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Aug. 18

Buffalo's finances could face a severe shortfall from Covid-19, analysis says: A new report says the coronavirus recession could hit cities like Buffalo even harder if the federal government does not pass a relief package that includes aid for state and local governments. Read more

Poloncarz issues 'blanket approval' for gyms to reopen Monday: The county Health Department announced the blanket approvals are subject to conditions that must be met by the facilities. Read more

Two states added to quarantine list as NY infection rate remains under 1%: Delaware and Alaska both returned to the travel quarantine list, which mandates that those traveling to New York from high-risk states quarantine for 14 days. Read more

A remote start to the school year? As one city says yes, Buffalo weighs the option: In Buffalo, a decision on whether to start the school year as a fully remote experience is expected to come later this week. Read more

Cuomo gets book deal to write on Covid-19, leadership: The state’s response efforts to the Covid-19 pandemic have been all consuming of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s time the past five months. But he still managed to find the hours to write a book. Read more

The Editorial Board: Online learning will be back; schools need to do it right: School districts had three months to prepare for this day. Parents and teachers have a right to be frustrated. Schools know how to do in-person learning. Now they must quickly make up for a lost summer and master remote learning, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Aug. 17

Cuomo: Gyms statewide can reopen at 33% capacity: Gyms can reopen starting Aug. 24 and masks will be a requirement for all people working out and staff. Read more

Kaleida to dispense Covid-19 test kits to Erie County farms for testing of workers: "This is going to be very important to our food chain going forward," Keith Hoerth, vice president of laboratory services at Kaleida Health. Read more

As Buffalo schools prepare to reopen, parents say that 'we know nothing': In the Buffalo Public Schools, parents say they haven't gotten the answers they need to make informed decisions about whether to send their children to school. Read more

Watch now: Owner of Braymiller’s Lanes in Hamburg discusses reopening: Howard Braymiller, owner of Braymiller’s Lanes in Hamburg, talks about reopening after being closed for five months due to the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020. Read more

NCAA aims to determine college basketball plan by mid-September: “We recognize that we are living and operating in an uncertain time," Dan Gavitt, the senior vice president of basketball, said in a statement Monday. Read more

Aug. 16

Local delegates to attend Democratic convention virtually amid pandemic: Like much of American life amid the Covid-19 pandemic, this year's Democratic National Convention has gone virtual. Read more

New York State's Covid-19 positivity rate stays below 1%: The statewide Covid-19 positivity rate remained below 1% Saturday as the total number of confirmed cases in New York during the pandemic topped 425,000, according to figures released Sunday by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office. Read more

School reopenings have been a Covid failure elsewhere. Can New York pull it off? With high-profile examples of how not to do it, the question looms: Can schools in New York State open safely? Read more 

Jemal eyes deal slashing value of Boulevard Mall, Wegmans sites: Developer Douglas Jemal wants the mall's assessment slashed by 77% and the supermarket's cut by 58%, at least temporarily, and pointed to the economic toll taken by the Covid-19 pandemic. "It's a very sad state of affairs," Jemal said in an interview Saturday. Read more

Got something to say about recent crises? Humanities New York will listen: A series of online discussions and events will be held to give Buffalonians a chance to talk with each other about their experiences with the Covid-19 health pandemic, Black Lives Matter, anti-police brutality protests and more. Read more

Ryan proposal would add drop boxes for absentee ballots: With concerns about coronavirus expected to result in huge numbers of mail-in ballots, raising more concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to deliver them, Assemblyman Sean Ryan is proposing legislation to authorize county Boards of Election to establish drop boxes where voters may drop off their absentee ballots. Read more

Aug. 15

WNY had highest daily rate in state for Covid-19 positives on Friday: The positivity test rate for people in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties was 1.3%, nearly double from the day before. Read more

Williamsville parents irate over school reopening plans: In many school districts, parents are unhappy about a coming school year that will entail students attending classes in person only two days a week – if at all. Read more

Allegany State Park is busy amid pandemic – with more improvements coming: One of the only things you can do during the pandemic is head to the park. In the case of Allegany State Park, one of the region's most popular outdoor destinations, people are still coming. Soon, they will have another reason. Read more

Soaring lumber prices hammer new home construction: A combination of factors – led by reduced production and staffing at U.S. mills, the resurgence of Covid-19 in the Southeast and tariffs on Canadian lumber – has cut supplies so steeply that prices have spiked about 25% to 30% in the last couple of weeks. Read more

Bisons superfan makes it to Sahlen Field this year – in cardboard form: Across his 30-plus years attending games at Sahlen Field, Mark Aichinger has endeared himself to Bisons fans. Read more

UB, Bona women's coaches balance offseason workouts with Covid precautions: UB and St. Bonaventure are the only two women’s basketball programs among the Big 4 training on campus. Read more

The Editorial Board: NY needs data on nursing home deaths before next Covid-19 wave: In order to better prepare for the inevitable next wave of coronavirus, the state needs to get its data in order, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Aug. 14

U.S-Canadian border shut for another month: The U.S.-Canadian border will remain closed to nonessential traffic through Sept. 21. Read more

Keglers rejoice: Bowling alleys in New York can open Monday: Bowling lanes will need to have new protocols in place to reopen, the governor said. Read more

Coronavirus positivity rate staying under 1%: New York has now hit a full week with a Covid-19 positivity rate of less than 1%. Read more

Niagara County shows lowest Covid-19 infection rate yet: Niagara County had no Covid-19 deaths this week, while only 0.62% of the people tested for the new coronavirus actually had it. Read more

Mask up, cheer up, buy local: The coolest masks in the Queen City: If you're going to buy masks online or in stores, Buffalo-based sellers need your support now more than ever. Read more

Head to the skies at Holiday Valley for the perfect Covid-friendly activity: "It turns out that riding a flying snowboard from tree to tree is a great Covid-rules-compliant activity." Read more

Q&A: Blue Jays executive Marnie Starkman on the move to Buffalo: The transformation of Sahlen Field was a frenetic project done in just more than two weeks to turn the Buffalo Bisons' longtime Triple-A home into a facility capable of hosting Major League Baseball. Read more

YMCA's Turkey Trot is going 'virtual' this fall: The YMCA announced Friday morning that the race would not be held Thanksgiving Day on its traditional 8K course through downtown. Read more

UB athletic director on MAC postponing fall sports: 'Why risk it?': The decision, Mark Alnutt said, was based on the health, safety and well-being of college athletes, coaches and staff members. Read more

Jimmy Griffin could have pulled off a 5K in a pandemic — and so can his daughter: Maureen Griffin Tomczack and the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY have found a novel way to bring off the Run Jimmy Run fundraiser next week. Read more

Cancellations at Watkins Glen are 'tough pill to swallow': With the loss of The Glen’s two biggest annual race dates, the NASCAR and IMSA weekends, due to Covid-19, the track – and the town – have had to adjust to an ever-changing schedule. Read more

Aug. 13

NY sees all-time highs in Covid-19 testing, all-time lows in positives: New York recorded more than 87,000 Covid-19 tests statewide on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both days saw a positive rate of 0.8%, the first time that the state had back-to-back days of 0.8% or lower. Read more

Understaffing plagued New York nursing homes long before Covid-19: Only 31 of the 617 nursing homes in New York have earned the top five-star rating in staffing in July from the federal government. Read more

New Fisher-Price toys help babies work from home with their parents: Fisher-Price is introducing a new line of "mini-me" toys and role-play items that turn every day grown-up activities into playthings. Read more

Orchard Park's bar-restaurant boom hits at unexpected time: A pandemic might seem an odd time for a surge, but four newcomers are opening or will open in Orchard Park this summer. Read more

Josh Allen trying to get most out of shortened camp practice schedule: Allen said he is comfortable that the Bills’ organization has put enough safeguards in place to try to prevent players from contracting Covid-19 at the workplace. Read more

Another Voice: Campus preparedness requires faculty contracts: For students to be confident that campuses are prepared for the fall, faculty must receive their contracts, writes Bradley Taber-Thomas. Read more

Aug. 12

County: 38 new Covid-19 cases in Eden came from single source: "At this time the risk for community transmission of Covid-19 from these cases is considered to be very low," the department of health said in a news release. Read more

West Seneca, Maryvale to begin school year fully remotely: In West Seneca, students will learn remotely until at least Thanksgiving. In Maryvale, students will learn remotely until at least Oct. 2. Read more

Summer of the Ride shines bright during pandemic: Unlike many summertime events sidelined by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ride organizers did what bicyclists often do: They shifted gears. Read more

Community Covid-19 tests resume Friday in Niagara Falls: Workers from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will administer the tests after the City Council last week approved Mayor Robert M. Restaino's request to use $50,000 in unspent federal Community Development Block Grant money to buy testing supplies. Read more

Three more Niagara Falls hotels receive emergency loans: In June, the NCIDA created HELP – Hospitality Emergency Loan Program – to help hotels hurt by plunging occupancy rates. Read more

In lieu of live concerts, BPO will stream first part of season: The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra can’t welcome audiences back into Kleinhans Music Hall yet, so it is doing the next best thing. Read more

Canisius volleyball coach Shannon Thompson adjusts on fly in new role: “You become better when you face adversity,” Thompson said. Read more

Gallery: The Erie County Fair, pre- and post- Covid-19: Before the Erie County Fair was cancelled, Aug. 12 was to be the first day of the fair's 181st year. Take a look through past fair memories and see what those places looked like in 2020. See more

Gallery: A socially distanced Ride for Roswell: As a Covid-19 alternative to the traditional ride, the Ride for Roswell is holding smaller rides, including 3- and 10-mile rides held at UB's North Campus, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, limited to 10 riders at a time, starting every 20 minutes. See more

Aug. 11

Ohio among 4 states taken off New York's quarantine list; others added: New York State's travel quarantine list is a little bit shorter. Read more

Q&A: When will school start in Buffalo?: Here are answers to five questions that students, parents and teachers may have about the new school year. Read more

Convalescent plasma donation becomes a cause for two nurses sickened by Covid-19: Cathy Plewinski had four options when it came time to donate convalescent plasma after she recovered from Covid-19. The choice was easy for the surgical nurse at Sisters Hospital: her workplace. Read more

4 nearby spots to get your camping fix in the summer of Covid: While travel bans between states make it difficult to go about usual late-summer routines too far from home, you don't have to travel far to get your camping fix. Read more

Hotel Niagara developer seeks extension of incentives because of pandemic: The Covid-19 pandemic temporarily halted plans to renovate and reopen the historic Hotel Niagara, but the developer hasn't given up on the project. Read more

Niagara Beach and Surf Club won't be built: Niagara Falls hotelier Michael DiCienzo's plan for an indoor beach at the Sheraton at the Falls hotel has been formally scrubbed. DiCienzo blamed the Covid-19 economic slowdown. Read more

The Editorial Board: Taking ownership of contact tracing, counties reassure districts: For worried school districts wondering how they would handle Covid-19 testing and tracing, the health commissioners of Erie and Niagara counties sent them a message this week: We’ve got this. Read more

The Editorial Board: Without clear evidence of safety, Cuomo is wise to keep gyms closed: This is a terrible time for gym owners and their clients. But barring real proof to the contrary, New York is wise to proceed as though these facilities carry risks that are simply too great, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Aug. 10

Health commissioner: Schools are in charge of teaching, not Covid testing: Superintendents in Erie and Niagara counties got some answers from their top health officials Monday on what responsibility they have in testing children when they return to school. Read more

Cuomo threatens to keep some districts closed amid confusion over reopening plans: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo scolded some school districts Monday for not submitting reopening plans to the state, but at least two Western New York districts on his list say they did submit their plans. Read more

Trump's executive orders seen as doing little good here: Trump's executive orders won't bring unemployed New Yorkers an extra $400 in weekly benefits or bail out cash-strapped New York State government and local governments. Read more

