Homelessness--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Homeless persons--New York (State)--Buffalo]]>
Only half a block away from the place where bread was being distributed, a poverty-stricken, laid-off shipping clerk tried to offer his services to load and unload trucks in a desperate attempt to provide milk and other essentials for his two children.

2 For some of Buffalo’s homeless, living quarters are concrete spaces under the New York State Thruway. Some use cardboard to shield themselves from the elements. 67 year old Harvey Bryant was one of them. He was a “hobo” who was barely surviving on food from trash cans. His health was failing when a Buffalo family came to his aid. The City of Buffalo’s Human Resources Department and Catholic Charities were made aware of the case and immediately provided Mr. Bryant with shelter, while also addressing some of his other basic needs.

3 Buffalo soup kitchens faced increased demand in the 1980s during a period when the city experienced economic decline. Families suddenly found themselves in dire need. The federal government set aside money for cities hoping to do more for the homeless and the hungry. Buffalo’s Department of Human Services vowed to cut through red tape in order to help the neediest.

4 Sunny Miano, a modern day Robin Hood, stole money to provide for the needy of Buffalo. He served time for writing bad checks. He then established a soup kitchen called Helping Hands. He became a beloved life-saver for the poor. His operating philosophy: “If we can’t help somebody along the way, what good are we? We’re nothing!”

5 As we entered the new millennium, there were still more than hundred homeless people in Buffalo living in tunnels, under bridges, in abandoned homes, and on the streets.

One of the most compelling and heartbreaking stories was about a man named “Jeff.” He lost both legs to frostbite. Various agencies came to his aid. He was provided a furnished apartment, but sadly, according to reports, he reverted back to heavy drinking and passed away.]]> Newberg, Rich (Reporter, Archivist)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Terranova, Michael (Digital Editor)]]> A Life in the Balance: Struggles of the Mentally Ill]]> eng]]> Escaped prisoners]]> Phillips, Ralph James ]]> Fugitives from justice.]]> Ralph "Bucky" Phillips had appeared on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Background
On April 2, 2006, Ralph "Bucky" Phillips escaped from the Erie County Correctional Facility by using a can opener to cut through the metal roof of the kitchen.

He had been arrested on a parole violation following a burglary conviction in 2005. Although his criminal record also included grand larceny and other crimes,
he was initially not considered to be a violent person by friends and relatives, according to early reports.
Some believed he was intent on patching up his relationship with his daughter and grandchildren.

During the initial phases of his escape, the public became fixated on Phillips' ability to allude police, who at times were hot on his trail. Feeding into his "folk hero" status, one restaurant established the to-go "Bucky Burger," for those "On the Run." T-shirts were marketed saying "Run, Bucky, Run!" A song with the same title was written.

The Bucky Phillips saga turned dark when he shot and wounded New York State Trooper Sean Brown near Elmira on June 10, 2006. Trooper Brown was approaching a stolen Ford Mustang Phillips was driving.

A second shooting took place in the Chautauqua County town of Pomfret on August 31st. State Troopers Donald Baker Jr. and Joseph Longobardo were hit during a house stakeout of a relative of Phillips. Longobardo later died from his wounds.

Phillips was captured by Pennsylvania State Police on September 8, 2006. He surrendered in a wooded area with his hands raised. While in custody and taken in for processing, there were still supporters who cheered him on, much to the disgust of troopers.

On November 29, 2006, Phillips pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder. He was sentenced in Chautauqua County Court to life without parole.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> T. E.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Terrorism--United States
]]> Yemeni Americans--New York(State)--Lackawanna
]]> Muslims--Civil rights--New York (State)--Lackawanna]]>
Discussions centered on whether or not the six friends from Lackawanna, New York, just outside of Buffalo, were actually part of a terrorist “sleeper cell.” Questions were raised about the practice of what has been called “preemptive justice,” meaning the arrest of individuals who were considered possible threats for violent acts that were never committed.

Prosecutors argued that attendance at a terrorist training camp and failure to disclose the fact to the FBI, were grounds for the arrests. All the defendants ended up pleaded guilty to “providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.” They were given sentences ranging from seven to ten years.

Defense attorneys maintained that their clients were lured into attending the training camp and realized too late what they had gotten into. They accepted plea bargain agreements that limited their prison terms. They agreed to cooperate with the U.S. government regarding information they had obtained during their time in the Middle East.

During their stay at the camp in Afghanistan the men from Lackawanna had been addressed by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-Laden who said the United States would be a target of terrorist activity. Most of the defendants, according to their attorneys, decided they wanted to leave the camp early and have nothing to do with any attacks on America.

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hochul said the defendants were told by bin-Laden that “forty to fifty men (would be) enroute to attack America,” but chose to remain silent when they returned home in the summer of 2001.
He questioned whether that information might have helped avert the attacks on 9/11.

