Local WWII Vet Shares Amazing Story of Survival

Submitted by Aaron Saykin, Reporter

Saturday, May 11th, 2013, 8:14pm

BATAVIA, N.Y. - A member of the greatest generation from Buffalo is finally being recognized for something incredible he did while serving in World War II.

Now 92 years old, Former Sergeant Joseph Dispenza enjoys life from the comforts of a veterans home in Batavia. It's not a bad way to spend your golden years when you were once a member of a flight crew that experienced something so improbable the army had initially written all of them off as dead.

The year was 1944 and America was fighting World War II in Europe and the Pacific. One of the most the popular songs back home was "Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer," which was dedicated to the brave men who flew dangerous missions. One of them was Dispenza, who was just 21 years old when he became the tail gunner for this B-24 D Liberator named the "Blessed Event."

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Local Doctors Produce Major Feature Film

Submitted by Melissa Homes, Reporter

Saturday, May 11th, 2013, 2:23pm

BUFFALO, NY - Dr. Andrew Cappuccino is best known for saving the life of Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett during a game in 2007, but now he and his wife are adding "filmmaker" to their already impressive resumes. A feature film they produced opened in Buffalo today.

The movie, Arthur Newman, has already opened in major cities, but Friday it started its run locally. Orthopedic surgeon Andrew Cappuccino and his wife Helen, a Roswell Park surgical oncologist, are executive producers

"It's always been a great love of ours, even from the time we couldn't afford to rub two nickels together, we saw films together. It's our pastime," said Dr. Andrew Cappuccino.

While at a speaking engagement with Everett, the Cappuccinos met people from the film industry who encouraged them to break into the business. Fast forward several years and now they are walking the red carpet.

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Migration Takes Flight at Tifft Nature Preserve

Submitted by Tifft Nature Pr... on Saturday, May 11th, 10:34 am

You take flight. Only feathers, muscle, and air power your movement through the sky. The journey is long and dangerous but your survival, and the survival of your kind, depends on it. Green, brown, and a vastness of blue give way to concrete human habitats absent of food, water, or shelter. After thousands of miles of evading predation, formidable weather and countless other hazards, you arrive. Your journey has ended this Spring only to begin again in the Fall. This is the way of your species. This is bird migration.

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Jacobs to Deliver Nearly $8 Million to Local Governments

Submitted by Mike Cecchini on Thursday, May 9th, 4:04 pm

Says Mortgage Tax Collections up 16.8% Over Same Period Last Year

Erie County, NY-Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs announced his office will soon distribute to local governments throughout the County their share of the Erie County Mortgage Tax collections based off of real estate transactions recorded in the Clerk’s Office. The total to be distributed on May 15th is $7,896,969.86 and covers the six month period October 1, 2012-March 31, 2013. This amount is 16.8% higher than the same period last year.

“Record low interest rates have fueled both refinancing and home purchases throughout Western New York. This is a positive development for Erie County’s municipal governments since mortgage tax distributions are a major source of revenue for many of the County’s cities, towns and villages,” stated County Clerk Jacobs.

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Jacobs to Sponsor Community Blood Drive at Erie County Auto Bureau

Submitted by Mike Cecchini on Thursday, May 9th, 3:28 pm

Erie County, NY – Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs will be hosting an open-to-the-public blood drive with Unyts, WNY’s only organ, eye, tissue and community blood center, on Saturday, May 11th from 9am-2pm at the Erie County Auto Bureau located at 2122 George Urban Blvd. in Cheektowaga.

“Giving the gift of life through a blood donation is critically important,” Jacobs said. “By giving blood, you are helping to make sure there is blood available for your friends and neighbors in their time of need. I would also like to encourage the community to enroll on the New York State Registry as an organ and tissue donor and help the more than 117,000 currently waiting for a transplant.”

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Paladino Elected to Buffalo School Board

Submitted by WGRZ Web Staff

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 11:53pm

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Developer and former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino was overwhelmingly victorious in the race for the Park District seat on the Buffalo School Board.

Paladino defeated his opponent, Adrian Harris, 79% to 20% in an election marked by high turnout in the Park District.

"You all did it for the kids. You did it for 'something better' for the 31,000 children that have been suffering in an educational system that today, 44 of 56 schools in the system are failing," said Paladino to supporters who gathered in South Buffalo.

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Tolbert to Announce He's Running for Buffalo Mayor

Submitted by WGRZ Web Staff

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, 11:52pm

BUFFALO, NY - Former Buffalo FBI Special Agent In-Charge Bernard Tolbert will announce he's running for Buffalo Mayor.

Tolbert says he'll make the formal announcement this weekend. He's spent the past few months raising funds to challenge Democratic incumbent Byron Brown in a primary. Brown has more than $1 million in campaign funds.

Sergio Rodriguez is running as a Republican. He served as a marine, and most recently was Medaille College's Coordinator of the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs.

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