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]]> Refugees--Syrian--United States--2000-2020]]>
In 2015, a media studies graduate of the University at Buffalo produced a message to the world about Syrian citizens fleeing oppression in their country. Documentary filmmaker Akrom Shipley, a Syrian American, had accompanied his father and sister on a journey to refugee camps in Jordan.

These two reports by WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg deal with Shipley's plea for Americans to understand the plight of Syrian children who lost fathers in the Syrian civil war. "With losing their fathers," he said, "they lost a sense of their childhood."

Rebel groups. with support from NATO, had taken up arms fighting the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Russia and Iran were providing arms to Assad. The death toll of the Syrian civil war is estimated to be as high as 617,910. Civilian deaths alone are believed to number more than 306,000.

Shipley said the ultimate goal of the Syrian migrants "isn't just to flood our borders and take our jobs." He said their goal is to "rebuild hope and return home."

Rich Newberg also presented a story of two Syrian brothers who made it to Buffalo and were able to bring their wives and children to safety in the Queen City. They said their city in Syria had been leveled by bombs and fighting.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Hill, Ahmir]]> eng]]> Childbirth]]> Blizzards--New York (State)--Buffalo]]>
Two miles away from the hospital, Bethany Hojnacki went into labor. Her husband Jared began a desperate search for help, trudging through the snow while carrying his 19 month old son to the boy's anxious grandparents a mile away.

Jared spotted a Buffalo fire crew assisting stranded motorists. Against all odds, one of them, Denise Perry, happened to be a labor nurse! Another close by was Stacey Braymiller, a maternity nurse!

The firehouse was reachable and Bethany was transported there with contractions four minutes apart. With the help of the nurses, Bethany gave birth to Lucy Grace after just two pushes.

Bethany explains that Lucy means "illuminated." She says her baby's name represents "grace illuminated," which she says "really does capture how she came into the world." Nurse Denise Perry believes it was divine intervention.

WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg revisited the Hojnacki's for Lucy Grace's first birthday. Bethany says Lucy is "very passionate and spunky and also kind of dramatic." The parents liken her personality to her birth. In Jared's words, "very dramatic and full of life!"]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Root, Kim]]> Hill, Ahmir]]> 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]]> 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]]> Goodell, Lyndon]]> Drunk Driving]]> Trials (Manslaughter)--New York (State)]]>
The jury had to determine that it was 23 year old Goodell behind the wheel. His passenger, Carol Rokicki, was with him at the time of the accident. She had been granted immunity by the prosecution in exchange for her testimony.

Defense attorney Fern Acomb said it was Rokicki who supplied the alcohol and had the keys to the car, and that she was driving at the time of the crash. However, it was Goodell's chest injuries that convinced the jury that he was in the driver's seat.

The manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter convictions of Goodell were based on the belief that he knew, or should have known that his reckless drunken driving had the potential to kill. District Attorney Robert Noonan said, "...a guilty verdict on all counts was the only verdict that I would have been happy with."

The victims' relatives comforted each other after the two week trial ended with a guilty verdict. Tricia Collins, whose husband Patrick was killed in the accident, expressed the hope the trial would serve as a powerful lesson that drinking and driving can lead to tragic consequences.

Genesee County Judge Glenn Morton sentenced Goodell to 7 1/2 to 15 years in state prison. A wrongful-death settlement totaling $340,000 dollars was paid out by insurance companies to the families of all four of the victims. Goodell kept maintaining that he was not driving, but lost subsequent appeals.]]> Newberg, Rich]]> Reeve, Richard (Reporter)]]> eng]]> Curtin, John T., 1921-2017]]> Affirmative action programs]]> Race discrimination]]> U.S. District Court Judge John Thomas Curtin (August 24, 1921 - April 14, 2017) was interviewed by WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg on April 18, 1995. The subject was affirmative action.

 

Judge Curtin issued rulings establishing minority hiring quotas in Buffalo’s police and fire departments and within the Buffalo School District. He believed minorities lacked opportunities for jobs and a quality education, resulting in what he once called “a poorly trained underclass” that became reliant on welfare. 