Defense attorney John Molloy said all six had remained silent “out of fear.” He said they “were petrified” on 9/11 and that “they were afraid that they were next.”

]]> Newberg, Rich (Guest on “At Large with Geraldo Rivera”) ]]> Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Terrorism--United States--Prevention.
]]> Yemeni Americans--New York(State)--Lackawanna.
]]> Muslims--Civil rights--New York (State)--Lackawanna.
]]> Civil rights--United States.
]]> Bush, George W. (George Walker), 1946-]]>
President Bush maintained that The Patriot Act had been instrumental in the arrests of the so-called “Lackawanna Six,” a group of friends from a small city outside of Buffalo, New York who attended a al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan just months before the 9/11/2001 terror attacks on the United States.

While President Bush had referred to these men as belonging to a “terrorist cell,” their defense attorneys said the six had been lured to attend the camp, not realizing what it was all about. After being addressed by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin-laden, most tried to leave the camp early. According to their attorneys, they wanted nothing more to do with al-Qaeda.

Faced with a trial and potentially lengthy prison sentences, they all pleaded guilty to “providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.” They received sentences of seven to ten years in prison and agreed to share information with the US government.

WIVB-TV senior Correspondent Rich Newberg reports on President Bush’s visit to Buffalo and the Patriot Act support he received from US Attorney Michael Battle and Buffalo FBI Agent In Charge Peter Ahearn.

Four days after the president’s visit, Fox News journalist Geraldo Rivera conducted a debate on the Patriot Act during a live Fox News Channel cablecast originating from Buffalo’s City Hall. “At Large with Geraldo Rivera” took a second look at the case of the The Lackawanna Six.

In reviewing the case, Rivera reports that the FBI had been tipped off by an anonymous letter that a group of Arab Americans that had traveled to Afghanistan was there to “meet bin-Laden and stay in his camp for training.” Rivera states that the men had told their neighbors they were going to Pakistan for religious instruction.

President Bush had stated that the Patriot Act “helps us to be able to connect the dots.” However, University at Buffalo constitutional law professor Dr. Lee Albert maintained that The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 had already allowed the CIA and FBI to cooperate in the Lackawanna Six case. “I don’t think the Patriot Act had a lot to do with this case,” he said.

FBI Special Agent Peter Ahearn disagreed and said, “The dots were connected” through the Patriot Act. He said shared information between the CIA and FBI led to the connection to a foreign terrorist organization. He said it had started as a criminal investigation but that the “spin of this case” changed. He added that seeing “the whole picture” helped reveal “how al-Qaeda operated overseas.”

During the debate, Patriot Act proponent Heather MacDonald of the Manhattan Institute maintained that there had been “utter paralysis in the country’s intelligence community before 9/11.” She added, “For months after 9/11 the political community, the media, was railing against our failure to connect the dots. The Patriot Act solved that.”

Patriot Act critic, former US attorney Bob Barr, said there has never been a federal law that prohibits intelligence agents and prosecutors to talk with each other. He said there is a danger that the Patriot Act could be used “as a subterfuge to undermine the Bill of Rights.” He added, “If we say, well prosecutors should be able to get anything, anytime, anywhere that they want simply because they say it’s to fight terrorism, then we might as well just throw the Bill of Rights, and especially the 4th Amendment (the right against unreasonable searches and seizures) out the window, and I don’t think we ought to do that as a country.”
]]> Newberg, Rich (Guest on “At Large with Geraldo Rivera”) ]]> Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]>
The author of this play, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, was a British politician and writer. He coined the phrases "the great unwashed," "pursuit of the almighty dollar," and "the pen is mightier than the sword."  The opening line of his novel Paul Clifford (1830) is that now classic phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night".]]> Buffalo Academy of Music]]> Burns, T. H.]]> Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873]]> Langtry, Lillie, 1853-1929]]> Coghlan, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1848-1899]]> Everill, Frederick, A.]]> Calvert, C.]]> Carne, Joseph]]> eng]]> eng]]> Late Nineteenth Century (1850-1900)]]> Norman Lindsay]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> 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]]> 1. What does your square represent? A history of the USA that should continue to be taught in public education.
2. Why did you choose these symbols? My identity as an Ogwe'o:weh Onondowa'ga (Seneca) woman and mother
3. What do you hope viewers notice or feel? Rememberance]]> Jones, Kami]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition--(1901:Buffalo, N.Y.) --Songs and music]]> Koeppen, Erwin C.]]> Grosvenor Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]>
Buffalo's Star Theatre (W. Genesee and Pearl Streets) was a vibrant theatre venue from 1888 to 1919.

