newberg revealed that internal emails from Colgan Airlines were obtained by lawyers representing the relatives of deceased passengers. They indicated that pilot Marvin Renslow had training problems and appeared not ready to handle the Bombardier Q400 aircraft. However, a month later he was flying the plane. When Newberg questioned an attorney representing Colgan Air, he maintained that Capt. Renslow was qualified to fly the plane.

Attorneys representing the crash victims determined that Colgan Air had been expanding air routes and moving to fifteen of the bigger models of the Q 400 planes. Attorney Hugh Russ said Colgan was “desperately looking for pilots to fly these planes.” Russ said, “These emails in our judgement prove that Colgan sacrificed safety for profits.”

Families charged that Colgan Air had withheld the emails during the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB then ordered Colgan Air’s parent company, Pinnacle Airlines, to produce the internal emails in question. The company said it would comply.

A former Colgan Air crew scheduler came forward and told Newberg that the airline would fly pilots who lacked sleep to cover each leg of a flight itinerary. Colgan had no comment.

Eventually, the families, after many trips to Washington, got the FAA to implement tougher regulations including more hours of flight training and a requirement that airlines keep more extensive records detailing how pilots performed during training. Measures were also implemented to cut down on pilot fatigue.

Deborah Hersman, who was chair of the NTSB, told Rich Newberg, “…the families in this accident have been simply amazing. We have seen some incredible grace come out of the people who have gone through the worst experience of their life to really come together and try to determine if there’s anything good that can come from this, to make sure that no one has to go through what they went through. They have been a strong voice. They have been aggressive. They’ve been educated on the issues, and they’ve been a great help to the safety board as we try to focus attention on the issues related to this accident.”]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Walker, Jacquie (Anchor)]]> Postles, Don (Anchor)]]> Flynn, Lisa (Reporter) ]]> Macko, Rob (Reporter)]]> Moretti, Luke (Reporter)]]> Newberg, Rich (Reporter)]]> Shultz, Lorey (Reporter)]]> eng]]> Education--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Education--New York (State)--Erie County]]> Bullying]]>
In Western New York, worried parents of young victims of bullying were concerned that their school districts were not dealing effectively with the issue. A rash of incidents on school buses targeted students as young as six years old.

WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg reported on young children being tormented and found that school superintendents were reluctant to go on-camera to discuss the issue. Parents said bullies were not being punished, even after repeated incidents were documented.

There was enough pubic interest in the growing problem to warrant a special WIVB-TV presentation. On March 2, 2011, large portions of the 5 and 6 o’clock newscasts were set aside to feature a panel of experts who took calls from concerned viewers. They addressed issues including whether or not a targeted child should fight back.

Parents were also advised to look for signs indicating that their child might be a victim of bullying. It was noted that victims can carry deep emotional scars. There were calls for serious interventions by school districts that had been reluctant to take direct action against known bullies.

The segments ended with high profile celebrities and politicians, including President Obama, offering words of encouragement to those who were being tormented at school. Students were urged not to remain silent and to seek help from those they trust, including parents and teachers.

Legendary Buffalo boxer “Baby Joe” Mesi told a group of public school children that he had been a victim of bullying. The former world heavyweight contender said he built up his self confidence by learning how to box.

“Too often the voice of the victim, the target of the bully, goes unheard,” said WIVB-TV General Manager Chris Musial. He added, “Young people still feel trapped, abused and tormented. We at WIVB-News 4 and CW23-WNLO are committed to digging deeper in our coverage of this important issue. Whether it begins in the schoolyard or school bus, or in cyberspace through online taunting or texting, we will continue our efforts to find solutions that lead to an end of these horrible actions by bullies.”

“The Bully Project” was honored with a national Sigma Delta Chi Public Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. ]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> George Richert (Reporter)]]> eng]]> Agent Orange]]> Herbicides--War use]]> Agent Orange--Health aspects--Vietnam]]> Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Veterans]]>
WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg reports on progress made by Agent Orange victims who have sought medical help and disability compensation from the Veterans Administration. He features the stories of two Vietnam Veterans from Western New York who suffered the consequences of Agent Orange exposure.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Hill, Ahmir]]> eng]]> Matt, Richard]]> Sweat, David]]> Clinton Prison (Dannemora, N.Y.)]]>
On June 16, during the search, prison employee Joyce Mitchell confessed to providing Matt and Sweat with hacksaw blades, chisels, and other tools used for the escape.

WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg presents a video profile of Matt and Sweat, followed by a WIVB-TV television special, "Breakout."

(Background)
Richard Matt, from Tonawanda, New York, had been serving a sentence of 25 years to life for beating, torturing, and ultimately killing his former boss, William Rickerson. After breaking his neck, Matt dismembered Rickerson's body, discarding the remains in the Niagara River.

Matt and an accomplice had kidnapped Rickerson from his North Tonawanda home with the intent to rob him. Matt then fled to Mexico, where he stabbed a man to death after trying to rob him. Matt was arrested and convicted of the stabbing death in Mexico. He was then extradited to the U.S. to stand trial for the murder of William Dickerson.

David Sweat, raised in Binghamton area of New York, shot a Broome County sheriff's deputy multiple times before running him over with a car. He and an accomplice had been spotted by Deputy Kevin Tarsia in a parking lot while in possession of stolen firearms. After Sweat ran over Deputy Tarsia, the accomplice, Jeffrey Nabinger Jr., shot the severely wounded deputy in the face, killing him. Sweat was serving a sentence of life without parole.

Matt was hunted down in Malone, New York on June 26, 2015 and killed during a confrontation with a U.S border patrol agent and a former Army Ranger. Two days later, Sweat was spotted near Constable, New York by a New York State Trooper who wanted to question him. After Sweat took off running across a hay field, Trooper Jay Cook shot him in the shoulder and arm. Sweat survived.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Television journalists]]> Television broadcasting of news]]>
While the first Buffalo viewers of television in 1948 may have thought the images miraculously appeared on their small screens at home, it took a coordinated effort of technicians, directors, set designers, audio and film engineers, station support personnel, and many others who worked behind the scenes, to put programs on the air.

While their expertise, for the most part, was technical in nature, some possessed incredible artistic talents worthy of the public spotlight. In this series of reports by WIVB-TV'ss Rich Newberg and Jacquie Walker, these broadcasting pioneers are recognized for their contributions to the Buffalo television industry.

Order of Presentation: WIVB-TV Behind the Scenes
John Novelli / Technical Director, Artist
Ted Patton / TV and Stage Set Designer
Frank Wald / Technician
Hal Case / Technician
Ann Deckop / Executive Assistant
Alfred Kirchhofer / First President & General Manager
Bill McKibben / Station Manager under Kirchhofer]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, editor)]]> Hill, Ahmir (Title Graphic Artist)]]> Walker, Jacquie (Reporter)]]> Buffalo Broadcasters Association]]> eng]]> Television broadcasting of news]]> Television broadcasting of news--New York (State)]]> Television broadcasting of news--United States--History.]]> When WIVB-TV (formerly WBEN-TV) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a TV special on May 14, 1998, the use of archival news film and videotape gave viewers a window into Buffalo'ss storied history. Rich Newberg, who co-produced and co-hosted the program, wrote an article for the National Television Academy, documenting the significance of the station's successful efforts to broadcast footage dating back to the birth of television in Buffalo in 1948. Buffalo is a unique television market in that the news film and videotape archives from all three major stations have been saved. WIVB-TV (Channel 4-CBS), as well as WKBW-TV (Channel 7-ABC) and WGRZ-TV (Channel 2 - NBC), have given the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) permission to digitize their archival TV news collections and bring Western New York's moving image history back to life.

Mr. Newberg, a founding member of the BBA and Hall of Fame inductee, has put together a comprehensive visual history of this extraordinary effort in Buffalo to preserve and utilize a most valuable educational resource. He served as chair of the BBA's Archive Task Force that began the process of digitizing Buffalo's TV news archives in 2011. The historical retrospective begins with excerpts from the Channel 4 documentary, "First In Western New York: 50 Golden Years on Channel 4." The featured segments are narrated by WIVB-TV former anchors Don Postles and Rich Newberg.
(Runs: 8:30)

LAUNCHING OF THE ARCHIVE PROJECT
On March 29, 2019 the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) officially launched The Archive Project. The BBA had established written agreements with WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS) and WKBW-TV (Scripps/ABC) to digitize their news film and early videotape archives. WGRZ-TV (Tegna/NBC) came onboard in 2024. The moving image archive is to be used for educational use only.