Tonawanda nursing home worker tells lawmakers of Covid-19 protective gear shortage: A certified nursing assistant at Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns will testify about the shortage of protective gear at one of two virtual hearings held by the State Legislature as it investigates the Cuomo administration’s response to more than 6,400 Covid-19 deaths at nursing homes. Read more

'It was a decision for safety,' UB lineman says of MAC postponing fall sports: Kayode Awosika only been able to watch from afar as one of his best friends in Minnesota fought Covid-19. “I have not contracted it," he said, "but at the same time, people close to me, as my parents are, and my best friend. That’s why I can understand more with the safety and concerns about it." Read more

NYSPHSAA announces eligibility requirements for athletes should sports resume: The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has announced eligibility requirements for students regardless of the education platform used by a district (on-site, hybrid or remote) when school is in session and once sports are permitted by the state. Read more 

Covid-19 is reshaping the outlook for office space: In Buffalo and around the country, developers, brokers and companies are taking stock of the pandemic's impact on office space. Read more

The Editorial Board: Coronavirus lawsuit stems, in part, from Trump's refusal to act: "After a difficult start with the task of containing the new coronavirus, New York State has far outpaced most of the rest of the country. ... And so, proving that no good deed goes unpunished, New York is being sued – by New Yorkers. Go figure." Read more

East Side group seeks volunteers as needs grow during pandemic:  The organization, None Like You/We Care, which works with youth and volunteers to beautify neighborhoods, is seeking volunteers to help with several projects this week around the East Side.   Read more

Niagara County sets mask, hand sanitizer giveaway: Niagara County will give away face masks and hand sanitizer to Niagara County residents from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Public Safety Training Facility, 5574 Niagara St. Extension, Lockport. Read more

Aug. 9

Cuomo says Covid-19 positive rate lowest since start, cautions schools: New York posted its lowest levels of positive tests and intensive care patients since March. Read more

Schools can reopen, but teachers may not return unless plan is changed: If Buffalo teachers are not satisfied with the district’s plan to reopen schools, their union would take the matter to court. Read more

Bills receiver Duke Williams activated from Covid-19 list: The Buffalo Bills have activated wide receiver Duke Williams from the injured reserve/Covid-19 list and released recently signed cornerback Akeem King. Read more

Another Voice: Unlike 1918, mutation is unlikely to end our pandemic: Developing a safe, effective vaccine is a far better bet not only for today but for our future, writes Frank J. Dinan. Read more

Aug. 8

Prospect of hybrid schooling leaves parents scrambling for childcare: To achieve social distancing, districts plan to have half the students in school at a time, leaving families to find safe childcare for days they are not in school. Read more

Schools look to Erie County Health Department for answers: How and who will do any required Covid-19 testing to keep reopened schools safe? "We’re going to offer three good options to our parents," said Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash about plans to offer in-person, remote or hybrid schooling. "But I reject having to be responsible for testing and for contact tracing."  Read more 

Mid-American Conference, including UB, postpones fall sports:  "This was a health and well-being decision, first and foremost," said MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, noting health experts consulted by MAC were not secure with putting athletes in an environment that could facilitate the spread of Covid-19. Read more

Statewide Covid-19 rate hovers at 1%:   "While our numbers remain low and steady, this is not the time to get complacent – we must focus on protecting our hard-won progress now," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said.         Read more

Aug. 7

Schools allowed to reopen, raising more questions and debate: “What I heard from him today is 'you’re on your own,' ” Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said Friday of Gov. Cuomo's announcement that schools in New York can reopen.  Read more

'He punted': After Cuomo's OK, questions remain about school in the fall: "He punted, if you will, to the districts. I think all the things he is asking districts to do really forces our hand, most of us, into a remote start," said Joe Cantafio, president of the West Seneca Teachers Association. Read more

Nine local businesses sue N.Y. over 'unconstitutional' Covid-19 response:  In a federal lawsuit filed Friday, the businesses allege the state officials' actions in response to the public health crisis caused financial harm and were "a disturbing and gross abuse of their power." Read more

Ready for fall: Private Schools have easier path to reopening in person: Private schools are in a far different situation than the one public schools find themselves in as questions swirl about the practicality of sending students back to the classroom. Read more

Labor takes a hit from the Covid-19 pandemic:  As Labor Day approaches, Richard C. Lipsitz Jr., president of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, sized up the impact and what is to come. Read more

Sidelined by Covid, unemployed stagehands share one thought, I want to work: At a time when the improbable feels like a daily event, Katie Ludwig was glad the Toronto Blue Jays provided her this month with a couple of days of temporary work, just as a major piece of her unemployment benefits had been cut off. Yet the emphasis, as she spoke those words, was on “temporary.” Read more

Aug. 6

Cash wants phased reopening, additional funds if kids are to attend Buffalo schools: The reopening of the Buffalo Public Schools would be delayed about a month to train teachers, familiarize parents with new school protocols and reassess the academic needs of students before a new year of instruction would begin in early October, under a plan being floated by Superintendent Kriner Cash. Read more

Fitness alliance wants Cuomo to approve plan to reopen gyms: Amy Bueme of Catalyst Fitness would like Gov. Andrew Cuomo to approve a plan that would allow fitness clubs, gymnasiums and health clubs across the state to reopen after five months of being shuttered in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Niagara County marks 99th Covid-19 death, its first in 9 days: The county's total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March now stands at 1,471. Of those, 1,331 are considered to have recovered, while 41 cases are active. Read more

Covid-19 changes the face(s) of Slow Roll and other group bike rides: Slow Roll Buffalo got off the ground this week halfway through its planned 2020 summer season, as riders braced themselves against Covid-19 and set out from Babeville on Delaware Avenue. Read more

New York's high school sports remain on pause: If the Sept. 21 start date is not approved and the fall sports season is canceled, a contingency plan calls for the three seasons to be condensed into 10-week sessions with winter sports, followed by the fall sports and then the spring sports. Read more

UB football practices delayed as MAC waits to decide football schedule format: The Mid-American Conference still doesn’t have a resolution to how or when it will play its football season. As a result, the University at Buffalo football team will not begin fall practice Friday. Read more

Blue Jays voice Ben Wagner built his career in Buffalo but can't return for MLB games: Ben Wagner spent 11 years and too many long bus rides to count calling Buffalo Bisons games on radio and TV. He is currently in his third season as the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. It's a year like no other, of course, and his worlds are coming full circle with 25 Blue Jays games slated to be played in Sahlen Field starting Tuesday. And therein lies the rub: Wagner can't come back to Buffalo. Read more

Baseball tightens protocols after Marlins, Cardinals outbreaks: Major League Baseball and the players association have made changes to strengthen Covid-19 protocols and warned players and staff that they could be suspended for flagrant or repeated violations, according to multiple reports. Read more

Bills All-Pro cornerback Tre'Davious White will play in 2020: The fourth-year veteran did not opt out of the upcoming NFL season, despite ongoing health concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Bills activate CB Dane Jackson from reserve/Covid-19 list: Jackson's activation leaves wide receiver Duke Williams as the lone player on the club's reserve/Covid-19 list. Read more

The Editorial Board: Republican bill would create health risk by bogging down restaurant inspections: County Legislator Joseph Lorigo needs to worry more about eating and drinking establishments following the laws than about legislators challenging them, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

The Editorial Board: Senate's foot-dragging puts millions of Americans and the economy at risk: It’s preposterous that, in the midst of an extended national crisis, Washington can’t come to an agreement on extending supplemental unemployment benefits, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Aug. 5

Poloncarz, legislators spar as bar and restaurant complaints surge: Erie County continues to be deluged with complaints about bars and restaurants violating Gov. Andrew Cuomo's emergency orders regarding social distancing and capacity mandates to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at food and drink establishments. Read more

Canalside transformation slows as Covid-19 pushes back projects: A vintage carousel coming to Canalside reached an important milestone Wednesday with the start of constructing the wooden frame for the roundhouse. At the other end of the Central Wharf, the interior of the two-story, gabled roof Longshed, which will be used to build a replica of the Seneca Chief packet boat, neared completion. Both projects were supposed to be this summer's new Canalside attractions before their timelines were derailed by Covid-19. Read more

Cuomo questions how schools would conduct Covid-19 tests: Schools in New York had no sooner finished their reopening plans when the governor lobbed some new questions about Covid-19 testing at them, questions he said parents would be asking. Read more 

Niagara Falls plans to use federal aid to buy Covid-19 testing kits: Public Covid-19 testing ended about three weeks ago in Niagara Falls, but the city plans to use federal aid to restart the testing program. Read more

43North company partners with Walmart on rent relief program: Whose Your Landlord, a 43North portfolio company, is teaming up with Walmart and other partners on a rent relief program, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

BlueCross BlueShield of WNY lengthens work-from-home policy: The health insurer has notified employees that its work-from-home policy will remain the same until at least Jan. 4, joining a growing list of companies keeping their employees home. Read more

Backyard gatherings don't look like last year's: Outdoor-only gatherings. No shared bowls of chips and salsa. Hand sanitizers on tables. Lawn furniture placed at least 6 feet apart. Backyard entertaining during Covid-19 takes a different kind of planning than summer get-togethers of years past. Read more

Outdoor fitness classes to return to Canalside, MLK Jr. Park: Canalside and Martin Luther King Jr. Park will start hosting outdoor group fitness classes this weekend, halfway through a planned exercise season weakened by the coronavirus pandemic, yet still the latest sign that the region is reaping rewards for a relatively low incidence of new Covid-19 cases. Read more

Bills' Tre'Davious White 'still undecided' about playing: Tre'Davious White, arguably the best player on the team, told reporters during a Zoom news conference that even though he is participating in training camp, he is "undecided" about playing. Read more

Mid-American Conference to meet Thursday regarding 2020 football season: A source told the News the MAC is meeting Thursday regarding its scheduling. The Detroit News reported Wednesday that the MAC is considering a 10-game football schedule of nine MAC games and one nonconference game. Read more

NCAA instructs Divisions I, II, III to decide on fall sports by Aug. 21: In a statement, the board of governors expressed serious concerns about the continuing high levels of Covid-19 infection in many parts of the nation, and the board of governors will only support moving forward with fall championships and postseason play if strict conditions are followed. Read more

Bills activate CB Ike Brown, S Siran Neal from reserve/Covid-19 list: The moves came a day after the activation of defensive tackle Vincent Taylor from the reserve/Covid-19 list. Wide receiver Duke Williams and defensive back Dane Jackson remain on the list. Read more

Aug. 4

Some parents want online school options to keep kids home: Parent petitions in some school districts have helped convince officials to offer the option for students to learn entirely remotely this year. In some districts, as many as one-third of students are expected not to return to the classroom. Read more

Workers contemplate next steps after losing extra $600 in unemployment: Workers sidelined by the coronavirus will find their checks $600 lighter this week than they've been since the CARES Act was signed into law March 27. It's happening at a time when roughly 30 million people are out of work and jobs are scarce. Read more

Erie County legislators want 'report of justification' for shutdowns: The Erie County Health Department can continue to shut down local restaurants and bars that violate state orders regarding capacity, social distancing and other reopening requirements in the age of Covid-19. But Republican-supported members of the Erie County Legislature want the county to provide complete, written justification within 48 hours of a county shutdown order. Read more

Chris Collins wants another delay in reporting to prison: Attorneys for Chris Collins are again asking for a roughly two-month delay in when the former congressman must report to federal prison. And Collins' lawyers are again pointing to the Covid-19 pandemic as their rationale. Read more

North Buffalo parking lot will become a pop-up drive-in: Dark Alley Drive-In is a new "alternative pop-up" started by Chris Dearing that will take place in the former K-Mart parking lot at 1001 Hertel Ave. near Delaware Avenue. Starting the series off are “Purple Rain,” starring Prince, on Aug. 7 and 8, with a special drive-in version of “Toxic Avenger” on Aug. 14. Read more

