The Vehicular Manslaughter Trial of Lyndon Goodell
subject: Goodell, Lyndon
subject: Drunk Driving
subject: Trials (Manslaughter)--New York (State)
description: In August, 1988, Lyndon Goodell was found guilty of being under the influence of alcohol when the car he was driving smashed head on into a driver-education car. On June 10, 1987, three 17 year old Pembroke, New York High School students and their 55 year old instructor were killed. Victims' relatives attended every day of the fifteen day trial in Batavia, New York. The jury took two days to deliberate. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1988-08
contributor: Reeve, Richard (Reporter)
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

The Rescue of Heather Mercer
subject: Humanitarian aid workers--Afghanistan
subject: Mercer, Heather
subject: Taliban
subject: Shelter Now (Organization)
description: The Rescue of Heather Mercer 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!"
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2001-11-26
contributor: Hill, Ahmir (Graphic artist)
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

The Hunt for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips
subject: Escaped prisoners
subject: Phillips, Ralph James
subject: Fugitives from justice.
description: This series of reports compiled by retired WIVB-TV senior correspondent Rich Newberg documents the escape of Ralph "Bucky" Phillips from jail and the subsequent manhunt that cost a New York State Trooper his life. Two other Troopers had been shot and wounded by Phillips. It was one of the largest manhunts in the nation, lasting more than five months. Mr. Newberg's report on the funeral of Trooper Joseph Longobardo is included, as well as many stories documenting the progression of events leading up to Phillips' capture. 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. H…
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2006-04-02
date: 2006-09-08
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

The Amazing Birth of Lucy Grace
subject: Childbirth
subject: Blizzards--New York (State)--Buffalo
description: A crippling snow storm in November 2014 made driving impossible in parts of South Buffalo. Cars were literally buried in snow. The roads to Mercy Hospital were impassible. 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!"
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2014-11
date: 2015-11
contributor: Root, Kim
contributor: Hill, Ahmir
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Syrian Refugees Seek Freedom From Oppression
subject: Refugees--Syrian--United States--2000-2020
description: August 11, 2015 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2015-08-11
contributor: Hill, Ahmir
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Starting Life Over in Buffalo: A Polish Family Reunited
subject: Refugees
subject: Refugees--Poland
subject: Catholic Charities of Buffalo
subject: St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr Parish (Buffalo, N.Y.)
subject: Saint Mary's School for the Deaf (Buffalo, N.Y.)
description: Casey Wrobel defected to the United States in 1981, fleeing martial law in his native Poland. He is deaf and went from being a locksmith to working in a Buffalo metal stamping plant. He immediately started saving his earning in order to bring his wife and two daughters to Buffalo as well. It took years for their visas to be granted. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1985-01-16
date: 1987-05-24
contributor: Gabalski, John
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Remembering Mayor Jimmy Griffin
subject: Buffalo (N.Y.). Office of the Mayor
subject: Griffin, Jimmy
description: Jimmy Griffin was a four term mayor of Buffalo, first elected in November 1977. He was a registered Democrat but conservative on social issues, once inviting the pro-life group Operation Rescue to come to Buffalo and stage major demonstrations against abortion. He won the Buffalo mayoral race in 1977, after running on the Conservative line. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2003-11-06
date: 2008-05-25
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

President Reagan Assassination Attempt
subject: Kemp, Jack, 1935-2009
subject: Reagan, Ronald--Assassination attempts
subject: Presidents--Assassination--United States
subject: Hinckley, John W. (John Warnock), Jr.
subject: D’Amato, Alfonse
description: This is WIVB-TV's coverage of the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1981-03-30
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Mother Teresa At Niagara University
subject: Teresa, Mother, Saint, 1910-1997
subject: Niagara University
subject: Niagara Falls (N.Y.)
description: On May 30, 1982, Mother Teresa of Calcutta delivered a message of love and support for the poor and the sick to graduates of Niagara University. She was granted an honorary doctorate before speaking to the graduating class. Thousands of people attended the graduation ceremonies conducted at the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center. 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.
creator: Jablonski, Emil (Reporter)
creator: Mombrea, Sr., Mike (Photographer, Editor)
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1982-05-30
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Mayor Anthony Masiello: Reflections
subject: Urban & municipal planning
subject: Masiello, Anthony
subject: Buffalo Harbor (N.Y.)
subject: Public schools--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
subject: Urban development--Government policy
description: Anthony Masiello first made a name for himself as a star basketball player for the Canisius College Golden Griffins. His first shot in politics at age twenty-four netted him a seat on Buffalo's Common Council in 1971. He worked his way up to Majority Leader in 1976. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2005-12-23
date: 2005-12-24
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