Through BBA fundraisers, donations, and grants from the Western New York Library Resources Council, digitized news reports and clips dating back as early as the mid-1960s began being posted on the New York Heritage website. Postings will also appear on the BBA's own website, which is currently being revamped to provide space for the archival material.

These reports that aired on WIVB-TV and WKBW-TV show viewers the scope of the project and why the initiative is a valued resource for Western New York and the nation.
(Runs: 5:30)

ACTOR ED ASNER ENDORSES THE BBA'S ARCHIVE PROJECT
On September 29, 2019, Actor Ed Asner, who played television news director Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, endorsed the BBA's Archive Project in a public service announcement. The endorsement was recorded during the time Mr. Asner was in Western New York for his performance of a one man show.

Asner endorsement: "Hello. I'm Ed Asner. You may remember me as television's no-nonsense news director, Lou Grant. If you think about it, journalists provide us with our first draft of history. Right here in Buffalo, more than 50 years of TV news coverage is being brought back to life! Local stations are working with the Buffalo Broadcasters Association to bring back the stories that helped define the Niagara Frontier. It's called The Archive Project, and I support it with all my heart! So should you."
(Runs: 60 seconds)

THE MEMORY KEEPERS
Rescuing Buffalo's Moving Image History
This update on The Archive Project was presented at the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 4, 2021. The piece was modified in 2024 to include WGRZ-TV, which also entered into contract with the BBA for the digitization of its film and videotape archive. The progress report is written and hosted by Rich Newberg and edited by Tom Vetter. The feature lays out the challenges in preserving and utilizing Buffalo's archival TV news film and videotape.
(Runs: 7:20)

THE ARCHIVE PROJECT
Buffalo Broadcasters Association
How It All Began
(5 PARTS: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
The cornerstone project of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) is to digitize Buffalo television archival news film and videotape from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. The news film had been rescued on many occasions by Buffalo broadcasting pioneers whose vision was to someday create a moving image archive of Buffalo's rich and colorful history as told through the lens of broadcast journalists.

The storage of news film from all three Buffalo network affiliates began in the 1960s. Boxes were initially kept at Buffalo Historical Society. Channel 7 eventually took back its film, while Channels 4 and 2 chose not to physically reclaim their footage.

This series of features, written and produced by Rich Newberg, documents the progress and objectives of The Archive Project. The five video reports were presented during most of the BBA's Hall of Fame ceremonies between 2006 and 2011.
(Runs: 22:36)]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Buffalo Broadcasters Association]]> Mombrea Jr., Mike]]> Vetter, Tom]]> Terrenova, Michael]]> eng]]> Daredevils--Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)]]>
Munday was 48 years old when he first conquered the Falls on October 5, 1985. His second journey over the Horseshoe Falls and into the international record books took place on September 27, 1993.

Between these two incredible feats, Munday decided to challenge the treacherous currents of the Great Gorge Rapids which feed into dangerous spinning waters of the notorious Whirlpool.

In a less sophisticated 600 pound barrel made of high pressure steel pipe, Munday and his assistants eluded Niagara Parks Police and lowered the barrel into the swift currents of the rapids. His five minute harrowing journey on October 11, 1987 brought him to the Whirlpool.

The world got a little more insight into the motivations and fears of this thrill seeker during a series of reports by WIVB-TV's Rich Newberg. The most amazing revelation was Dave Munday's confession that he is terrified of the water and can't swim.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Poland, Solidarity Movement, Buffalo Polish Americans, Martial Law in Poland, Polish Americans]]> Refugees]]> Refugees--Poland]]> Martial law--Poland]]> Solidarity (Polish labor organization)]]>
Western New York students studying in Poland managed to flee the country and make it safely back to Buffalo. They had many stories to tell about the abuses imposed on Polish citizens as well as an economic crisis that put Poland on the brink of bankruptcy.

