Escaped prisoners
Phillips, Ralph James
Fugitives from justice.
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. 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
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
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.
eng
Humanitarian aid workers--Afghanistan
Mercer, Heather
Taliban
Shelter Now (Organization)
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!"
Hill, Ahmir (Graphic artist)
The Vehicular Manslaughter Trial of Lyndon Goodell
Goodell, Lyndon
Drunk Driving
Trials (Manslaughter)--New York (State)
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.
Reeve, Richard (Reporter)
Judge John Curtin: Reflections on Affirmative Action
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)
WIVB (Television Station: Buffalo, N.Y.)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)
Terrorism--United States
Yemeni Americans--New York(State)--Lackawanna
Muslims--Civil rights--New York (State)--Lackawanna
On April 24, 2004, Fox journalist Geraldo Rivera originated his “At Large” program from Buffalo City Hall. The purpose was to take a second look at the case against the so-called “Lackawanna Six.” His guests included the prosecutors and some of the defense attorneys who took part in case. 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”)
Fox News Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)
Copyright held by Fox News. 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. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
The Lackawanna Six - President George W. Bush Visits Buffalo
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-
On April 20, 2004, President George W. Bush came to Buffalo to push for an extension of the Patriot Act, which granted the FBI the right to secretly conduct surveillance activities on American citizens without proving probable cause. This included physical searches and wiretaps. 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.”
Chemical plants -- Waste disposal -- Environmental aspects -- New York (State) -- Niagara Falls
Love Canal Chemical Waste Landfill (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)
As a young journalist at the Niagara Gazette in 1977, Michael Brown took a special interest in stories by two fellow reporters at the paper involving sump pump issues in the Love Canal neighborhood. Reported problems included odors and chemicals surfacing in homes. Those articles, published in 1976, did not get much traction at the time. 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)
Copyright held by Moments In Time Video, Inc. & TVRE Productions, Inc. 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. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
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]
An Interview with Lois Gibbs [Her battle and victory on behalf of Love Canal homeowners]
Lois Gibbs, a stay-at-home mom who whose family moved into the Love Canal neighborhood when her son was one year old, was never told she would be living on top of a dumpsite where 20 thousand tons of toxic chemicals had been buried. 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.
Gibbs, Lois (Interviewee)
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
First in Western New York : 50 Golden Years On 4
Jasen, Carol
Walker, Jacquie
Postals, Don
Miller, Van
Paul, Don
WIVB-TV (Television station : Buffalo, N.Y.)--History
Television stations--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Shows the history of Buffalo, N.Y.'s first television station, WBEN-TV (now WIVB-TV) Channel 4, from 1948-1998. Features anchors Rich Newberg, Carol Jasen, Jacquie Walker, Don Postals, Van Miller, and Don Paul. Includes video clips and photographs from some of the station's earliest productions.
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)
Mike Van Horn (Graphic Artist)
Kaufman, Ken (Music Composer)
Wolter, Carrol (Researcher)
McCall, Kawanza (Researcher)
Tamutus, Andrew (Researcher)
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
A select group of Buffalo’s most gifted African American musicians reflect on the era when the Colored Musicians Club hosted the nation's greatest jazz artists. Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis were among those who came to the club after their concerts and jammed with Buffalo musicians “until the sun came up.” The musical ties were strong. Buffalo musicians were sometimes invited to join the jazz greats on the road. 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)
WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.) 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)
A Change of Course : Applied Lessons of the Amistad Slave Ship Rebellion
African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--Economic conditions
African American churches
This television special documents the Buffalo visit of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, a replica of the infamous slave ship. Thousands of school children were among Western New York visitors who viewed the cramped quarters from which African captives liberated themselves and killed their oppressors. Their bravery changed the course of the ship and history. The documentary also shows how African American Churches in Buffalo have developed projects to address economic, social, and health needs of the community. This is the fourth in a series of News 4 specials about black history in Western New York.