 

Born in Buffalo, Curtin served as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York from 1961 to 1967 before being nominated by President Lyndon Johnson for a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. He had been recommended by New York Senator Robert Kennedy. John Curtin was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 14, 1967.

 

In 1976 Judge Curtin ordered that Buffalo public schools be desegregated. He ruled that minority students in Buffalo had been denied equal protection under the law, and that a segregated school system in Buffalo had been intentionally maintained. 

 

His rulings led to the hiring of more minority teachers and the creation of academically strong magnet schools that would encourage students of all races to accept being bused to these high level schools. 

 

Though Judge Curtin was targeted for criticism and sometimes even death threats by those who felt his rulings were overreaching, he consistently ruled in favor of removing barriers  that had been built on “unfairness, bigotry (and) bias” against minorities, women, children, and those with special challenges.

]]> Newberg, Rich (Reporter, Interviewer)]]> Root, Kim (Photographer, Editor)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> eng]]> 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)]]> Chemical plants -- Waste disposal -- Environmental aspects -- New York (State) -- Niagara Falls
]]> Love Canal Chemical Waste Landfill (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)]]>
Mr. Brown had begun covering toxic waste dumpsites in Niagara County. That became his journalistic focus. He managed to stir up a lot of controversy in the process.

While covering a public hearing, a woman in her early 20s from the Love Canal neighborhood broke down in tears when describing her concerns about potential health issues associated with chemicals believed to be leaking into her and her neighbors’ homes.

The city of Niagara Falls had initiated an assessment of the issue and considered covering the old dumpsite with clay. In 1977, Mr. Brown talked with a city engineer who felt the situation was very serious and could effect future generations if not properly addressed.

A period of silence by the city followed. Brown decided to follow up but said he got no answers from the County Health Department. He had become the Niagara Falls City Hall reporter for the Gazette. His journalistic intuition prompted him to go door-to-door, talking with Love Canal families. His goal was to determine whether the presence of toxic chemicals may have been having an effect on their health.

Rich Newberg’s interview with Michael Brown takes us back to that initial period of discovery and what followed next. At the time of the interview, more than four decades had passed since the Love Canal disaster became a “journalistic obsession” for Mr. Brown.

Viewers will learn of the obstacles he faced and how his reporting for the Niagara Gazette led to the rise of Lois Gibbs, leader of the Love Canal Homeowners Association, whose tireless efforts not only ended in victory for her neighbors, but served as the beginning of the environmental justice movement for people exposed to toxic chemicals in their communities.

Portions of the Brown and Gibbs interviews appear in the 2021 documentary, “The Buffalo Story: History Happens Here.” The segment entitled “A Toxic Nightmare: The Awakening,” won a New York Emmy award in 2022 in the category of Science/Environment.]]> Newberg, Rich (Interviewer)]]> Brown, Michael (Interviewee)]]> Vetter, Tom (Producer)]]> Terranova, Michael (Editor)]]> A Toxic Nightmare: The Awakening [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 1] 

Love Canal: Neighborhood of Fear [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 2]

Turning Anger Into Action [The Story of Love Canal Pt.3]

What Have We Learned? [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 4]

An Interview with Lois Gibbs [Her Battle and Victory on Behalf of Love Canal Homeowners]

]]> eng]]> ]]> Chemical plants -- Waste disposal -- Environmental aspects -- New York (State) -- Niagara Falls]]> Love Canal Chemical Waste Landfill (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)]]>
She says that her son, who had been “perfectly healthy,” suddenly got “sicker and sicker and sicker.” He developed epilepsy. Lois began reading articles by Michael Brown in the Niagara Gazette, questioning whether a disproportionate number of health issues in the community could be attributed to toxic chemical exposure.

Mrs. Gibbs, who said it was “terrifying,” began her search for answers by going to the Niagara Falls school board, City Hall, and the offices of state senators and other representatives. She says no one offered to help. She says Mayor Michael O’Laughlin told her Michael Brown was a “troublemaker,” and that she should “go home and take care of my child.”