Burchfield Penny announces reopening, with new protocols for Covid-19 protection: The museum will welcome back visitors and also will have strict protocols to limit the spread of Covid-19. These include requiring all visitors age 2 and up to wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines, including maintaining a 6-foot distance from others. Read more

WGRZ to phase in staffers' return from home: Channel 2 is planning to slowly return the staffers who have been working from home to its Delaware Avenue building. They include “Most Buffalo” co-host Kate Welshofer, meteorologists Patrick Hammer, Heather Waldman and Kevin O’Neill and sports director Adam Benigni. Read more

Opt outs so far give Bills an additional $8 million in cap space: The NFL Management Council has informed teams that the prorated portion of signing bonuses will be removed from the 2020 cap when a player opts out, the NFL Network reported. Read more

Bills activate DT Vincent Taylor from Covid-19/reserve list: The Buffalo Bills have activated defensive tackle Vincent Taylor from the reserve/Covid-19 list, the team announced Tuesday. Read more

My View: School supply shopping ringed with uncertainty: I am going to try to stay positive, healthy and look for masks to match my outfits. School supply shopping should be fun, after all, writes Susan Gianiodis. Read more

Aug. 3

Parents, health care workers want more input in Buffalo's school reopening plan: Several representatives speaking in front of Lafayette High School said there were few opportunities to contribute to the plan, which had to be submitted by Friday and which was posted online. With the clock ticking down before school resumes, they want assurances that will soon change. Read more

Cuomo: School districts should discuss reopenings with parents: With New York State's decision expected later this week on whether schools will be allowed to reopen, officials at local school districts should be working to inform parents on the specifics of their plans, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Read more

What happens if someone tests positive for Covid-19 in school?: Schools throughout New York State are preparing to open one way or another in September. But what happens if a teacher, a bus driver or a student tests positive for Covid-19 after in-person classes begin? Read more

NY lawmakers put Health Commissioner Zucker on hot seat at Covid-19 hearing: New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker today repeatedly defended the state's response to the Covid-19 deaths at nursing homes as legislators grilled him in a virtual hearing. Read more

St. Joseph Campus begins return to normal as Covid-19 caseload plummets: Sisters of Charity St. Joseph Campus in Cheektowaga still has 14 Covid-19 patients and will continue to set aside a Covid-19-only unit, but Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan said Monday that the hospital needs to resume other services. Read more

New York's Covid-19 hospitalization numbers continue to drop: The latest figures represent new lows since the disease peaked in the state: 536 people hospitalized, 136 patients in intensive care and 62 people intubated, Cuomo said during a briefing in New York City. Read more

Answered prayers for priest in need of liver transplant amid pandemic: The Rev. John Mack got a new lease on life after a five-year battle with nonalcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, a fight that intensified in recent months as his health failed, a pandemic began and he lost his job at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. Read more

How Covid-19 is shaping malls of the present and the future: During the mall's 1980s heyday, if you had imagined a mall in 2020, it is more likely you would have envisioned robot sales clerks and laser-equipped mannequins than hand sanitizer and face masks. But here we are. Read more

M&T Bank extends work-from-home policy: "We are working toward preparations to increase density with an appropriate level of safety and allow a limited number of additional team members to return to the office on a voluntary basis," said Julia Berchou, a bank spokeswoman. Read more

Live music's indoors return offers a radically changed landscape: You can get your badly needed live music fix, it’s true. But, if you haven’t yet ventured to one of the clubs that reopened when New York State implemented phase four of its gradual return June 30, when you do, you’ll be walking into a decidedly changed landscape. Read more

Sorry, Bills mafia, Raiders say no fans at games in Vegas this season: One of the most anticipated road trips for Bills fans this season has potentially been canceled, at least if those fans were planning to attend the games. Read more

Five questions for UB football as it prepares for spring practices: UB’s schedule has already been impacted by Covid-19, with two games being canceled, and the future of college fall sports is in a holding pattern. Read more

The Editorial Board: School reopening plans leave questions, suggesting planning time squandered: It appears that some of Western New York’s school districts waited until the last minute to complete their summer assignments, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Another Voice: Buffalo schools need to implement conduct, wellness policies: If the district wants to push the dial ahead on academic success, a comprehensive and integrated plan for physical, social, emotional and behavioral wellness is imperative, write Jessica Bauer Walker and Renee Cadzow. Read more

Aug. 2

Cuomo: Covid-19 hospitalizations at record low; fewer than 1% test positive: "The numbers are just about where we want them to be, but we have to stay diligent," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Sunday. Read more

Covid testing concerns compound school reopening challenges, Cuomo warns:  Cuomo questioned the capacity for school testing, the rate and method of testing, the turn-around time from test to result, and whether the sampling would be representative. Read more

Election officials weigh changes for November after flood of absentees: A host of bills dealing with the new electoral challenges have been passed or await attention in the state Legislature. Read more

Assembly Health Committee chair sets up hearings on nursing home deaths: The News conducted a phone interview with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a Manhattan Democrat who chairs the Assembly Health Committee. Read more

'It’s not fair of them to risk anything': Covid-19 vs. college football season: The pandemic has created an unlikely convergence of public health, player safety and economics in the college football industry. Read more

Bills GM Brandon Beane assesses losses of E.J. Gaines, Jon Feliciano: The churn of players on and off the Bills’ roster has begun and figures to be more active than ever this season. Read more

Bills planning for worst-case salary cap scenario for 2021: No fans in the stands means a potential revenue loss of up to $5 billion for this season, which cuts deeply into the cap for next year. Read more

Aug. 1

Buffalo seeks to reinvent learning as districts plan for reopening amid pandemic: Buffalo's school superintendent has laid out a sweeping approach to reinvent teaching and learning in the midst of a pandemic likely to surge again and a national movement for racial equity that has highlighted grave systemic problems. Read more

Buffalo schools could delay reopening for weeks: Superintendent Kriner Cash is calling for a four-phase reopening that would begin with an undetermined amount of time for teachers and other staff to receive training and set up their classrooms. Read more

Working from home may continue, amid school uncertainty: The start of a new school year is only a few weeks away, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week is expected to make an announcement about whether schools can resume in-person instruction. But some large employers aren't waiting for the outcome. Read more

Niagara Town Board will meet face-to-face again, but not in Town Hall: When the board’s next work session is held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, it will take place in the Calvin K. Richards Community Center at 7000 Joe Rotella Way near the Town Park off Lockport Road. Read more

July 31

36 school districts have filed reopening plans; see how they differ: The governor will announce during the first week in August whether schools can resume instruction in person. It seems likely that schools in Western New York will get the green light, based on current Covid-19 infection rates. Read more

As Covid-19 relief sits in limbo, WNY businesses, employees hope to 'keep afloat': The $600 weekly enhancement to unemployment benefits may not be renewed when and if Congress settles on a new Covid-19 relief package, given the deep disagreement over whether that extra unemployment aid is a good idea. Read more

Watch now: 'Jamboree' tries to play on after state flattens music fest: Public health officials were awarded a court order to stop the music festival because they say large gatherings present the greatest risk for rapid and widespread transmission of the coronavirus in the community. Read more

43North lets startups pitch to investors, virtually: Venture capitalists are still looking for compelling investment opportunities, and startups are eager to raise money to fuel their growth. The tough part is getting investors and startups together during the Covid-19 pandemic, with concerns about travel and meetings. Read more

Erie County Legislature chairwoman asks, 'Who precisely is running the Sheriff's Office'?: The Legislature canceled an informational meeting scheduled for July 23 to discuss overtime spending related to Covid-19 because virtually every top administrator for the sheriff was unavailable to answer questions, said Chairwoman April Baskin. Read more

Mychajliw questions overtime claims from Erie County commissioners: In scrutinizing Covid-19 related pay received by county employees, Mychajliw, a Republican, has focused his comments and attention on overtime pay received by political appointees reporting to Poloncarz, a Democrat. Read more

Discount Diva: Here are some major retailers that have filed bankruptcy in 2020: The real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield estimated last year that 2020 could lose as many as 12,000 major chain stores – and that was before the Covid-19 pandemic came into play. Read more

Blue Jays GM 'confident' Sahlen Field will be ready for Aug. 11 opener: As work continues at the ballpark in Buffalo, General Manager Ross Atkins said he is "confident" that the facility will be ready for the scheduled Aug. 11 opener against the Marlins. Read more

St. Bonaventure athletic program has zero positive Covid-19 cases: The Bona athletic department announced Friday that it had zero positive cases among 23 athletes on campus who were tested, and zero cases among 27 staff members working directly with athletes who were tested. Read more

WYRK's Taste of Country canceled: The popular annual country music event was originally scheduled for June 12 at Sahlen Field, then postponed to Sept. 25 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

July 30

As state funds Covid-19 contact tracing, Cuomo warns of upcoming flu season: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday that the state will distribute cash to counties to expand flu vaccinations at the same time they expand their contact tracing efforts for known Covid-19 patients. Read more

In 1919, Buffalo did see it through: As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, the small-scale reboot of the old World War I slogan, “Buffalo Will See It Through” continues to be seen posted around town. Read more

In light of five positive Covid-19 tests, Bills send rookies home: The Buffalo Bills made a proactive move to conduct meetings with their rookie class virtually Thursday as a result of five positive coronavirus tests this week. Read more

Take me out (of) the ballgame: Fans will have tough time seeing Jays games from outside: Fans aren't allowed inside stadiums for Major League Baseball games this season, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But how about glimpsing the action from outside the stadium, during the few weeks that Buffalo will host big-league games? Read more

MLB agrees to comply with health restrictions when Jays come to town: Amid news that the Toronto Blue Jays' weekend series with the Philadelphia Phillies would be postponed and that the Jays would fill Sahlen Field's stands with cardboard cutouts, Major League Baseball representatives met with Erie County officials on a conference call to discuss local health and safety restrictions for visiting MLB players. Read more

The Editorial Board: Lack of local aid in next stimulus bill would further bleed state during crisis: Political payback is no way for a White House to respond to a public health crisis that threatens the U.S. economy, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

July 29

WNY's Covid-19 hospitalizations hit lowest levels since crisis began: Hospitalizations for Covid-19 in Western New York have fallen to their lowest level since the state began publicly releasing the numbers. Covid-19 hospitalizations stood at 28 as of Tuesday. Read more

Niagara County hospitals cut Covid-19 testing due to lack of supplies: Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center stopped public testing July 13 because the Kaleida Health laboratories, which tested the samples, had run low on reagent – the chemical that determines whether a sample contains the virus. Read more

Online sports betting industry sees potential opening in New York: Proponents of legalizing mobile wagering on sports contests say this is their time to get the matter settled. But some problems remain. Read more

Column: Revive the poll test in era of Covid-19: "While the Declaration of Independence includes the 'pursuit of happiness,' it does not protect the pursuit of ignorance," writes Rod Watson. Read more

Tops workers rally for Covid-19 hero pay, mask enforcement: The union has filed a grievance that aims to protect Tops workers from customers that refuse to wear masks. Read more

NFL players face 'excruciating' choice to opt out because of Covid-19: “I am part of a football team. But my wife and my kids are my primary team," said retired Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander. Read more

Duke Williams, Vincent Taylor go on Covid list, Cole Beasley on injured list: The Buffalo Bills placed wide receiver Duke Williams and defensive tackle Vincent Taylor on the NFL’s reserve/Covid-19 list, the league announced Wednesday. Read more

Erie County, MLB to speak on Marlins' situation: The Marlins' season has been put on pause until at least Tuesday, with seven games postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak. Read more

Beauts, NWHL season to begin in January: In April, the NWHL, in cooperation with the NWHL Players Association, formed a Covid-19 Safety Committee to develop a return-to-play plan. Wednesday's announcement is a result of that planning, the league said. Read more