The original owner of this program was clearly a fan of Maude Adams, as they clipped magazine photos of her and pasted them inside.]]> Star Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937]]> Adams, Maude, 1872-1953]]> Johnson, Orrin]]> Jepson, Eugene, -1908]]> Jones, W. G.]]> Irving, George, 1874-1961]]> Frohman, Charles, 1860-1915]]> eng]]> Late Nineteenth Century (1850-1900)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Buffalo (N.Y.)--Buildings, structures, etc.]]> Hotels--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> [illegible] (author)]]> ENG]]> Broadcasters--New York (State)--Buffalo--History.]]> Broadcasting--New York--Buffalo--History.]]> The Memory Keepers

(2021)

This feature presents the cornerstone project of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA). It lays out the goals and challenges in preserving and utilizing Buffalo’s archival TV news film and videotape dating back to the mid-1960s.

This piece is the most recent in a series of videos tracing the history of The Archive Project. 

 

“The Memory Keepers” was presented at the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 4, 2021

(Runs: 7:12)

The Archive Project History 

(5 Parts: 2006 - 2011)

(Total running time: 22:49)

The history of The Archive Project is presented here by Rich Newberg in a series of five features. They document a period of awakening to the value of archival TV news footage, and show how painstaking efforts are underway to preserve the moving images that reflect more than a half century of life on the Buffalo-Niagara Frontier.

 

Rich Newberg is a founding member of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association and former Archive Task Force chairman for the BBA. 

His five video reports were presented during most of the BBA's Hall of Fame ceremonies between 2006 and 2011.] 

 

(Summary of Reports)

The Archive Project (2006)

Runs: 3:51

*Edison’s historic moving images of Buffalo are presented as well as a vision for The Archive Project 

*The first meeting with Buffalo television executives is documented

*Recommendations are given for saving Buffalo’s TV news film collection

 

The Archive Task Force (2008)

Runs: 4:00

*A task force is created to seek grants for digitization of TV news film in the BBA's possession

*University at Buffalo senior research scholar Michael Frisch signs on to create a system for categorizing and indexing digitized material

*Highlights of major Buffalo news stories from the 1960s and ’70s are referenced (civil rights riots, Blizzard of ’77, Love Canal, Attica uprising, Jack Kemp’s political rise to power)

 

The Journey Begins (2009)

Runs: 4:39

*First boxes of TV news film are itemized from the year 1966

*A vision is presented for a museum and resource center to house the collection

*First meeting is conducted with Buffalo area colleges and universities

*The BBA’s Archive Project is featured at a national conference of the Institute of Museum and Library Services held in Buffalo

*Conference presenter Dr. Michael Frisch calls Buffalo “one of the most important media centers in the country, of the evolution of television news.” He references Western New York natives Tim Russert, Wolf Blitzer, and political satirist Mark Russell

 

Buffalo Moments in Time (2010)

Runs: 3:52

*A database is created listing the slugs of all 15-hundred WIVB-TV (formerly WBEN-TV) news stories from the year 1966, the first full year of the BBA’s collection

*Scene Savers of Covington Kentucky sends representative John Walko to advise BBA leadership on how best to preserve and utilize the archival news film 

*Dr. Michael Frisch illustrates how his company, Randforce Associates, is able to catalogue and index all the digitized footage for easy access

*BBA president Dave Gillen says, “We’ve got all the pieces in place. We just need the money to do it.”

 

The Scene Savers (2011)

Runs: 6:00

*The step-by-step digitization process is documented by Scene Savers staffers working on the BBA’s Archive Project. 

*Mr. Newberg says future projects will range from documentaries, to classroom presentations, to museum exhibits

*The project seeks to complete the mission of the BBA to make Buffalo’s moving image history accessible to the public, “so that future generations will know their roots and will appreciate the contributions of Buffalo’s broadcasting pioneers.” 

 

Official Launching of The Archive Project (2019)

WIVB-TV Report

Runs: 3:24

On March 29, 2019, the Buffalo Broadcasters Association (BBA) officially launched The Archive Project. The BBA established written agreements with WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS) and WKBW-TV (Scripps/ABC) to digitize their news film and early videotape archives. The moving image archive will be  made available 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. 

 

This WIVB-TV news report by News 4 anchor Jacquie Walker shows viewers the scope of the project and why the initiative is a valued resource for Western New York and the nation.]

Official Launching of The Archive Project (2019)

WKBW-TV Report

Runs: 2:05

The BBA collection of archival Buffalo TV news film and video tape becomes the first of its kind on the New York Heritage website. Rich Newberg, one of the chief architects of the project, comments that the collection will document “huge stories, huge challenges that faced this community.”

He says the archive holds valuable lessons for “seeking better solutions in the future.” He adds, “It’s the journalists, the reporters and photographers, who basically gave their communities the first draft of history. And that’s why we think it’s so vital to bring this back.” 