Hairston, Mylous (Producer, Co-host)
Ersing, Rich (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Musial, Chris (Executive Producer)
Dawkins, Don (Photographer)
Schrodt, Roy (Post-production Editor)
Battilana, Tony (Director)
Clemons, Michael (Technical Director)
Brown, Dave (Technical Crew)
Ayers, Don (Technical Crew)
Lawrence, John (Technical Crew)
Sanders, Greg (Technical Crew)
Ersing Rich (Researcher)
A Life in the Balance : Struggles of the Mentally Ill
Mentally ill--New York (State)
Mental health services--New York (State)
In the wake of some tragic incidents involving psychiatric outpatients, WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg and photographer Tom Vetter examine the struggles of the mentally ill in a flawed mental health system. "A Life In the Balance" weighs the right of society to protect itself, against the right of individuals to live independent lives free of institutions and government restrictions. The documentary also shows how patients who have gotten their lives together are reaching out to help others avoid falling through the cracks in the system.
Vanhorn, Mike (Graphic Artist)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Creative Consultant, Contributing Photographer)
Schrodt, Roy (Non-linear Editor)
Kaufman, Ken (Composer of original score)
Mombrea, John (Contributing Photographer)
Csortan, Peter (Contributing Photographer)
Hutchinson, Dave (Contributing Photographer)
McIntyre, Don (Contributing Photographer)
A Palace for Buffalo : the History of the Shea's Buffalo Theater
Shea's Buffalo Theatre
Shea, Michael.
A palace for Buffalo: the colorful history of the Shea's Buffalo Theater and its dynamic founder Michael Shea. This television special revisits the magic of the silent movie era, the desperate fight to save the theater from the wrecker's ball, and the Shea's magnificent rebirth as a venue for Broadway shows.
Mombrea Jr., Mike (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Ersing, Rich (Contributing Photographer)
Dee, Joe (Contributing Photographer)
Swan, Ray (Contributing Photographer)
Beauchamp, Steve (Contributing Photographer)
Vinciguerra, Jerry (Graphic Artist)
Bray, John (Announcer)
Diavastes, Jim (Post-production Editor)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Researcher)
Kocher, Michael (Researcher)
Behind the Desert Shield : With the 914th Tactical Airlift Group in the Persian Gulf
Operation Desert Shield, 1990-1991
Iraq-Kuwait Crisis, 1990-1991
United States--Armed Forces
In December 1990 a group of journalists from Buffalo were escorted to a remote desert base in the Persian Gulf as Air Force Reservists from Niagara Falls prepared for war. WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and videographer Mike Mombrea Jr. documented the work of the 914th Tactical Airlift Group, which operated the C-130 transport planes. Their series of reports from the desolate air base called Mirage showed how reservists were attempting to keep up their spirits after being told they would not be rotated back to the States. Their performance record was near perfect and the First Gulf War was only weeks away from being launched. The personal vignettes include a father and son who share their concerns for each other's safety, as Operation Desert Shield was about to turn into Desert Storm.
Mombrea, Mike, Jr. (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Nolf, Neil (Public Affairs Officer -- Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station)
Beyond the Road to Freedom : New Lessons as Freedom's Message is Brought to Life
Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)
Abolitionists--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
Underground Railroad--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
Fugitive slaves--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
African Americans--Civil rights--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
New York (State), Western--African Americans--History
Western New York is a leader in presenting re-enactments at authentic sites dating back to the days of abolitionism. Learn why these Underground Railroad sites are now gaining national attention. See how efforts have begun to document and preserve these treasures for future generations. Untouched original hiding places for escaping slaves are revealed. You will understand why the civil rights movement had its earliest origins in the Buffalo/Niagara region. See how the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo offered both hope and despair for an aspiring African American community in the country's eighth largest city at the time.