Borderland festival moves to September 2021: The successful independent festival will return Sept. 18 and 19, 2021, to the same location. Read more

July 28

How schools will look under 6 Buffalo area districts' reopening plans: School districts across the Buffalo Niagara region have begun unveiling draft versions of their reopening plans, which must be finalized by the end of this week. Read more

Reopen schools or not? Students, parents, teachers weigh in: Should school buildings reopen? Students, parents and teachers in Western New York have various but passionate opinions on a topic that will directly impact their lives. And the residual effects likely will impact everyone. Read more

Company barred from selling PPE because of fraudulent practices: New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday announced an agreement that will stop Frank Borgese and IMPACT Medical & Surgical Solutions from selling for 2 1/2 years personal protective equipment – or PPE – used to stop the spread of Covid-19. Read more

St. Joseph Campus marks release of 500th Covid-19 patient: The staff of Sisters of Charity Hospital, St. Joseph Campus marked a milestone Tuesday in the fight against Covid-19. The Covid-19-only hospital in Cheektowaga announced the release of its 500th successfully treated patient. Read more

From cancer through Covid, how one mother retained hope: Melissa Fuller was at Roswell for close to five months, with 96 of those days spent in treatment for Covid-19. She arrived in February, expecting to be there for a month to treat the cancer that for years had threatened her life. Read more

Niagara County reports two Covid-19 tests but no new cases: Two senior citizens in Niagara County have died of the virus that causes Covid-19, bringing the county's death toll since the pandemic began to 98, the Niagara County Health Department said Tuesday. Read more

NY rolls out the welcome mat for certain travelers. (The ones who can hit and field.): New York is making it more difficult for people to travel in and out of the state. But Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo wants to make one very specific exception: Major League Baseball teams. Read more

New York's quarantine list grows to 34 states, D.C., Puerto Rico: The list of places where New Yorkers can travel to without quarantine is getting much shorter. Read more

Canadians who get health care in Buffalo see border as barrier: Medical appointments in Buffalo never used to be much of a problem for Diane and Terry Dick of Fort Erie and countless other Canadians. But with the border closed to all but essential traffic amid the Covid-19 pandemic, what once was routine is now trouble – both coming and going. Read more

Sheriff's Office used Covid-19 money to help cover overtime for protests: The Erie County Sheriff's Office billed nearly $1.5 million in overtime pay for its union employees to a federal Covid-19 response fund, and some of it covered their overtime for the George Floyd protests and civil unrest – not the coronavirus health crisis. Read more

Marlins' season shut down for the week as their Covid-19 outbreak expands: The Miami Marlins are scheduled to be in Buffalo to open the Toronto Blue Jays' slate of home games in Sahlen Field on Aug. 11-12. "Scheduled" is the key word. Read more

Bills starting DT Star Lotulelei opts out of 2020 season: The 31-year-old Lotulelei will take a voluntary opt-out for the 2020 season, taking the valued run-stuffer out of the middle of the Bills' defense, the team confirmed Tuesday. Read more

The Editorial Board: It shouldn't even have been a question: Masks and distance needed in schools: Six feet of distance and wearing masks. Anything less and we are asking for trouble that we will regret, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

July 27

Covid response expenses soar to $4 billion statewide – and counting: Cuomo and other governors argue that Washington needs to bail out state budgets or there will be widespread and deep spending cuts. Read more

Cuomo: 'Devastating news' that states could be left out of latest stimulus: The Republican version of the next stimulus proposal will reportedly again not include aid to local governments. Read more

Despite pandemic, it's a feeding frenzy in Buffalo Niagara housing market: Homebuyers are scrambling to find houses they want to buy. And when they do find one they like, the competition is often intense. Read more

Not masks alone: 6-feet apart rule complicates school reopening plans: Requiring students to socially distance and wear a mask will mean schools can't accommodate all students at once. Read more

Amid Marlins' Covid-19 outbreak, work presses on at Sahlen Field: The Marlins are the first team scheduled to meet the Jays in Buffalo on Aug. 11-12. Read more

Seeing the Jays in person will be impossible; on TV, a little less so: Alan Pergament takes a look at how to see the Blue Jays on television. Read more

Bills rookie DB Isaiah Brown placed on reserve/Covid-19 list: Brown was one of 19 players leaguewide who were added to the newly created reserve-list category. Read more

A positive sign for the exercise-minded: Fitness in the Parks resumes outdoors: Fitness in the Parks will offer nine in-person classes at parks across the region starting this week. Read more

With concerts unlikely until 2021, Rec Room focuses on food: Future plans include kitchen takeovers by Rec Room's restaurant friends, with Marble + Rye expected to handle food one night soon. Read more

Jewish Film Festival soldiers on as a virtual event: With indoor movie theaters closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s rendition, which was originally scheduled in March, is going virtual. Read more

July 26

NY Covid-19 deaths fall to three, but Cuomo says 'don't get cocky': Covid-19 deaths across New York State have fallen to an all-time low, with only three recorded on Saturday, said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Hospitalizations are also at the their lowest in four months, he said. Read more

Whether downsized or postponed, 2020 weddings aren't what couples planned: Sue Shade and Mark Thompson set their wedding date for April 4 after their engagement last year on April 27, Thompson’s birthday. Then came the Covid-19 pandemic. Like other engaged couples whose wedding plans were upended by the novel coronavirus, they needed to make some quick decisions. Should they cancel? Postpone? What were their options? Read more

NHL teams reach hub cities as return to play format set to begin: As the United States grapples with another surge in coronavirus cases, approximately 1,248 players, coaches and staff reported to one of two hub cities Sunday to complete the National Hockey League's 24-team return-to-play format. Read more

July 25

Cuomo: Covid numbers in New York remain low: The number of hospitalizations due to Covid-19 in New York State has dropped to its lowest number since March 18. Read more

State lawmakers look to limit nursing home immunity during pandemic:  Advocates for nursing home residents praised the legislation, while health care facilities worried it could hurt their ability to provide care should the virus rebound. Read more

Buffalo hopes for positive buzz, boost for hospitality industry from Jays games:  Major League Baseball games here should provide positive buzz about Buffalo to the TV audience and a limited boost to a hospitality industry devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

How the Sabres, developer Doug Jemal worked to accommodate Blue Jays: Barred by the Canadian government from playing in Toronto due to coronavirus concerns, Jays assistant GM contacted Kim Pegula about possibility of modifying KeyBank Center, Harborcenter as training facilities.  Read more

30 years later, celebrating law that opened doors, erased barriers: Due to the coronavirus, the  anniversary of the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act will be marked locally with a digital "watch party,"rather than with a parade and gathering at Canalside. Sean Kirst speaks to people whose lives were changed by the ADA. Read more

July 24

Cuomo: Top DHS officials may be criminally liable for lies about Green Light Law: DHS officials misled their own lawyers into arguing that the state's Green Light Law was a unique attempt to protect undocumented immigrants. Read more

For first time since April, no Covid-19 deaths this week in Niagara County: This week the county reported 29 new positive tests out of 4,032 people tested, an infection rate of 0.72%. Read more

Erie County stockpiles supplies for next wave of Covid-19: In March and April, Erie County struggled to fill up to 130 orders a day from providers and organizations across the county. The county's goal now? A 90-day supply of "everything." Read more

Nursing home visits resume – and you can help keep them on track: Visitation resumed last week at nursing homes and assisted living centers across New York, although mingling comes with tight requirements. Read more

Moog takes a hit as Covid-19 batters airlines: The devastation the coronavirus pandemic is causing at airlines took a heavy toll on Moog Inc. this spring. Read more

Street dining comes to the Chippewa strip: The block of Chippewa between Delaware and Franklin will be closed to traffic from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily to allow outside dining until Labor Day. Read more

A simpler summer? Families are taking it a little slower this year: Camping in the backyard, spending time with pets, riding bikes: Here are some of the activities families are doing now. Read more

Five favorite picnic spots: When asked to share some of their favorite, often not-too-crowded picnic spots for families, Western New Yorkers recommended these. Read more

Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo: The Blue Jays could be playing as many as 28 of their 30 games in Buffalo. Read more

MLB is coming to Buffalo, but you won't see it: Fans won't be allowed at the games, and all the people coming with the Toronto Blue Jays and opposing teams will be holed up in one of two downtown hotels when not at Sahlen Field. Read more

Local NHL draft prospects preparing for uncertain start to next season: Uncertain timelines are creating challenges for training. Off-ice workouts are still limited to neighborhood runs, stationary bike rides or lifting free weights in the basement. Read more

Pandemic can't stop tradition: FC Buffalo tangles with Erie: FC Buffalo visits Veterans Memorial Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. match July 24. Read more

July 23

Erie County lawmakers push back against Cuomo's bar and restaurant restrictions: In a rare bipartisan vote, lawmakers voted 9-2 Thursday to oppose Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order requiring restaurant and bar patrons to order food if they want alcohol. Read more

'This is not the time to fight for your right to party,' Cuomo warns young people: Cuomo's comment was directed at 20-somethings as he cited a recent surge in Covid-19 cases among that group (ages 21-30) over the last two weeks: from 9.9% to 13.2% of the state's cases. Read more

Analysis: Tesla's solar slump is proof of the pandemic's destructive power: Tesla's solar energy business had its worst quarter in nearly seven years this spring, despite the company's best efforts. Read more

Canisius, NCCC are only local colleges planning staff layoffs: Most of the region's colleges and universities don't plan to lay off faculty or staff or eliminate programs this fall. Read more

Lessons from the pandemic: How businesses adapted and even improved: Local companies are unsure that things will return to exactly the way they were before the pandemic. But they say they have learned lessons that have improved their operations. Read more

Analysis: Two months into reopening, Buffalo Niagara's recovery shows its fragility: While the economy is taking measured steps toward what used to be normal, there are new cross-currents that are making that return to normalcy all the more difficult," David Robinson writes. Read more

M&T's King sees hopeful signs in economy: M&T Bank's second quarter profits felt the pinch of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Banks are bracing for the worst – and it's costing them: They are bulking up their loan loss reserves, a financial cushion against loans going bad. It's a sign that banks are preparing for the unknown: How bad will the Covid-19 pandemic's toll be on customers in the months ahead? Read more

Cut off from live performances, Buffalo musicians get creative: Unable to work in the live setting, musicians have keep their art alive by turning inward. Read more

Schumer to MLB boss: Bring Blue Jays to Buffalo: "Since it is Opening Day, there is little time for continued deliberation – now is the time to act," Schumer said. Read more

Blue Jays focus on Baltimore – but may find same roadblocks as Pittsburgh: Early returns seem to give it a Groundhog Day feeling to what the club experienced on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Read more

Bills tell season-ticket holders they can get refunds, keep status: Season-ticket holders must decide by Aug. 14 if they want to opt for a refund or credit their account. Read more

Bills' quarterbacks, players dealing with injuries get Covid-19 tests: They will self-quarantine for the next two days and be tested again Sunday.  Read more

The Editorial Board: Now will you wear a mask?: Other states need to follow our lead and those New Yorkers who remain doubtful need to wise up. The president did. Wear a mask, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

The Editorial Board: Washington's dereliction puts WNY at risk: We need to test. We need to trace contacts. We need to maintain social distance and we really need to wear masks. It’s not hard, writes The News' Editorial board. Read more

July 22

Health inspectors 'harassed' at bars during Covid-19 compliance checks: Erie County employees checking if bars and restaurants are following social-distancing and mask-wearing mandates have encountered some hostile patrons. Read more

No delays here: Erie County Lab turning around Covid-19 tests in two days: While anyone tested for Covid-19 at a doctor's office or urgent care center can expect to wait up up to 10 days or longer for results, those tested by the Erie County Health Department can still expect results within two days. Read more