Buffalo, with its large Polish population, became one of the lead protest cities in the United States. They demanded that the Soviet Union loosen its grasp on Poland and allow the Polish people to choose their own destiny. President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II are often credited with helping to bring down communism in Poland.

"Flight from Poland," a WIVB-TV news special hosted and co-produced by Rich Newberg, gave Buffalo viewers a comprehensive look inside Poland during this period of great turmoil. Newberg got first hand accounts from refugees and students in Buffalo who had witnessed the abuses in their homeland.

In 1985, Newberg would report from Gdansk, the birthplace of Solidarity, as club wielding Zomos (paramilitary units) again arrested Solidarity demonstrators. Newberg and photojournalist Don Yearke met with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and then with Pope John Paul II in Rome. (See "Hearts and Minds Together" and "Inside a Private Audience with Pope John Paul II.")

In 1999, Newberg would again travel to Poland, this time with photojournalist Mike Mombrea, Jr., to cover Pope John Paul II's triumphant return to his homeland, now free from communist rule. The pope made a special effort to meet with a Buffalo delegation on a street in Torun, Poland. He blessed every member, showing his gratitude toward the city, whose Polish Americans never wavered in their support for a free Poland. Newberg also interviewed Lech Walesa after he had served as president of Poland. (See "The People's Pope.")]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005]]> Solidarity]]> Daemen College]]> Buffalo has a large Polish population with close ties to Poland. The pope had visited Western New York when he was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla. The private audience on September 6, 1985 had been granted in advance because of an exchange program between Daemen College in Buffalo and the Catholic University in Lublin, Poland.
The pope had spent twenty-five years at the Catholic University as a professor and chairman of the Faculty of Ethics. It was the only Christian university in the Soviet Bloc. The Buffalo delegation had included a visit to the university in its travels through Poland.
One of the delegation leaders, Brian Rusk, who represented Daemen College president Robert Marshall, commented to the pope that the exchange program would carry on his "words and teachings for peace and brotherhood in the world." The pope openly expressed his gratitude for support the program was receiving.
During their journey through Poland, the delegation had revisited Buffalo's many ties to the Polish people (see "Hearts and Minds Together" in the collection). Another delegation leader, Richard Solecki, had a special security contact within the Solidarity movement. This relationship enabled the delegates to meet with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa minutes before his demonstrators took to the streets of Gdansk.
The entire private audience with Pope John Paul II was photographed by News 4 photographer Don Yearke. It can be viewed following Rich Newberg's WIVB-TV live report from outside the pope's residence. At one point, when Newberg sought comment from the pope on Solidarity's efforts to free Poland from communism, his microphone was snatched out of his hand by a papal aide.
That's when the pope took Newberg by the arm and whispered, "Without Solidarity, there can be no peace!"]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Rusk, Brian]]> Solecki, Richard]]> Rutkowski, Edward]]> Slisz, Richard]]> eng]]>
When their children came of age to be parents, the "natural" approach was applied to many aspects of life, including child birth and breast feeding, and the purchase of toys that promoted creativity and not violence.

In his series, "It's Only Natural," WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg, a new father whose wife gave up a teaching career to become a "stay-at-home mom," explores the norms of the 1980's. Dr. Spock is featured in his reports.

In the final segment, Spock defends himself against conservative critics who blame him for being overly permissive in his advice to parents. Some of his detractors advocate spanking as a form of discipline. Spock says was never a "permissivist." He says he was singled out by critics because of his opposition to the Vietnam War.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Urban & municipal planning]]> Masiello, Anthony]]> Buffalo Harbor (N.Y.)]]> Public schools--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> Urban development--Government policy]]>
After spending ten years on the Council, Masiello was elected to the New York State Senate. Serving from 1981 to 1993, he advanced to the positions of Minority Whip and Chair of the Democratic Conference.

On January 1, 1994, Masiello was sworn in as Buffalo 61st mayor. He served three terms. In an interview with WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg, Masiello looked back with pride on his accomplishments as mayor. He said his administration boosted Buffalo's image nationally by building up the city's medical corridor and changing Buffalo's "economic fabric."