Dawkins, Don (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Hairston, Mylous (Reporter)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Contributing Photographer)
Root, Kim (Contributing Photographer)
Greene, Terry (Contributing Photographer)
Mombrea, John (Post production Non-linear Editor)
Benzel, Gary (Audio Engineer)
Griswold, Jason (Tape Operator)
Brown, Dave (Font Operator)
Serio, Sam (Master Control Operator)
Sanders, Greg (Master Control Operator)
Buscaglia, Jennifer (Researcher)
Aging African American musicians reflect on Buffalo's glory days as a great jazz city, highlighting the jam sessions at the Colored Musicians Club. Includes a tribute to the late Al Tinney, one of the founding fathers of modern jazz. The challenges faced by African Americans drawn to Buffalo for job opportunities are examined by Buffalonian Eva Noles, known for breaking the color barrier in the nursing profession.
Hairston, Mylous (Producer, Reporter)
Capozzi, Anthony
Sanchez, Altemio C.
Judicial error--United States--Cases
In one of the great miscarriages of justice a Buffalo man was wrongly convicted in 1995 of two rapes and served more than twenty years in prison before he was exonerated. Capozzi, who suffered from schizophrenia, always had the support of his family, who never gave up on the hope that his name might someday be cleared. In this special investigative report, Capozzi's story is told, along with the capture of the true rapist and killer, Altemio Sanchez. A Buffalo cold case detective, Dennis Delano, played a key role in Capozzi's release and exoneration. Reported by WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg and Investigative Reporter Luke Moretti.
Moretti, Luke (Producer, Writer, Host)
Schlaerth, Joseph (Executive Producer)
Hutchinson, David (Contributing Photographer)
Carroll, John (Contributing Photographer)
Paszkowsky Danylo (Contributing Photographer)
Summerville, Dan (Contributing Photographer)
Carpenter's Hand
Developmentally disabled--New York (State)--Buffalo
Cradle of hope features the progress of twelve developmentally disabled men who belong to Carpenter's Hand. They help build baby cradles and then personally deliver them to needy mothers in the greater Buffalo area. This television special touches on the history of institutionalization in New York State and the changes that took place after the scandal of Willowbrook was exposed by TV muckraking journalist Geraldo Rivera.
Baxter, Tim (On-line Editor)
Mombrea, John (On-line Editor)
Newberg, Rich (Lyricist and Composer of lullaby _Let Me Cradle Your Dreams_)
Sunday, Bonnie (Lyricist)
Moriarty, Kathy (Musical Performer)
Giovenco, Joseph (Field Assistant -- Ukraine)
Buscaglia, Jennifer (Research Assistant)
Dadey, Kelly (Director)
Foster, Joseph D. (Tape Operator)
Day of Sorrow, Year of Change : Remembrance at Ground Zero
September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001.
Commemorates the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Documents the stories of two Western New Yorkers who mourned the loss of loved ones and includes the reflections of Buffalo area paramedics and firefighters who responded to the crisis. Hosted by WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent at "ground zero" in New York City.
Lent, Pamm (Contributing Producer)
Schlaerth, Joe (Contributing Producer)
Flynn, Lisa (Contributing Reporter)
Richert, George (Contributing Reporter)
Beauchamp, Steve (Photographer, Editor)
Ersing, Rich (Photographer, Editor)
Baker, Boe (Contributing Photographer)
Baxter, Tim (Imix Editor)
Mombrea, John (Imix Editor)
Masse, Dave (Videotape Operator)
Brown, Dave (Chyron Graphics)
Communism--China--History
China--Economic conditions
China--Social conditions
China--Social life and customs
In 1983, a little more than a decade after President Richard Nixon visited the People's Republic of China, a Buffalo TV news team accompanied a cancer researcher to the Mainland. Dr. Thomas Dougherty, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, had developed a new treatment using laser beams and a special drug, designed to shrink non-bulky tumors. The Chinese had adopted the technique. During the journey, WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and photographer Mike Mombrea Jr. were able to capture a unique inside view of Communist China, as its doors began opening wider to Western travelers, scientists, and companies.