No answers on cost as Cuomo rolls out Covid-19 aid to other states: What is all the generosity costing New York taxpayers? For a week now, the Cuomo administration will simply not say. Read more

With 2 months to go, schools grapple with improving remote learning: With less than two months to go before the school year is slated to begin, what districts are doing varies widely. Read more

Erie County receives federal stimulus money for homeless, food pantries: While the Buffalo area hasn't seen a major surge in Covid-19 infections among the homeless, money is being allocated to keep numbers low. Read more

Tesla's solar energy business takes a beating during the pandemic: The downturn in Tesla's solar energy deployments came even though the company aggressively cut prices on its rooftop solar products in an effort to spur sales at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed the economy into a recession. Read more

KeyCorp earnings take hit amid pandemic: The bank's chairman and CEO, Christopher Gorman, said Key remains on solid financial footing. Read more

On or off the road? 3 Buffalo food trucks switch gears during pandemic: Loose Cannon Food Truck, Flaming Fish and Pizza Amore Mobile Wood Fire are navigating an unexpected summer. Read more

Blue Jays' plan to play in Pittsburgh suddenly strikes out: The Pittsburgh plan fell apart Wednesday afternoon after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and the state's Department of Health announced they were denying permission for the Jays to play the games in its state amid concerns about visiting teams coming from coronavirus hotspots like Tampa, Miami and Atlanta. Read more

Bills have infectious disease emergency plan approved: The league and NFL Players Association approved the Bills' Infectious Disease Emergency Response, a league source told The News. Read more 

Senior Porter Cup in September canceled due to pandemic: The Senior Porter Cup golf tournament on Wednesday joined the list of sports events canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

July 21

Cuomo: 4 liquor licenses suspended; 10 states added to quarantine list: "We're sorry it's come to this, but this is a dangerous situation and I've said it many, many times," Governor Andrew M. Cuomo told reporters on a conference call from Albany. Read more

Testing woes return: In WNY, Covid test supplies are scarce, results are slow: Local health care providers say they are suffering from the lack of a national Covid-19 testing strategy. Read more

Here's how Erie County has spent $24 million to fight Covid-19: Erie County has spent $24.8 million in federal stimulus money between March and the end of June responding to the novel coronavirus public health crisis. That includes everything from forehead thermometers to hotel rooms. Read more

Niagara Falls tourism 'keeping the lights on' to attract locals: Tourism leaders in Niagara Falls have a new strategy: marketing to people who may feel safer driving across the state than traveling across the world. Read more

Unions cancel South Buffalo Labor Day parade due to pandemic: "We do with great reluctance but, see no better way to keep ourselves and the general public safe from this horrendous disease," said a joint statement from the Buffalo Central Labor Council and the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Read more

Dear Blue Jays: Buffalo's waited a long time for major league baseball: The idea of the Major Leagues returning, even briefly, to Buffalo – draws power from another decision long ago, writes Sean Kirst. Read more

Bills rookies report for Covid-19 tests as NFL begins to open: The Bills’ rookies now will wait over the next two days at their homes or hotels and self-quarantine. Read more

Cuomo: No fans allowed at college sports in New York in fall for now: If college sports are played this fall, fans will not be allowed to attend the games, state officials said Tuesday. College sports conferences are continuing to determine how to proceed with testing and other safety protocols that will allow games to take place in campus environments. Read more

UB basketball delays start of on-campus off season workouts: A UB athletic spokesperson confirmed Tuesday to The News that the men’s basketball program has not determined a report date for its players, many of whom live out of state. Read more

Amid pandemic, basketball recruiting trail becomes risk vs. reward decision: The hustle and bustle of grassroots basketball is dribbling along during the coronavirus pandemic. For college prospects and the coaches trying to project their futures, it is an unfamiliar recruiting trail to navigate. Read more

Buffalo State, SUNYAC suspend fall sports, delay start of winter season: The State University of New York Athletic Conference has joined many other college conferences in suspending fall sports and delaying the start of the winter sports sports until Jan. 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

St. Francis football coach proposes public vs. private 'Gallagher Series': Given the unique circumstances surrounding a potential high school football season, St. Francis coach Jerry Smith has proposed a series between public and private schools named for Dick Gallagher, the iconic high school sports guru who recently died. Read more

Another Voice: The notion that anyone would not support the limitless efforts of our tireless public health advocates is nothing short of a travesty, writes Aimana ElBahtity. Read more

July 20

More than a third of Erie County's new Covid-19 cases are people in their 20s: More than a third of the new Covid-19 cases in Erie County have been found in people in their 20s, according to the latest figures released by the Erie County Department of Health. Read more

'Don't be stupid,' Cuomo tells downstate revelers as he threatens rollbacks: The governor on Monday cited large gatherings, as well as local governments' responsibility to enforce them, as a major threat to New York State's continued control of the coronavirus. Read more

In the age of coronavirus, you don't leave home without these essentials: No more just grabbing your keys and wallet to leave the house. Today’s outings require a bit more effort before stepping into a world that feels a lot more scary than last summer. Read more

NFL reaches testing deal as Bills, league rookies prepare to report: The league and the NFL Players Association agreed to daily Covid-19 testing for all players, along with staff members who have access to players, for the first two weeks of training camp. Read more

Buffalo or hybrid schedule still among plans as Blue Jays ponder home site: While playing their home schedule at a major-league park remains their No. 1 choice, the vagabond Toronto Blue Jays are still studying plans to stage their games in Sahlen Field if necessary. Read more

With Blue Jays eyeing Pittsburgh, Mayor Brown still holds hope for Buffalo as host: Both the Toronto Sun and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Sunday night that the Jays and Major League Baseball are working on a plan to host Toronto games at the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Read more

If there is a high school season, Section VI plans to host championships: Brett Banker, president of the Section VI executive committee, told The News on Monday that Section VI is committed to postseason play, if fall practices can begin Sept. 21 and if a fall sports season can be completed without interruption. Read more

State Catholic High School Athletic Association to delay start of fall sports: The New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association will pause its fall sports schedule until Sept. 21, and will not have regional or state championships in fall sports. Read more

With no season, WNY's pro baseball prospects try to stay sharp: The cancellation of the minor league season was a blow that disappointed the non-big-league boys of summer, who under normal circumstances would be trying to help their respective ball clubs succeed while at the same time enhancing their own value to earn a call-up to higher level. Read more

July 19

Cuomo: Covid-19 hospitalizations hit lowest number in 4 months: Across the state, 722 Covid-19 patients remained hospitalized Saturday, the lowest number since March 18. Read more

The impact of the border closure? More distance between U.S. and Canada: For residents of Buffalo, it's been nearly a century – since before the Peace Bridge – that Canada felt so far away. Read more

Pitcher says Blue Jays intend to find major league ballpark as alternative: If Toronto Blue Jays players get their preference, the team will be playing its games in another major league stadium after the Canadian federal government denied a request for the Blue Jays to play at Rodgers Centre.  Read more

Wild card in schools reopening: What will teachers (and their unions) do?: Teachers everywhere worry that they will become de facto front-line workers once schools reopen, putting them at higher risk for Covid-19. Read more

Even for Olympic gold medalist Emily Regan, Covid-19 was a nightmare: The Buffalo native first shared her experience and the USRowing outbreak in a Facebook post July 7, offering a cautionary tale about how mild to moderate cases of the virus can affect even the best athletes in the world, physically and mentally. Read more

Lawmakers return to Albany for special summer session: Some of the most important work could be on the horizon if lawmakers assert themselves into the state’s fiscal affairs that they put into the arms of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in April – giving him the unilateral power to trim the state budget in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.    Read more

July 18

In a pandemic, Buffalo's defining double porches offer quick escape: "To me, going back about as far as I remember, porches are intertwined with life in this community. In the same way as so many Western New Yorkers, a front porch holds a vivid place in my memories," writes Sean Kirst. Read more

Estate sales return with a roar – and longer, socially distanced lines: Welcome to one of the most popular gatherings in the era of the coronavirus, where the lines are longer, the demand is greater and the clientele more diverse. Read more

Underground Railroad Heritage Center reopens after Covid-19 shutdown: Signs throughout the galleries will help visitors maintain social distance, remind people to wear face coverings and ensure capacity levels are maintained. A maximum of 25 visitors are allowed inside at any one time. Read more

Buffalo bound? Canada denies Blue Jays permission to play in Toronto: The decision could force the club to do an about-face and move its regular season home schedule to Sahlen Field in Buffalo. Read more

NFL announces training camp dates, but now what?: The NFL informed teams Saturday that it intends to open training camps on time with rookies allowed to report Tuesday, quarterbacks and injured players on Thursday and the remainder of the roster on July 28. Read more

July 17

5,000 nursing home investigations delayed, thanks to Covid-19: While fighting the virus that killed more than 6,300 nursing home residents, the Health Department gave top priority to investigating complaints of infection control and immediate jeopardy. Other complaints – including at least one about a local fatality – have not received the same attention. Read more

Can vitamin D ward off or ease Covid-19? A dietitian weighs in: Observational studies during the novel coronavirus pandemic suggest those who get recommended levels of vitamin D more easily ward off the virus and better weather its symptoms if they get sick. Read more

Discount Diva: Times have changed, and so have our spending habits: The pandemic is affecting everyone’s behavior, big and little. That’s especially the case when it comes to spending, which has a huge impact on the economy and the world, writes Samantha Christmann. Read more

Toilet paper shortage? That's so last month. Think bikes, kayaks and pools: It's not just toilet paper and hand sanitizer that are sometimes impossible to find. Coronavirus has knocked supply chains out of whack around the world. Read more

Economist James Glassman sees prospects for quicker comeback: When the Covid-19 pandemic started forcing businesses to shut down, economists debated whether the impact on the economy would feel more like a natural disaster or a business cycle. To James Glassman, it seemed more like a natural disaster – that is, with prospects for a faster recovery. Read more

Staying safe and yet social: Portraits during quarantine: Amid this pandemic, people searched for ways to connect with one another; virtual happy hours, group chats and talking to neighbors from the comfort of their front porch became the norm. See more

Ex-Bills lineback Lorenzo Alexander explains why NFL players want daily tests: The NFL and the players associations continue negotiations on coronavirus testing protocols and economic issues that could lead to a delay in the start of training camps scheduled for July 28 for most teams, including the Bills. Read more

St. Bona, Daemen, D'Youville postpone fall sports due to Covid-19 pandemic: The Atlantic 10 Conference, of which the Bonnies are a member, postponed all fall sports to the spring semester Friday, joining a wave of college athletics leagues taking steps to protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, faculty and fans during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

State Catholic High School Athletic Association sets fall sports decision for Monday: The organization is likely to follow a similar model to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, which announced that it was moving the start date for fall practices to Sept. 21 and canceling state championships. Read more

High school football in the spring is better than nothing: Should the Covid-19 pandemic prevent a fall sports season, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association is considering moving fall sports to a 10-week period from March 1 to May 8. Read more

July 16

State Education Department releases school reopening guidance: The 144-page document lays out what local educators should keep in mind as they plan the reopening. Read more

Analysis: For the job market, signs of progress but a long way to go: It is going to be a long, hard climb out of the hole the Covid-19 pandemic carved into the Buffalo Niagara job market. Read more

Cuomo to bars: No alcohol for patrons who aren't ordering food: The Cuomo administration is enacting a statewide order to ban restaurants and bars from selling alcohol to patrons unless they are also ordering something to eat. Read more

99-year-old woman is Niagara County's 95th Covid-19 victim: It's the first death from the virus in Niagara County this week. Read more

Daughters see parents for 1st time in months as nursing home visitor ban ends: The daughters of parents in their 90s at a Lancaster assisted living facility were thankful to finally be permitted to see mom and dad in person this week. Read more

State says no to keeping Erie Canal open longer this year: The canal opened to boating six weeks later than planned after off-season canal maintenance and repairs were suspended in March. Read more