Actor Ed Asner Endorses The Archive Project

(Recorded: September 20, 2019)

Runs: :60 sec.

Ed Asner, who played television’s legendary 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 while Mr. Asner was in Rochester, New York performing 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.”]

]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)]]> Vetter, Tom (Producer, Editor)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Buffalo (N.Y.)--History--Newspapers.]]>
This News 4 television special hosted by the late Bob Koop looks back on the reasons why the newspaper could no longer compete with The Buffalo News and the impact of the Courier’s folding on its former staff members and its readers.

Staff members of the Courier Express voted down the opportunity to work under Rupert Murdoch’s News America. It would have meant transitioning to a tabloid newspaper as well as staff cuts of between 30 and 40 percent. When the paper shut down, eleven hundred people were out of work. Buffalo’s depressed economy at the time made it difficult for many of those workers to find jobs. Some had to go on welfare.

The demise of the Courier Express followed the closings of other major newspapers throughout the country, including the Cleveland Press, which shut down three months earlier. It had been operating for 103 years.

The roots of The Courier Express date back to 1828 according to SUNY Buffalo State, which has possession of the Courier Express archives. As the E.H. Butler Library at Buffalo State points out, “From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express…” Mark Twain once was a columnist for one of those papers, the Buffalo Morning Express.]]> Newberg, Rich (Reporter, Archivist)]]> Koop, Bob (Program Host)]]> Smith, Doug (Former Courier Express Entertainment Editor/News 4 “Fun Ranger")]]> Baker, Jim (Former Courier Express Radio-TV Critic)]]> Lapping, Ed (Veteran Newspaper Editor)]]> Jasen, Carol (WIVB-TV Reporter)]]> Newberg, Rich (WIVB-TV Reporter)]]> Sacks, Karen (Producer)]]> Vandivort, Dave (Director)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)]]> Wigginton, Chris (Photographer, Editor)]]> Cantwell, Bill (Photographer)]]> Santana, Dave (Photographer)]]> Ayers, Don (Technical Staff)]]> Clemons, Mickey (Technical Staff)]]> Johnson, Len (Technical Staff)]]> Johnson, Rex (Technical Staff)]]> Kerner, Kathy (Technical Staff)]]> Novelli, John (Technical Staff)]]> Pels, Godon (Technical Staff)]]> Rozek, Dan (Technical Staff)]]> eng]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> James Montgomery Flagg]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition--(1901:Buffalo, N.Y.) --Songs and music]]> Edwards, Estelle]]> Grosvenor Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition--(1901:Buffalo, N.Y.) --Songs and music]]> Weiler, Harry J.]]> Grosvenor Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.) -- Participation, Female.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.) -- Participation, Female.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.) -- Participation, Female.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005]]> Popes--Biography]]> Catholic Church--History]]> Polish Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Originally aired on WIVB-TV.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)]]> Mombrea Jr., Mike (Producer, Photographer, Editor)]]> Musial, Chris (Producer)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> Van Horn, Mike (Graphic Artist)]]> Mombrea, John (Digital Editor)]]> Baxter, Tim (Digital Editor, Post-production Editor)]]> Musial, Chris (Executive Producer)]]> Giovenco, Joe (Director)]]> Clemens, Michael (Technical Director)]]> Benzel, Gary (Audio Engineer)]]> Brown, Dave (Chyron Operator)]]> Foster, Joseph D. (Videotape Operator)]]> Masse, Dave (Master Control Operator)]]> Goldschlag, Dave (Contributing Photographer)]]> Ayers, Don (Louth System Operator)]]> eng]]> Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]> One of Katharine Hepburn’s biggest hits was the romantic comedy, The Philadelphia Story.  The movie was based on a screenplay by Phillip Barry, who wrote the play specifically for Hepburn.  When the play opened in Buffalo in October 1940, prominent actor Joseph Cotten starred alongside Hepburn.