In her interview with Rich Newberg, Lois Gibbs reflects on the strategies employed to finally get the president of the United States to come to Niagara Falls and sign legislation benefitting Love Canal families wishing to move out of the neighborhood. It also created a Superfund to assist other communities across the country dealing with the hazards of toxic chemical exposure.

Portions of the Lois Gibbs interview appear in the 2021 documentary, “The Buffalo Story: History Happens Here.” It is part of the Rich Newberg Reports Collection. The Love Canal segment entitled “A Toxic Nightmare: The Awakening,” won a New York Emmy award in 2022 in the category of Science/Environment.]]> Newberg, Rich (Interviewer)]]> Gibbs, Lois (Interviewee)]]> Vetter, Tom (Producer)]]> Terranova, Michael (Editor)]]> A Toxic Nightmare: The Awakening [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 1] 

Love Canal: Neighborhood of Fear [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 2]

Turning Anger Into Action [The Story of Love Canal Pt.3]

What Have We Learned? [The Story of Love Canal Pt. 4]

An Interview with Michael Brown

]]> eng]]> Jasen, Carol]]> Walker, Jacquie]]> Postals, Don]]> Miller, Van]]> Paul, Don]]> WIVB-TV (Television station : Buffalo, N.Y.)--History]]> Television stations--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Originally aired on WIVB-TV.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, News Anchor, Host)]]> Baker, Vic (Producer)]]> Musial, Chris (Producer)]]> Schlaerth, Joseph (Producer)]]> Jasen, Carol (News Anchor, Co-host)]]> Walker, Jacquie (News Anchor)]]> Postles, Don (News Anchor)]]> Miller, Van (Sports Director)]]> Paul, Don (Chief Meteorologist)]]> Baxter, Tim (Photographer-editor)]]> Mombrea, John (Photographer-editor)]]> Schrodt, Roy (Photographer-editor)]]> Root, Kim (Photographer-editor)]]> Summerville, Dan (Photographer-editor)]]> Vetter, Tom (Photographer-editor)]]> Swan, Ray (Photographer)]]> Goldschlag, Dave (Photographer)]]> Beauchamp, Steve (Photographer)]]> Gabalski, Ron (Photographer)]]> Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)]]> Mike Van Horn (Graphic Artist)]]> Kaufman, Ken (Music Composer)]]> Wolter, Carrol (Researcher)]]> McCall, Kawanza (Researcher)]]> Tamutus, Andrew (Researcher)]]> eng]]> Colored Musicians Club (Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Jazz--New York (State)--Buffalo--History and criticism]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Tinney, Al.
]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--Social conditions
]]>
The club was organized in 1918 and chartered in 1935. The building on Broadway and Michigan Avenue was purchased in 1944. It provided rehearsal space and social opportunities for Buffalo’s Black musicians who belonged to Local 533 of the American Federation of Musicians. Club members recall being denied entry into the white musicians union, Local 43. The two locals merged in 1969 but the Colored Musicians Club is still thriving. The building now features an interactive museum and is scheduled to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion.

The first video is a compilation of segments by Rich Newberg, drawn from the 2003 WIVB-TV documentary, “Buffalo Soul: The Legacy Plays On.” The second piece is a WIVB-TV report by Jordan Williams marking the 80th anniversary of the Colored Musician’s Club. It aired on July 24, 2015.]]> Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)
]]> Vetter, Tom (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
]]> Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, Editor)]]> Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)]]> Mombrea, John (Post-production Editor)]]> Baxter, Tim (Post-production Editor)]]> Dady, Kelly (Director)]]> Clemons, Michael (Tape Operator)]]> Benzel, Gary (Tape Operator)]]> Young, Matt (Audio Engineer)]]> Dawkins, Don (Researcher)]]> Newberg, Rich (Researcher)]]> Vetter, Tom (Researcher)]]> Hairston, Mylous (Researcher)]]> Musial, Chris (Researcher)]]> eng]]>