Schumer boosts pandemic funding for schools: Under the proposed bill, several hundred million dollars would go directly to school districts in Erie County. Read more

Swannie House, Original Warehouse settle Covid-19 violation cases: Charges brought by the Liquor Authority against three other establishments in Erie and Niagara counties remain pending. Read more

High school sports start date delayed; fall state championships canceled: “As the state considers reopening, it is unrealistic to believe athletic seasons can start on Aug. 24 as originally scheduled,” said Paul Harrica, NYSPHSAA president. Read more

No MLB games in Buffalo as Blue Jays reportedly get OK to play in Toronto: Toronto's home schedule is expected to proceed at Rogers Centre. Read more

Column: How to fill the live music-shaped hole in your life: "Ask yourself what it is in your psyche that the communal live music experience speaks to. Then explore alternative ways to give that part of your psyche a workout," writes Jeff Miers. Read more

The Editorial Board: Officials must go big to protect New Yorkers: New York is now in the green when it comes to lowering coronavirus cases, although the devastating effect of once being the world’s hotspot is not lost on anyone, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

My View: Indulging my 'addictions' during a time of pandemic: I have three addictions. I am addicted to playing tennis, to writing stories and to baking, writes Judy Gabriel Behr. Read more

July 15

'Uncertainties upon uncertainties' remain about reopening schools: Guidelines from New York State on how to reopen schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic have answered some questions, but raised even more. Read more

In the mists of Niagara Falls, a tale of how differently two countries reopen: Visitors to Niagara Falls State Park this week saw two very different boat tours bobbing at the base of Horseshoe Falls: a bustling Maid of the Mist boat, leaving from the U.S. side, and near-empty Hornblower Niagara Cruise boats, leaving from Canada. Read more

At UB, face masks at all times and quarantines before return to campus: The guidelines, which take effect immediately, were shared with all students and staff via email Wednesday morning in preparation for the fall semester, when the school will welcome its community of more than 30,000 students, faculty and staff back for the first time since in-class learning was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more 

Expect a cautious reopening as nursing homes start to readmit visitors: About a quarter of the state's nursing homes will qualify to begin allowing visitors today after having no cases of Covid-19 for 28 days. But expect a cautious approach to reopening. Read more

Lab tests back CleanSlate UV's ability to fight Covid-19: CleanSlate said testing by GAP Laboratories in London, Ont., showed its technology can kill at least 99.979% of the novel coronavirus on smartphones in 20 seconds, without using chemicals. Read more

Grand jury expected to resume next week in Erie County: The Erie County District Attorney's Office expects to start presenting criminal cases to the grand jury on Monday in the next phase in the reopening process of courthouses to in-person proceedings. Read more

Pandemic leads to layoffs, spending cuts at NCCC: Niagara County Community College plans spending cuts for the upcoming academic year while laying off at least 18 employees and raising tuition 4.2% on a student body it expects to be far smaller than this year's. Read more 

Back to the movies: Screening Room Cinema Cafe sets reopening: The Screening Room Cinema Café, a boutique movie house at the Boulevard Mall, is reopening July 17 with a trivia and movie special featuring “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Read more

We're open: 9 family attractions you can visit now: For months, we’ve been bombarded with lengthy lists of closures, cancellations and postponements. How about some good news for a change? Read more

Due to pandemic, junior college sports get new look at ECC, NCCC: In short, a majority of athletic competition among NJCAA athletics will be moved to the spring semester as the nation continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

Work needed makes Sahlen Field a longshot as Jays keep looking for a home: With fewer than 10 days to their season opener, the Toronto Blue Jays know where they want to play their home games this season, but they have no idea where the 30 games will actually take place. Read more

The Editorial Board: A smart plan for schools, but not without the risk: If residents of Western New York want to be sure the schools actually do reopen – and stay that way – they should mind the numbers, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

The Editorial Board: New York should prepare to hire Fauci: So, here’s a thought as America goes crazy: If Washington doesn’t want Dr. Anthony Fauci, New York should grab him. Give him a raise, even. Give him a car, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

The Editorial Board: Good news as Riverline project resists the Covid-19 pandemic: The Riverline project intended to transform the former DL&W rail corridor into a 1.5-mile urban nature trail along the Buffalo River recently received national attention when it became part of the High Line Network. Now it needs funding attention as this endeavor in environmental equity hits speed bumps created by the Covid-19 pandemic, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

My View: Walking WNY in the time of Covid-19: The coronavirus has driven us outdoors and introduced us to an aspect of the Buffalo area that we didn’t know existed, writes William Graebner. Read more

My View: The cocoon opens and the world is new: The cocoon is beginning to crack ever so slightly. We see a ray of sun, a possible way out, writes Joan Wickett. Read more

July 14

WNY positive Covid test rate ticks up as region hits 10,000-case mark: The region's positive test rate Monday was 2.0% – the first time that figure has been at that rate or higher in over a month. Read more

Lawmakers set dates to publicly review Covid-19 deaths at nursing homes: Lawmakers are expecting to question and get answers from top Cuomo health advisers who carried out the governor’s orders, including a controversial March order that directed nursing homes to admit Covid-19-positive patients. Read more

Busing, 'cohorts' and eating lunch: Decoding school reopening guidance: The picture for reopening schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic is starting to become a bit clearer. Read more

43North pulls plug on 2020 competition: The 43North competition is funded by New York State. Board members were concerned about staging the competition at a time when the state faces a revenue loss of up to $13 billion due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

As pandemic rages in US, border stays closed – and Canadians approve: The closure of the U.S.-Canadian border, which is about to be extended for another month, is a tale of two countries: one that has failed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, and one that fears that visitors from south of the border could come in and spread the disease.. Read more

Lockport hospital temporarily drops bankruptcy case, scores PPP benefit: Eastern Niagara Hospital, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November, temporarily withdrew its filing last month so it could obtain a $5.85 million loan from the federal government. Read more

West Seneca installs $3,500 sprinkler for the kids: It's hot. West Seneca's pool is closed. And Covid-19 put an end to the town's summer rec programs. So some Town Board members wanted to do something for the kids. Read more

Bills' Reid Ferguson on new face shields: 'Guys will hate it': The NFL has unveiled a protective face shield that NFL medical and safety experts are advocating that players wear, and the initial response has not been overwhelmingly positive. Read more

July 13

Region's Covid-19 hospitalizations at highest point in nearly 3 weeks: "In general, our hospitalizations are still low but the trend line is heading up," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. Read more

Covid-19 cases climbing in Niagara, but health chief isn't worried: The number of active Covid-19 cases in Niagara County has risen from 35 on July 1 to 78 on Monday. Read more

New disclosure rules slapped on air travelers into New York: “It came in through the airports. It will come in through the airports once again," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Read more

For now, schools in WNY meet Cuomo's Covid-19 criteria for reopening: Throughout the school year, the data will determine whether the schools will remain open, Gov. Cuomo said. Read more

Board of Regents stresses teacher-student interactions as it looks to September: The disparity in instruction across districts and schools emerged as a big concern after learning moved online this spring. Read more

Delaware North cuts 100 workers: The Buffalo-based hospitality giant's operations have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Covid-19 challenges farmers in getting key flow of foreign workers: New York farmers who rely on foreign seasonal workers for everything from planting tomatoes and pruning trees to picking apples have found themselves on a labor scramble. Read more

Pool closed, West Seneca installs $3,500 sprinkler to keep kids cool: Covid-19 put an end to the town's summer rec programs, so Town Board members came up with a $3,500 motion-detection sprinkler system to help take its place. Read more

NFL unveils extended face shield to help against coronavirus: The league and the players association continue in negotiations regarding safety protocols, so the shield is not mandatory. Read more

UB football begins preseason workouts amid Covid-19 uncertainty: The Big Ten and Pac-12 decisions could be a harbinger of a bigger concern, that there may not be a college football season, which is set to begin Aug. 29. Read more

July 12

Latest Covid-19 data shows New York numbers remain low and stable: "New York State continues to move forward combating Covid-19 with its phased, data-driven reopening in the face of alarming increases in cases throughout the country and in the nationwide death rate,” Gov. Cuomo said in a written statement to the media. Read more

What will the schools look like? State to deliver guidance Monday: Behind the scenes, school districts have been planning for the fall amid the pandemic, but they have been hamstrung without knowing the rules for reopening. Read more

UB international students fret over Trump administration order that could deport them: A new policy handed down last week says if foreign students are only taking classes online rather than in person this fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, they have to leave the country. Read more

Analysis: What pandemic? The local housing market is hotter than ever: With homes for sale at a record low, the buyers that remain in the market are competing intensely for the houses that are available, especially if they're in good shape and in sought-after neighborhoods. Read more

Bills rookie A.J. Epenesa's learning curve exacerbated by pandemic: Defensive end has been limited to virtual offseason workouts since being selected out of Iowa with the 54th overall pick in the second round of the draft, and a shortened preseason will only further hamper his development ahead of his regular season debut. Read more

The Editorial Board: Are schools ready? Urgency is needed: With Labor Day eight weeks away and with so much at stake, officials everywhere need to dial up their sense of urgency about how best to reopen schools this fall.  Read more

My View: Our summer pause yields unforeseen benefits: In an attempt to escape virtual house arrest and isolation, many residents of Buffalo and Erie County have returned to some of the diversions of the good old summertime, Howard Wolf writes. Read more

July 11

After beating Covid, 108-year-old looks forward to family visits: 

Her daughter thought her mom was "a goner," but Beechwood Homes resident Celestine Szemenciak survived her bout with the novel coronavirus and is looking forward to seeing family again now that the state is allowing limited visits. Read more

Ken-Ton school board candidate rues 2-vote loss during pandemic voting: Dawn Stinner has retained a lawyer to research her options in requesting a recount. Read more

Inside Baseball: Jays checking in on Buffalo with desperation growing to find a home: The Toronto Blue Jays are examining the possibility of playing their home schedule in Buffalo this summer. Read more

On the road ... again? Here's how families are finding ways to vacation: Travel between the U.S. and Canada remains restricted. Some states have issued 14-day self-quarantine requirements. Still, people are on the move. Read more

5 fun family destinations in New York State: Looking for a family getaway in the Empire State? Travel pros from the AAA of Western and Central New York head you in the right direction. Read more

July 10

Loved ones share relief as NY reopens nursing homes: Limited visits with residents can begin Wednesday in nursing homes and long-term care facilities where there have been no Covid-19 cases for at least 28 days, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said Friday. Read more

Watch now: Shoppers embrace a reopened mall crawl: Indoor malls and their tenants were under competitive and financial pressure even before the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to temporarily close. Now they face a new challenge: getting customers back in the habit of coming inside to shop after more than three months on the retail sidelines. Read more

'Hallelujah!': Science Museum opens to relieved visitors: Katherine Hellerman had an immediate, one-word response to the reopening of the Buffalo Museum of Science Friday after being closed since March 14 due to Covid-19: "Hallelujah!" Read more

Need a staycation excursion? Explore Buffalo resumes in-person tours: If the novel coronavirus put an end to your vacation plans this summer, Brad Hahn has some good news for you. Read more

St. Bonaventure prepares for athletes' return to campus during pandemic: As the St. Bonaventure University athletic department prepares for its athletes to start returning to campus next week, the most significant administrative focus will be not only to monitor athletes for Covid-19, but also to isolate positive cases and mitigate the spread of the disease. Read more

July 9

21-year-old Wheatfield woman dies after grueling battle with Covid-19: Tatiana Moore was awaiting the double-lung transplant that would enable her to get on with her life and her career. But Moore, surrounded by her mother and other close family, became an unusually young victim of Covid-19. Read more