Hepburn has other local connections--her maternal grandparents lived here, and her mother, Kit, was born in Buffalo.]]> Erlanger Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Barry, Philip, 1896-1949]]> Hepburn, Katharine, 1907-2003]]> Heflin, Van, 1910-1971]]> Cotten, Joseph, 1905-1994]]> Joy, Nicholas, -1964]]> Lonergan, Lenore, 1928-1989]]> Sinclair, Robert B., 1905-1970]]> Theatre Guild]]> eng]]> Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)]]> Concert programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]> Elmwood Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Philharmonic Society of New York]]> Toscanini, Arturo, 1867-1957]]> Judson, Arthur, 1881-1975]]> Ervin, Edward]]> Buffalo Musical Foundation]]> De Forest, Marian, 1864-1935]]> Gilman, Lawrence, 1878-1939]]> eng]]> Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)]]> United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783]]> Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801.]]> Grosvenor Room of B&ECPL (repository)/Rare Book Room of B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln). Emancipation Proclamation.]]> Drake, Charles D. (Charles Daniel), 1811-1892.]]> Grosvenor Room of B&ECPL (repository)/Rare Book Room of B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963]]> Talbert, Mary]]> Niagara Movement]]> African Americans--Civil rights--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> Originally aired on WIVB-TV.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)]]> Hairston, Mylous (Producer, Writer, Reporter)]]> Ersing, Rich (Producer, Photographer, Editor)]]> Mombrea, Mike, Jr. (Producer, Contributing Photographer, Editor)]]> Schlaerth, Joseph (Producer)]]> Musial, Chris (Executive Producer)]]> Swenson, Scott (Contributing Photographer)]]> Schrodt, Roy (Post-production Editor)]]> Mombrea, John (Post-production Editor)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> Newberg, Rich (Researcher)]]> Hairston, Mylous (Researcher)]]> Ersing, Rich (Researcher)]]> Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Researcher)]]> Schlaerth, Joseph (Researcher)]]> Musial, Chris (Researcher)]]> eng]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Brangwyn, Frank]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Humanitarian aid workers--Afghanistan]]> Mercer, Heather]]> Taliban]]> Shelter Now (Organization)]]>
Heather Mercer and her friend and co-worker Dayna Curry, were American aid workers arrested in Afghanistan by the Taliban on August 3, 2001. They were part of the Antioch International Movement of Churches and employed by a German-based Christian aid organization called Shelter Now International.

Following their arrest, six other Western aid workers and sixteen co-workers from Afghanistan were taken into custody and charged with preaching Christianity, a crime potentially punishable by death under Taliban law.

The workers were initially held as prisoners in Kabul. When Northern Alliance forces took control of Kabul on November 13, 2001, the aid workers from Afghanistan were freed. The Western aid workers, however, were moved by the Taliban to a prison in Ghazni. There, anti-Taliban forces freed those prisoners as well. They were airlifted to safety in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Heather Mercer grew up in suburban Virginia, outside of Washington. Her parents were divorced. Heather's mother, Deborah Eddy from Lewiston, and her grandmother, Norma Anderson from Niagara Falls, worked tirelessly for Heather's release.

Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry were welcomed home by President Bush and invited to join him at the White House.
The president said, "They had a calling to serve the poorest of the poor." Heather commented, "We know we're here because of the prayers of people all over the country, all over the world!"]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Hill, Ahmir (Graphic artist)]]> eng]]> Love Canal Chemical Waste Landfill (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)]]> Radioactive waste sites -- New York (State)]]> Hazardous substances -- Law and legislation.]]> Industrial safety -- Law and legislation.]]> Chemicals -- Safety measures]]> Environmental Pollutants -- Poisoning.]]> Olin Corporation]]> Bethlehem Steel Corporation]]> Hooker Chemical Corporation]]> Lead poisoning]]> Donner-Hanna Coke Corporation]]> Republic Steel Corporation]]> Union Carbide Corporation]]> Chemicals--Fires and fire prevention]]> In 1980, demands by Western New York union workers dealing with toxic chemicals reached a crescendo. They insisted on knowing the nature of the substances to which they were exposed, and the extent of that exposure on the job. Some were suffering from ailments they attributed to toxic exposure.

As a result of their efforts and similar demands that were being made around the country, “Right to Know” laws were passed locally, statewide, and nationally, granting workers and citizens access to chemical information critical to their health and safety.

The following series of WIVB-TV reports by Rich Newberg documents this critical period of awakening to environmental hazards. They were aired on WIVB-TV in 1980 and ’81. The same issues are surfacing again today. The incoming Biden administration is pledging to make environmental justice a top priority.

The opening comment is from Lois Gibbs. In 1980 Ms. Gibbs and the Love Canal Homeowners Association successfully organized the relocation of more than 700 families whose homes were in the toxic Love Canal neighborhood of Niagara Falls, New York. Their efforts led to the creation of the nation’s Superfund, providing relief for toxic neighborhoods around the country. Her comments are provided courtesy of Harvard University, where she was interviewed as part of the “Voices From the Field Leadership Series” on April 10, 2014.
[Total Running Time of Reports: 1:00:26]


1. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST LOIS GIBBS REFLECTS BRIEFLY ON THE RIGHT TO KNOW
“Voices from the Field” (series)
Harvard University
School of Public Health
April 10, 2014
“Right to know actually started in the workplace, and then the workers moved it to the city level, then the county level, and then the state level. And then these various states did it, and the industry is going crazy because they’re filling out so many forms. And they said, we need a federal policy. This is insane.”
(Runs: :14)

2. WORKERS RIGHT TO KNOW LAW [SERIES]
“A Safe Place to Work?”
WIVB-TV Impact Series
5 Parts / February 1980
(Runs: 14:40)

Chemical and steel workers in the Buffalo-Niagara region demand to know the level of exposure to toxic substances in the workplace. There is increasing evidence that their health and safety are being compromised. Their efforts lead to the New York Right To Know Law, requiring industries to disclose the type of chemicals utilized in the workplace and the level of exposure to workers.