John F. Kennedy: Western New York Visits
subject: Rej, Joe
subject: Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
subject: Presidential elections--1960.
description: John F. Kennedy: Western New York Visits During his campaign for president of the United States, Senator John F. Kennedy made a stop in North Tonawanda on September 28, 1960. WBEN-TV recorded his speech, which is now part of the JFK Library in Boston. During his address, Kennedy said, "The Soviet system and our system are on trial. The question will be, which system has the longest staying power," Speaking in North Tonawanda, he said the American people have the "power, the will, the determination and the conviction" to come out ahead. On October 14, 1962, as US president, Kennedy addressed a crowd of thousands in Buffalo's Niagara Square. It was the day Buffalo's Polish community honors the memory of General Kazimierz Pulaski, a Polish hero of the American Revolution. Kennedy said that Poland, dominated by the Soviet Union at the time, must be strengthened, but that the country "has always remained free in the hearts of the Polish people." He added that the United States must "never recognize Soviet domination of East Europe as permanent." It was on this day in Buffalo, according to Joe Rej, the president of the General Pulaski Association of Western New York, that Kennedy learned of the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. The Soviets had been building nuclear missile sites, capable of striking the United States. The news broke two days later on October 16, 1962. Kennedy initiated a blockade of Cuba. During the tense thirteen day crisis which put the world at risk of a nuclear war, an agreement was finally reached. The Soviets dismantled their missiles in Cuba. The United States removed its missiles from Turkey.
creator: WBEN-TV, JFK Library
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1960-09-28
date: 1962-10-14
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

It's Only Natural
description: Many so called "Baby Boomers," born after World War II, were raised by parents who subscribed to the child rearing philosophy of Dr. Benjamin Spock. In his book "Baby and child Care," written in 1946, he advises parents to rely on their natural loving instincts as the guiding principle in bringing up their children. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1987-02
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Inside a Private Audience with Pope John Paul II
subject: John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005
subject: Solidarity
subject: Daemen College
description: After witnessing a 1985 crackdown on Solidarity demonstrators in Poland, a delegation from Buffalo, New York met privately with Pope John Paul II at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence in the Roman Hills of Italy. The meeting was important to the Polish pope, who is often credited for playing a major role in the eventual fall of communism in Poland. 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 snat…
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1985-09-06
contributor: Rusk, Brian
contributor: Solecki, Richard
contributor: Rutkowski, Edward
contributor: Slisz, Richard
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Flight From Poland
subject: Poland, Solidarity Movement, Buffalo Polish Americans, Martial Law in Poland, Polish Americans
subject: Refugees
subject: Refugees--Poland
subject: Martial law--Poland
subject: Solidarity (Polish labor organization)
description: When martial law was imposed on the people of Poland on December 13, 1981, a vicious crackdown began against forces seeing freedom from communism. Members of the anti-communist trade union Solidarity became main targets of the military junta which seized power. Thousands were thrown in prison without trials. 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 als…
description: Staff involved include Karen Sacks (Producer, Writer), Mike Mombrea, Jr. (Photographer, editor), (Contributing Photographers: Joe Ader, Bill Cantwell, Don Yearke, Luis Hidalgo, Curt Louison, Jay Lauder, Micki Sellers, Mike Mombrea, Sr.), Bob Koop (Polish National Anthem Narrator), Joe Kirik (News Director), Bill Tower (Director), (Technicians: Keith Jones, Hal Case, Al Barbour, Russ Barone, Herb Steffen, Stan Nowak, Dom Zigrossi).
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1985-06-03
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Daredevil David Munday Conquers Niagara
subject: Daredevils--Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)
description: John "David" Munday of Caistor Centre, Ontario fixed diesel engines for a living and enjoyed being alone. He also enjoyed the "adrenaline rush" of being a daredevil. He was the first person to survive two plunges over Niagara Falls in self-designed steel barrels. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 1987-10
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Buffalo TV News Archives: Our Portal to History
subject: Television broadcasting of news
subject: Television broadcasting of news--New York (State)
subject: Television broadcasting of news--United States--History.
description: IN THE BEGINNING 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 …
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2006
date: 2024
contributor: Buffalo Broadcasters Association
contributor: Mombrea Jr., Mike
contributor: Vetter, Tom
contributor: Terrenova, Michael
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Buffalo Broadcasting Pioneers: Behind the Scenes
subject: Television journalists
subject: Television broadcasting of news
description: Buffalo Broadcasting Pioneers: Behind the Scenes 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
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
contributor: Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, editor)
contributor: Hill, Ahmir (Title Graphic Artist)
contributor: Walker, Jacquie (Reporter)
contributor: Buffalo Broadcasters Association
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Breakout
subject: Matt, Richard
subject: Sweat, David
subject: Clinton Prison (Dannemora, N.Y.)
description: On June 6, 2015, two convicted murderers, Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York. The carefully orchestrated jailbreak led to massive manhunt, with billboards put up in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania and along the Canada-U.S. border. 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 acro…
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2015-07-28
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Agent Orange
subject: Agent Orange
subject: Herbicides--War use
subject: Agent Orange--Health aspects--Vietnam
subject: Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Veterans
description: During the Vietnam War, the United States used a chemical herbicide to defoliate jungle terrain and expose enemy hideouts. Agent Orange contained dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals ever created. American military personnel were exposed to the defoliant which is known to cause many types of cancer and other serious health conditions. 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.
creator: Newberg, Rich
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
publisher: WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
date: 2015-09-17
contributor: Hill, Ahmir
rights: Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: video/mp4
language: eng
type: Moving Image

Directory of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, N. Y. : for 1900.
subject: Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (Buffalo, N.Y.)--Directories
subject: Presbyterian Church--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
description: Directory of church members for the year 1900.
description: Heavily annotated.
creator: Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (Buffalo, N.Y.)
publisher: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
date: 1900
rights: Digital image copyright 2024 by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
format: application/pdf
language: eng
type: Text
identifier: BX9211.B9 L28 1900