UB athletic director: Two athletes, one staff-member test positive for Covid-19: The University at Buffalo athletic program announced Thursday that two UB athletes and one athletic department staff member have tested positive for Covid-19. Read more

West Side Rowing Club gets back on the water, one at a time: Separated from their crew and landbound to ergometers for the spring and early summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, some members of the West Side Rowing Club have eagerly returned to the Black Rock Channel. Read more

The Editorial Board: Persistence of coronavirus presents cautionary tales: Experiences throughout the rest of the country remind us we can’t let our guard down. As glorious as it would be to get back to normal, every day brings new warning signs, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Another Voice: Don't let Covid-19 disrupt America's clinical trials: The unfortunate reality is that if clinical disruptions continue, patients won’t get the treatments they need – and we could see reverberating effects of Covid-19 for years to come. Read more

July 8

As reopening continues, WNY hospitalizations stay below other upstate regions: State data through Tuesday shows Western New York hospitalizations have remained lower than other regions with major cities even with the higher Buffalo Niagara population. Read more

Schumer touts extension of PPP aid to employers: Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer traveled to Buffalo Wednesday to push his proposal for extending the Paycheck Protection Program so that troubled businesses can continue to get federal loans to pay their workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Cuomo: Schools decision to be made first week of August: "We will open the schools if it is safe to open the schools," Cuomo said. "No one wants schools open more than I do. We want to make that decision with the best available data. The facts change here day to day, week to week." Read more

Malls can reopen in phase four with lower HVAC standards: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday backed off a proposed requirement that malls install HEPA filters before they can reopen. Read more

State lawmakers plan 'robust' agenda for rare July session: The signs of a return were already apparent: 178 bills have been introduced or amended since July 1 – with a focus on everything from new health and consumer protection measures to another round of legislative steps affecting law enforcement. Read more

WNYers share their meal dreams for when 'normal' returns: Hunger makes the best sauce, they say. There is no meal more enticing than the one you can’t have. Read more

Masks, temperature checks for everyone when NCCC reopens Aug. 31: Masks will be provided for every student, staffer and faculty member at Niagara County Community College when it reopens for the fall semester Aug. 31, college officials announced Wednesday. Read more

Stefon Diggs admits concerns about NFL's plan to resume play: Stefon Diggs admitted Tuesday he would by lying if he said he was comfortable with the NFL resuming operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

July 7

PPP aid saves jobs – but leaves questions in its wake : For all the good the PPP program apparently did, the data the SBA released this week by no means painted a picture of a perfect program. Read more

New Era laying off one-third of Buffalo workforce, ending furloughs by August: An executive from New Era confirmed to The News that the company is laying off 187 employees, 117 of whom worked at its Buffalo headquarters. The layoffs follow a furlough period that began March 27 – at the front end of the coronavirus pandemic – and was originally planned for 60 days. Read more

Online seminar for landlords, renters to provide Covid-19 information: With the Covid-19 moratorium on residential and commercial evictions in New York state set to expire in August, the City of Buffalo is hosting a free webinar for landlords and renters. Read more

Without new films to run, will local movie theaters remain dark?: When the call comes for local movie theaters to finally reopen, they will be ready with popcorn, new safety precautions and staffing. The one thing they won’t have right away: first-run movies. Read more

Shea's to reopen in December with new season as 'Hamilton' is delayed: The historic 1925 theater, closed since March 12 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, has announced it will reopen on Dec. 1 with a new season that includes new dates for multiple productions in its 2021-22 season and the addition of shows that were “paused” in the spring. Read more

North Buffalo Farmers Market a casualty of Covid-19: The North Buffalo Farmers Market has canceled what would have been its seventh season due to vendor concerns over Covid-19. Read more

July 6

Erie County Covid-19 hospitalizations show slight uptick: The number of Covid-19 hospitalizations through July 4 showed a slight uptick in Erie County, and the number in intensive care units reached the highest level in nine days. Read more

Cuomo agency report: Cuomo policy not to blame for nursing home deaths: In a self-examination of one of the most controversial public health policy decisions during the Covid-19 pandemic in New York, the Cuomo administration says its policy requiring nursing homes to admit coronavirus positive patients was not a “significant factor” in the thousands of deaths seen at the facilities across the state. Read more

Cuomo: No decision yet on schools, no State Fair and more Trump criticism: It's one of the most pressing questions on the minds of people across New York State: Will children return to school in the fall? On Monday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo gave a familiar answer: I don't know yet. Read more

6 takeout meals worth trying at this weekend's Taste of Buffalo at home: Taste of Buffalo Chairwoman Erin Collins and her team have a plan that lets Buffalo eaters still explore some of the tastes of Buffalo by encouraging them to order takeout to limit the health risks during the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

New York State's tourism sector seeks bright sports amid the gloom: There’s still lots of bad news. And the hints of optimism are weighed down by nervousness over spreading Covid-19 caseloads in a number of other states that could be a harbinger of a second wave, or extension of the first, in New York. Read more

The Editorial Board: US must improve on Covid-19 before Canada takes us back: The United States must take more aggressive steps to control the novel coronavirus before anyone should expect additional relaxation of the rules, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

July 4

Coronavirus fizzles the Fourth: 'I'm sue everyone is feeling it': If someone were to close their eyes and picture stereotypical small-town America, it would probably look a lot like the Fourth of July on Lincoln Street in Orchard Park. Usually, citizens – packed shoulder to shoulder and dressed in red, white and blue – crowd the sidewalks to watch the Independence Day parade. Children perch on curbs waiting to pounce on candy thrown from floats, while marching bands, cheerleaders and town dignitaries pass by. In the shadow of Covid-19, things looked much different Saturday. Read more

A Bicentennial baby longs to celebrate his Yankee Doodle birth as he normally would: in Canada: Benjamin Brady Roberts is, as the song goes, a real live nephew of his Uncle Sam – born on the Fourth of July. And this Yankee Doodle Dandy came into this world not on just any Fourth: Ben was born on that date in – drum roll, please – 1976. Read more

Pandemic voting was a hit with voters. But what does it mean?: School elections and budget votes scheduled and postponed. Primary and special elections scheduled, postponed and then combined on one day. Thousands of absentee ballots and applications sent to homes. It had the makings of a disaster, a different kind of Covid chaos. But it also was an impromptu experiment in removing some barriers to voting. Read more

Lancaster gives children a taste of what school may look like: Teachers wearing masks all day. Classes with just six students each. Staggered start times for classes to reduce intermingling. Temperature checks in the mornings and lots of hand sanitizer. A five-week math and reading program for elementary school children designed to reinforce skills taught during the school’s remote learning months is set to begin July 13. Read more

Inside the Bills: How Sean McDermott is preparing for a training camp unlike any other: In a normal NFL offseason, players and coaches are enjoying some down time right now. The early part of July is usually the lone quiet time on the calendar. Nothing about this offseason, of course, has been normal or usual. Read more

July 3

Separated by a border and a pandemic, a couple prepares for their son and dreams of better days: Once Josh and Ashley Bishop learned their newborn child would be a boy, they did not need much time to come up with a name. They will call their baby Caleb, after a Biblical figure whose courage and commitment they admire. Read more

Fourth of July fireworks? Yes, but you've got to know where to look: If there is such a thing as a quiet Fourth of July fireworks display, Lewiston hopes it happens there. After initially calling off the display because of concerns over Covid-19, the village last week decided to go ahead with the show after all. Read more

Gillibrand calls for local aid to federal governments: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was in Buffalo Friday to call for federal aid to help local governments dealing with lost revenues and increased costs from the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

GM Tonawanda plant director arrives amid uncommon times: Luis Cervantes gained a lot from working at GM's Town of Tonawanda engine plant more than a decade ago. Now he is back, as the plant director. He has settled into his new job amid a Covid-19 pandemic that has caused economic upheaval, and as the auto industry gets back up to speed. Read more

Bisons voices Pat Malacaro and Duke McGuire ponder a lost season: In multiple roles, Pat Malacaro has been around the Buffalo Bisons off and on since 1999. Duke McGuire's days with the club date nonstop all the way back to 1980. So not being at the ballpark, be it at Sahlen Field or on the road around the International League, is going to be very different for both of them. Read more

July 2

Malls: New HVAC requirement puts the 'nail in the coffin': It's the latest blow to shopping malls: A new state proposal to require malls to install high-quality air conditioning equipment capable of filtering out coronavirus particles before they reopen. Read more

Alcohol and the coronavirus pandemic: How much is too much?: Have you been drinking alcohol while working at home during the Covid-19 pandemic? Has your drinking climbed overall during quarantine and the stilted reopening of public gathering places? Have you joked that you’re using booze to kill the novel coronavirus? Read more

With Paycheck Protection Program near an end, businesses take stock of its effects: Partners Packaging's loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program helped keep its business on firm ground during uncertain times. With the help of the federal loan PPP loan, Systems Technology Group kept all of its employees on board. Now the company plans to add staff. Read more

Gallery: Buffalo Police officer released from ECMC after 103 days: One-hundred-and-three days since he was first admitted to Erie County Medical Center after being stricken with Covid-19, Buffalo Police Officer Juan Phillips was released from the hospital Thursday, July 2, 2020. See more

Gallery: The Buffalo Zoo reopens: After closing in March due to the coronavirus, the Buffalo Zoo reopened Thursday, July 2, with enhanced health and safety measures to protect guests, team members and animals. See more

July 1

Young people, bar crowds, incoming travelers test local leaders as reopening continues: There have been no dramatic spikes in confirmed Covid-19 cases or hospitalizations since the phased reopening of Western New York began. But local officials focused on the numbers say they see some trouble spots that they want stamp out quickly, especially heading into the July 4th weekend. Read more

Erie County executive to comptroller: Wear a mask or don't come in: Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz grew so aggravated by criticisms from Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw, his political nemesis, that he showed Rath Building security footage of the comptroller getting into an elevator without wearing a mask. Read more

Expansion proceeds as airport readies for busier days post pandemic: A bit of irony overshadowed the Wednesday ceremony marking a key milestone in the $80 million project to expand and modernize Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Read more

House passes infrastructure bill and extends Paycheck Protection Program deadline: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill and a measure to extend the application deadline for the national Paycheck Protection Program, Rep. Brian Higgins said. Read more

Cuomo hails state's pandemic response while continuing to criticize Trump: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo continued his sharp criticism of President Trump on Wednesday as the coronavirus continued to surge across the nation. Read more

June 29

Western New York to move to phase four reopening Tuesday:  Phase four includes: higher education, low-risk outdoors arts and entertainment, low-risk indoor arts and entertainment, and media production. Read more

What's in, what's out in phase four: Here's a look at what will reopen under phase four and what will remain closed.     Read more

Hochul defends go-slow approach to opening malls, theaters and gyms:  Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday the state is adopting a cautious approach, wary of backsliding in its progress combating Covid-19 infections.    Read more

Cuomo to Trump: Put a mask on it: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo Monday said President Trump should sign an executive order directing everyone in the United States to wear a mask and should start wearing a mask himself.   Read more

Survey finds majority of parents want children back in school in September: More than 25,000 parents, students and school staffers have weighed in on school reopening in September.  Read more 

Buffalo offers parking ticket, water bill amnesty, income-based traffic fines:  The moves come in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, racial justice protests and the "looming economic disaster" faced by the region, state and the country, Brown said during a news conference at the Col. F.G. Ward Pumping Station. Read more

Coronavirus won't stop Buffalo's love for summer softball:  Summer in Buffalo usually means softball and lots of it, and it will take more than the coronavirus pandemic to dampen enthusiasm for the game. Read more

Editorial: Cuomo reaches out to help as Covid-19 surges in South and West: "By offering help to hard-hit states suffering a spike in coronavirus cases, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is keeping his word and maintaining the tradition New York has long held in lending its hand to other states in times of natural disasters."  Read more