Western New York ranks in the top 10% of cancer regions in the country. Cancer experts believe exposure to toxic chemicals in the workplace is largely to blame.

This five part series by WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg takes viewers into the plants in question and explores the concerns expressed by workers who say they are suffering the consequences of exposure to dangerous chemicals.

[Part 1]
Workers at the Olin Chemical Plant in Niagara Falls, New York claim they are losing their hair and teeth due to exposure to mercury in a plant that produced chlorine.

A year earlier Occupational Health and Safety inspectors find that controls were not implemented to reduce unsafe levels of exposure to mercury.

While workers are given urine tests and the plant is making improvements, including a new ventilation system, the manager is unable to promise employees they will remain within federal safety limits of mercury exposure. He says in “certain operations it’s just not technically feasible to reduce the levels below that limit.”
(Runs: 3:35)

[Part 2]
Bethlehem Steel workers in Lackawanna, New York are exposed to suspected lead dust in the 13 Inch Bar. It is described by United Steel Workers Local 2603 president Art Sambuchi as, “A big heavy air, orange in color. You can’t see ten, fifteen feet in front of you.” Workers in the mill staged a wildcat strike believing their safety has been compromised.

At the same time, the federal government is investigating concerns that carcinogenic toxins from the coke ovens are exposing workers to dangerous carcinogens. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration finds 22 serious violations, indicating that workers are being exposed up to 13 times beyond the safe level of exposure to poisonous chemical emissions.

Stanley Lukasik, a 58 year old retired coke oven supervisor who attributes his weak heart to his 36 years at the steel plant, says he proved in 1970 (ten years earlier) that emissions could be controlled, even without the use of sophisticated equipment, but that Bethlehem Steel ignored his suggestions. Mr. Lukasik dies of a heart attack eight days after being interviewed for the WIVB-TV “Right To Know” series.
(Runs: 2:37)

[Part 3]
Joseph Pillittere of Niagara Falls, New York enters politics after working as a rocket test engineer at Bell Aerospace in Western New York. He believes several of his co-workers died as a result of chemical exposure while on the job.

As a freshman Assemblyman-(D), Niagara Falls), Pillittere fights for a law that will give workers the right to know the chemicals they are exposed to in the workplace and the risks involved.

Workers from all types of plants and mills in Western New York begin posting stickers demanding to know, “What’s In This Stuff?” Claiming their “safety and health is at stake,” they call for passage of the Right to Know Legislation.

Momentum is building as a result of environmental tests conducted around Bloody Run Creek in Niagara Falls. Results show the presence of deadly dioxin dust in some factories upstream. Dioxin is considered one of the most deadly chemicals ever created.

On December 20, 1979, the findings are announced to a cross section of workers who meet in Niagara Falls, New York. Assemblyman Pillittere presses federal health officials at the meeting, questioning why they were not aware of the fact that
Tam Ceramics Company had closed one of its buildings that had been contaminated by dioxin dust.

Pillittere realizes his legislation, if passed, would be costly to industry, but is willing to lose potential re-election support in order to fight for the rights of workers. He says, “It’s more important to be able to live with yourself, and If you can live with yourself and you get re-elected, it’s a plus. If you can live with yourself and you don’t get re-elected because of big money, at least you can say you always say that you did what you thought was right.”
(Runs: 3:03)

[Part 4]
At a state conducted hearing in Niagara Falls, Garath Tubbs of the Worker’s Compensation Reform Coalition tells the story of an industrial painter who developed a condition that led to uncontrollable shaking and great pain.

Chemical plant representatives from Niagara Falls also testify. Hooker Chemical Corp. Vice President of Operations Milo Harrison says his company is against new legislation that might lead to burdensome rules and regulations. He says Hooker is already studying workers’ health histories and releasing information to workers about hazardous chemicals.

Jeanne Reilly, President of Technical Engineers Union Local 57 at Hooker Chemical testifies that she has yet to see the results of monitoring tests on her fellow workers. This, despite “numerous promises and statements of corporate policy.”
(Runs: 2:27)

[Part 5] (conclusion)
Labor unions representing workers who deal with toxic chemicals call for a central agency that would deal with exposure on the job. Workers’ families, they say, have a right to know what’s being brought home.