In particular, he mentioned cultural tourism and the attraction of the city's developing Inner Harbor. He also said developers were converting old historic buildings into attractive places to live, providing an incentive for people to rent or buy property downtown. During the Masiello years, eighty year old school buildings were renovated with state-of-the-art "learning laboratories." It was a ten year, state funded, billion dollar project. Masiello said, when it came to education, his one regret was that he was unable to appoint three members to the Buffalo School Board.

Directly addressed the people of Buffalo, Masiello said, "I thoroughly enjoyed being your mayor." He added, "I know we've had some tough times but I never gave up on our city. I never gave up on its people, and I never gave up on its future." Because of his positive approach to governing, he said, "I think we're in a really good position to do great things as a city and as a people." Tony Masiello won twenty-three elections to public office during the span of his political career.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Kemp, Jack, 1935-2009]]> Reagan, Ronald--Assassination attempts]]> Presidents--Assassination--United States]]> Hinckley, John W. (John Warnock), Jr.]]> D’Amato, Alfonse]]> Rich Newberg reported from the nation's capital and got reaction and updates from Senator Alfonse D'Amato and Congressman Jack Kemp.

On March 30, 1981, just after Ronald Reagan was waving to a crowd outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., shots rang out from a .22 caliber revolver fired by John Hinckley, Jr. who was only fifteen feet away.

The 70 year old president, who was about two months into his first term, took a bullet that ricocheted off his limousine and lodged in his chest, just missing his heart. His press secretary James Brady was shot in the head and suffered brain damage. Police officer Thomas Delahanty was hit in the back. Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy was wounded in the chest. McCarthy had positioned himself between Hinckley and the president. President Reagan's life was saved by the medical team at George Washington University Hospital.

Hinckley, who would later be found not guilty by reason of insanity, had fantasized that his attempt on the life of President Reagan would somehow impress actress Jodie Foster, who appeared in the movie Taxi Driver. In that movie the character played by Robert De Niro plots to assassinate a presidential candidate. Hinckley was committed to a psychiatric hospital and released in 2016.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Buffalo (N.Y.). Office of the Mayor]]> Griffin, Jimmy]]>
His followers respected the fact that he always said what was on his mind, regardless of the consequences. He was often critical of the news media when his policies were challenged. At times he got physical with his opponents, once punching a former aide in the face, yanking the tie of a Buffalo councilman and challenging another city lawmaker to a fist fight. In an interview with WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg, Griffin admitted he was "pugnacious," but added that he was always true to himself.

"Remembering Mayor Jimmy Griffin" begins with his obituary on November 6, 2003. He was raised in Buffalo's rough and tumble Irish Old First Ward and scooped grain out of Great Lakes freighters as a teenager. He fought in the Korean war and entered Buffalo politics in 1961, winning a seat on the city's Common Council. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1966.

Griffin blamed the local news media for negative stories about his Parks commissioner Robert Delano, who ended up spending more than two years in federal prison for theft and extortion.

During his one-on-one interview with Rich Newberg, Griffin looks back on his accomplishments as mayor. A new downtown baseball stadium and housing and commercial buildings on the Erie Basin Marina are among them.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Refugees]]> Refugees--Poland]]> Catholic Charities of Buffalo]]> St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr Parish (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Saint Mary's School for the Deaf (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]>
WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg flew with Casey to JFK Airport in New York the day he was reunited with his family. They all embraced. His wife Katrina is also deaf and worked as a tailor in Gdansk to make ends meet.

Daughter Kataryna was able to speak for the family through an interpreter. She said, "Without father there is no life." In Buffalo, Catholic Charities and St. Mary's School for the Deaf were prepared to help the family start life over again.

In a follow-up report almost a year-and-a half later, we see Katrina working as a seamstress. Daughters Katrina and Monica learned to speak English at St. Stanislaus School in Buffalo. Monica had become best friends with a fellow student. Katrina was having a harder time adjusting to life in America.

The Catholic Church continued to play a major role in their lives. Msgr. John Gabalski of St. Stanislaus Church said of the Wrobel family, "They preach a better sermon by their behavior than I can preach orally." Monica had just celebrated her first communion.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Gabalski, John]]> eng]]>