Western New York’s scientific community also calls on area industries provide more information about hazardous chemicals.
Cancer researcher Beverly Paigen says, “Our knowledge is very limited in this area, partly because no records are kept of employee exposure, and no records are kept of occupational disease.”

The initial driving political force behind the movement against chemical contamination has its roots in the Love Canal neighborhood. Residents of contaminated communities, along with workers are demanding that the government and industry be more responsive to the hazards of chemical exposure.

Workers seek to know not just the trade name of the chemicals in the workplace, but the components as well. They also want to know if these chemicals accumulate in the human body to cause harm.

Public awareness and sensitivity to the problems of chemical contamination of the environment, in neighborhoods and the workplace is growing, thanks to grass roots and media efforts to dig deeper into health and safety issues.
(Runs: 2:35)

3. HOOKER CHEMICAL FIRES OUTSPOKEN WORKER
The President of Technical Engineers Union Local 57 at Hooker Chemical is fired after testifying that she has yet to see the results of monitoring tests on her fellow workers.
(Runs: 2:01)

4. NEW YORK STATE LAWMAKERS PASS WORKERS RIGHT TO KNOW BILL
The New York State legislature passes the Workers Right to Know Bill. It gives workers the right to know the nature of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
The bill was first introduced by Niagara Falls Assemblyman Joe Pillittere. Senator John Daly handled the bill in the State Senate.
(Runs: :38)

5. BETHLEHEM STEEL WORKERS SHUT DOWN 13” BAR MILL OVER LEAD DUST SAFETY ISSUES
A wildcat strike by Bethlehem Steel workers shuts down the 13” bar mill. Workers say thick clouds of steel lead dust make breathing difficult. They have called on the company to install a proper ventilation system and allow studies to be conducted on medical histories of workers in the mill.
(Runs: 1:42)

6. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD RULES THAT STEEL WORKERS ARE ENTITLED TO THOUSANDS OF COMPANY FILES DATING BACK FIVE YEARS
1980
The National Labor Relations Board rules that the Steelworkers Union is entitled to thousands of Bethlehem Steel files dating back five years. The files will be used to determine whether exposure to potentially hazardous substances in the workplace may have impacted the health of workers.
(Runs: 1:41)

7. BETHLEHEM STEEL COKE OVEN TOUR
1980
Reporters are given a tour of the coke ovens on the Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna. A $113 million dollar cleanup effort has cut back on harmful emissions. A year earlier federal health and safety inspectors found harmful emissions thirteen times greater than federal standards allow.
(Runs: 1:42)

8. DONNER HANNA COKE EMISSIONS IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE IN SOUTH BUFFALO NEIGHBORHOOD
(2 PARTS)
Black dust from the Donner Hanna Coke Company in South Buffalo is raining down on homes near the Bethlehem Steel plant in Lackawanna. The company’s huge ovens turn coal into coke for steel making. Residents, who refer to the pollutants as “the black rain,” learn that they are being exposed to harmful doses that can cause long term health problems. Some are already experiencing respiratory problems. The state says it will meet with Donner Hanna officials to discuss the issue.
1981
(Runs: 3:52)

9. 400 UNION LEADERS TAKE A STAND AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO TAKE POWER AWAY FROM THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
(2 PARTS)
1980
Western New York labor unions unite to fight proposed legislation that they claim would strip the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of its power. Congressmen representing the region, including Jack Kemp, come out against the Schweiker Bill.
(Runs: 3:00)

10. SICK AND INJURED WORKERS TELL STATE LAWMAKERS THEY CAN BARELY SURVIVE ON CURRENT WORKERS COMPENSATION BENEFITS
1980
Workers injured on the job testify before state lawmakers that the compensation payments they receive have not kept up with the cost of living. Older workers, whose compensation rates were set in stone, do not qualify for increased payments that went into effect years later. Members of the state compensation board agree that the law must change.
(Runs: 1:58)

11. FIGHTING CHEMICAL FIRES
Special training for firefighters who need to understand the nature of lethal
gases and smoke.
1981
(Runs: 1:31)

12. WESTERN NEW YORK CHEMICAL COMPANIES HAVE NO PLACE TO DUMP TOXIC WASTE
1981
Firefighters are trained to deal with toxic chemical blazes. Newer Scott Air Packs
ensure against mask leakage.
(Runs: 1:48)

13. 500 MILLION GALLONS OF CONTAMINATED WATER ARE BEING DUMPED INTO NIAGARA RIVER EVERY DAY ACCORDING TO NEW YORK PUBLIC INTEREST GROUP STUDY
(3 PARTS)
1981
Chemical companies are running out of places to dump their hazardous wastes.
Niagara Falls residents are concerned that current hazardous waste burial grounds may be expanding.

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) says chemical companies have been dumping 500 Million gallons of contaminated water into the Niagara River every day. NYPIRG is concerned that the drinking water for 380,000 area residents may be polluted.

The Chemical Manufacturers Association questions the NYPIRG findings and accuses the public interest group of putting jobs in jeopardy. The federal government will provide millions of dollars to improve processing at the Niagara Falls Waste Water Treatment Plant.

NYPIRG faults the City of Niagara Falls for allowing Hooker Chemical’s S Dump to remain open. NYPIRG says the intake system there is contaminated and that tons of toxic chemicals are leaching into the Niagara Falls Water Filtration Plant.
(Runs: 6:26)

14. REPUBLIC STEEL FILTERS OUT HARMFUL CHEMICALS —RETURNING CLEAN WATER TO BUFFALO RIVER
1980
Republic Steel says it has filtered out harmful chemicals and is returning clean wager to the Buffalo River. Reporters and government officials are given a tour of the $11 million dollar filtration system. Republic Steel had been cited in the past for water pollution violations.
(Runs: 2:03)

15. RADIATION EXPOSURE DURING DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMB AT LINDE PLANT TOWN OF TONAWANDA
1980
During the development of the atomic bomb, the Linde Division of Union Carbide in the Town of Tonawanda allowed up to 70 million gallons of radioactive liquid waste to be discharged into waste water wells on its property. The U.S. Department of Energy maintains the uranium concentrations in that waste were not significant enough to pose a health threat. Water samples are continuing around the Linde site. It was revealed that some Linde employees may not have been told they were working on the Manhattan project. Efforts are underway to find these employees and check their health records.
(Runs: 1:52)

16. RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL SHIPMENTS FROM CANADA
There is growing concern that shipment of radioactive material from Canada are going unreported as they enter Western New York. Buffalo lawmakers move toward initiating regulations that would alert localities when shipments are passing through on their roadways.
(2 PARTS)
1981
(Runs: 4:57)

17. “THE PRICE WE PAY FOR LEAD”
(2 PARTS)
8/1 - 8/2/1995
Even though lead paint was banned in 1978, Buffalo’s old housing stock makes residents vulnerable to exposure. Even lower levels can be harmful. Children have been poisoned, some suffering irreversible damage, including hyperactivity and learning disabilities.

More than 61 percent of children in Erie County, ages 6 months to 5 years, are estimated to exceed the safety limits of lead in the blood. Black children, many from the inner city, make up 78 percent of youngsters treated for lead poisoning in Erie County.

Lawsuits are filed against landlords in Buffalo who have failed to remove lead paint from their properties. However, defense attorneys say it is difficult to prove that exposure to lead paint is the cause of certain ailments.
(Runs: 10:08)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> Gibbs, Lois (Environmental Activist)]]> Harvard University (School of Public Health)]]> Pillittere, Joseph (New York State Assemblyman)]]> Spatorico, Sal (Chemical Worker)]]> Sambuchi, Art (United Steel Workers Local 2603 President)]]> Lukasik, Stanley (Retired Steel Worker)]]> Reilly, Jeanne (Technical Engineers Local 57 President)]]> New York Public Interest Research Group]]> eng]]> Flagg, James Montgomery]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913]]> Nash, J. Edward (Jesse Edward), 1868-1957]]> Michigan Street Baptist Church]]> Underground Railroad--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> Fugitive slaves--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> African Americans--Civil rights--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--History]]> Originally aired on WIVB-TV.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)]]> Dawkins, Don (Producer, Photographer, Editor)]]> Vetter, Tom (Producer, Photographer, Editor)]]> Musial, Chris (Producer)]]> Hairston, Mylous (Reporter)]]> Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Contributing Photographer)]]> Van Horn, Mike (Graphic Artist)]]> Mombrea, John (Post-production Editor)]]> Baxter, Tim (Post-production Editor)]]> Battilana, Tony (Director)]]> Foster, Joseph D. (Tape Operator)]]> Benzel, Gary (Audio Engineer)]]> Brown, Dave (Chyron Operator)
]]> eng]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Oker, Ernest]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Oker, Ernest]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Prince]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Ethridge, Scott]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Daugherty, James Henry]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Treidler, Adolph]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]> Erlanger Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Anderson, Maxwell, 1888-1959]]> Gish, Lillian, 1893-1993]]> Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997]]> Collins, Russell, 1897-1965]]> Bissell, Whit, 1909-1996]]> McClintic, Guthrie, 1893-1961]]> eng]]> Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)]]> Concert programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.]]> Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> New York Symphony Orchestra]]> Damrosch, Walter, 1862-1950]]> Reno, Morris]]> Pevny, Irene]]> Brodsky, Adolph, 1851-1929]]> Buffalo Music Festival Association]]> eng]]> Late Nineteenth Century (1850-1900)]]> Higham, Chas Frederick]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]>