June 28

Churches reopen with roped off pews, masks, singing discouraged: Before the novel coronavirus pandemic, Katie Gress couldn’t remember a time she missed a daily Catholic Mass, even while traveling outside the United States. So when all Masses were canceled for nearly three months as part of efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19, Gress called it the worst suffering of her life. Read more

Cuomo says coronavirus spikes elsewhere endanger school reopenings here: "If this continues across the country, kids are going to be home for a long time," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo told Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press." Read more

Culturals reopening cautiously to get safety protocols right:  With Phase 4 of the reopening starting this week in Western New York, several museums will be taking a go-slow approach as they prepare to meet the threat of Covid-19 with social distancing, face masks and by disinfecting public spaces. Read more

What the data tells us about who is dying of Covid-19 in Erie County: Erie County residents who have died of Covid-19 so far have tended to be white and suburban. If they were younger than 80, they were more often men. Read more

During a pandemic, even strip clubs raided by federal agents want a helping hand: The owners of Pharoah’s Gentlemen’s Club, in a new lawsuit, claim they were improperly denied a loan through the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program. Read more

Inside the 'Iron Bills Games,' a team-bonding experience in a time of coronavirus: Mix photography with ingenuity, and you have the ingredients for an alternative approach to the annual “Iron Bills Games,” the competitive spice that head strength and conditioning coach Eric Ciano uses to counter the monotony of offseason work. Read more

June 27

Covid-19 hospitalizations, deaths continue to fall in New York: The number of people sickened by Covid-19 to the point they require treatment in a hospital still is falling across New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Saturday morning. Read more

A farmers market near you is open - with coronavirus twists: Shoppers will find familiarity at local farmers markets this growing season. This year, they can find some big differences, too. Read more

Niagara Aquarium set to reopen July 4: The Aquarium of Niagara is planning to reopen at 9 a.m. July 4, after closing more than three months ago because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

June 26

Cuomo offers help to spiking states after slamming 'rushed' reopenings: Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday again criticized states that had "rushed" reopenings. Read more

Buffalo Zoo to reopen next weekend, with restrictions: Get ready to visit your favorite animals, at a safe distance from them and other people. Read more

Amid virus uncertainty, Josh Allen says: I just want to play football: Josh Allen is sorting through the uncertainties involving holding training camp during a pandemic, just like every other NFL player. Read more

Blue Jays may use Sahlen Field for taxi squad: The Toronto Blue Jays are preparing to use Sahlen Field as the site for their "taxi squad" during the upcoming Major League Baseball regular season, team president Mark Shapiro said. Read more

June 25

Erie County employees balk at returning to the office: Erie County government is one of the largest employers in the region with more than 3,000 employees, and the vast majority have been ordered to return to the office on Monday. But some employees are protesting, saying they've been more productive working from home and see no need to expose themselves to unnecessary health risks. Read more

NY Covid-19 nursing home policy a mistake, expert testifies under questioning: New York's policy mandating that nursing homes admit Covid-19 patients "was a mistake," a Harvard University health policy expert told a key congressional subcommittee Thursday. Read more

Covid-19 dug a big hole for the local economy. The climb out is just beginning: The blizzard that buried the Buffalo Niagara economy as the Covid-19 lockdown took hold is gradually letting up. Read more

With Covid-19 still out there, families weigh how - and how much - to reopen: With the phased in reopening of Western New York, navigating the pandemic's risks confronts parents with important choices. Read more

June 22

As coronavirus crisis hit, most nursing homes avoided major staff outbreaks: The data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offer an initial – yet incomplete – statistical look at the extent to which Covid-19 swept through some staffs while leaving others without any confirmed cases at all. Read more

June 21

Public health crisis boosts Cuomo's approval rating: The coronavirus pandemic has hurt many people. But not so much Gov. Andrew Cuomo. During his interview with CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley, one of the first things Pauley did was point out that his approval rating had climbed to nearly 80% near the height of the public health crisis. Read more

More colleges drop ACT and SAT requirements for next year; no decision yet at UB: Canisius College and SUNY Geneseo have joined a growing list of colleges that will not be requiring students to submit SAT and ACT scores when applying for admission, at least for those seeking entrance for the fall of 2021. That’s because the Covid-19 pandemic prevented millions of U.S. high school students from sitting for the exams in the spring. Read more

NYS lawmakers still want hearings on Covid-19 nursing home deaths: Lawmakers have been calling for hearings for state and health industry officials to explain what happened in nursing homes since April. Read more

Party conventions, Covid-style: "In the Covid-19 era, Repubs say 'conventions good;' Dems insist 'conventions bad,' " writes Bob McCarthy. Read more

June 20

Maid of the Mist to open Friday with capacity cut in half: The boat will be limited to 230 passengers per trip, the elevators to the landing will only carry 9 people at a time and all passengers must wear masks. Read more

Preparation and flexibility must drive planning to reopen schools, News Editorial Board writes:  "Superintendents, school boards and other decision-makers need to make difficult assessments about the risks of spreading Covid-19 versus the educational and social costs of keeping students out of the classrooms."  Read more

Watch now: Buffalo police food giveaway 'a chance to humanize the badge':  The giveaway planning began as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, long before protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but the timing allowed the giveaway to serve as a bridge-building opportunity for law enforcement and Buffalo residents. Read more

June 19

'We have done the impossible,' Cuomo says during final daily briefing: "It is an unimaginable achievement," the governor said. "I'm so incredibly proud of what we all did together." Read more

'There are no words': Family devastated over Covid-19 deaths of mother, 2 daughters: Norma Jean Kennedy, 91, died first, on May 23. Her oldest daughter, Diane L. Kennedy, 71, of Salamanca, died May 29. Diane's sister, Cynthia J. Mohr, also of Salamanca, died at age 65 on Friday, June 12. "I don't know where to begin," said Marc Papaj, Diane Kennedy's son. Read more

How do you enforce social distancing at bar? 'We're figuring it out': Bars and restaurants scrambled to meet a new list of coronavirus mandates from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who on Tuesday gave Western New York bars the green light to reopen interior space to the public. Read more

Keeping up with Buffalo-area dining rooms yet to reopen: Due to cramped space, short staffs, safety concerns for employees and customers, or a change in concept, some restaurants have delayed the reopening of their indoor spaces. Read more

Orthopedic surgeons start practicing in Buffalo during Covid-19: Two doctors will start a complex adult joint reconstruction center of excellence as part of UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Read more

Canalside projects emerging from Covid-19 delays: Riding a vintage carousel at Canalside will have to wait until next May due to construction delays resulting from Covid-19. But helping build a 19th-century packet boat at the Longshed building, now due to be completed in September, appears possible by the end of the year. Read more

Niagara County swamped with appointments as DMV reopening set for Monday: Appointments can be made at the county website, or by calling 439-7350 for the Lockport office or 743-4599 for the North Tonawanda office. Read more

Playgrounds, splash pads to reopen at Niagara County parks: The first playgrounds to open were in Krull Park in Olcott, Oppenheim Park in Wheatfield and West Canal Park in Pendleton. Read more

North Tonawanda City Hall to reopen Monday, by appointment only: Anyone entering must wear a face mask, and T-shirts or open-faced scarves over the mouth aren't acceptable, said Mayor Arthur G. Pappas. Read more

June 18

Cuomo: Bars, businesses that violate reopening rules face immediate shutdowns: Businesses who don't observe the state's reopening guidelines will face stiffer penalties, including immediate shutdowns, after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo issued executive orders Thursday. Read more

'Wake up, America': Cuomo continues criticism of 'political' reopenings: A day after he criticized the federal approach to reopening from the coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday issued what amounted to a plea to the rest of the country. Read more

Reed calls for probe into nursing home deaths in NY, other states: Rep. Tom Reed and the second-ranking Republican in the House called Thursday for an investigation into the decision by New York and other states to encourage the return of Covid-19 patients to nursing homes. Read more

Nursing home workers honor Covid-19 victims during ceremony at MLK Jr. Park: Nursing home workers on Thursday laid 298 carnations down at Martin Luther King Jr. Park – one for each local nursing home resident who died from Covid-19. Read more

Officials brace for confusion, delays of Tuesday's election results: Confusion and an avalanche of absentee ballots. That's what election officials across New York State are bracing for as Tuesday's election approaches. Read more

UB researchers launch study to learn if an asthma treatment can ease Covid-19: UB researchers continue to conduct several Covid-19-related clinical studies, including another about to start with some of the sickest patients in the region. Read more

Niagara County learns of 8 Covid-19 deaths outside its borders: The state Health Department informed the county of the deaths, bringing the Covid-19 death toll of Niagara County residents to 87. Read more

Buffalo State outlines plans to reopen in the fall: For the second time this week, one of the region’s public higher-education institutions announced its return to campus in the fall. Read more

Dr. Fauci says NFL players might need to be in a 'bubble' for season to happen: “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year.” Read more

As reopening approaches, BPO embraces the 'new normal': As New York State awaits the implementation of phase four of its reopening strategy, during which arts and entertainment venues will be allowed to open their doors in some capacity, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is finding itself surprisingly invigorated by some of the changes thrust upon it by months of shutdown. Read more

Metro Bus and Rail to resume fare collection: Authority officials now feel Covid-19 cases have dropped to safer levels, and they are confident that a number of safety precautions will protect riders and operators. Read more

June 17

Falling hospitalizations put Erie County on track for on-time phase four: Erie County government and health officials have expressed worry that the phased-in reopening of the Western New York region would lead to a spike in Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations. But despite the fact that more people are going back to work, shopping and eating out, Erie County's hospital numbers continue to fall. Read more

Pandemic, recession don't bring down school budgets: This year's school elections were delayed and then shifted entirely to voting by mail thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, which also shut down schools here and across the country. District officials worried this new method of balloting – coupled with coronavirus-fueled economic concerns – could lead to more budgets falling to defeat. Their fears appear unfounded. Read more

Cuomo: Washington making 'historic mistake' in its handling of coronavirus: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday proudly detailed New York's declining coronavirus numbers, which included all-time lows in hospitalizations and deaths. Then he turned his focus to Washington's current handling of the pandemic. Read more

'We're in this together': Buffalo's biggest gown designer hosts virtual prom: When Vanessa Van Norman found out her prom would be canceled, she reacted the way any 18-year-old might: She was upset and disappointed. But there was one thing about missing out on the senior-year milestone that bothered her the most. Read more

Family of Covid survivor credits 'power of prayer' after 67 days on vent: Russell “Rusty” Browning never gave up on life and his family never stopped praying. After surviving 67 days on a ventilator – a total of 80 days in the hospital – Browning donned his black sunglasses and was released Wednesday afternoon from the Catholic Health Covid-19 Treatment Facility at St. Joseph Campus in Cheektowaga. Read more

Niagara County Covid-19 caseload continues to fall: The Health Department's daily update showed the number of active cases is now 85, down from 99 Tuesday and 167 on Monday. Four of the 85 are in hospitals, an increase of one from Tuesday. Read more

Covid-19 has cost Univera parent Excellus $162M statewide: Excellus Health Plan, the Rochester-based parent of Univera Healthcare, expects to spend at least $162 million statewide this year on its overall response to the Covid-19 pandemic – some of which was mandated by the state or federal governments, the companies announced Tuesday. Read more

June 16

Cuomo: Hospital visitations can resume; big drop in WNY positive antibody tests: "The numbers look very good," the governor said during his daily briefing. "This was always a balance of public health versus the personal relationship." Read more

U.S.-Canada border to stay closed through July 21: "This is an important decision that will keep people in both of our countries safe," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in announcing the one-month extension of the closure. Read more

What to know now that Erie County auto bureaus are reopening:  Erie County's four main auto bureaus reopen for business Wednesday, but appointments will be required.  Read more

Niagara County reports 79th Covid-19 death: Niagara County reported one death from Covid-19 Tuesday, but the county's active caseload dipped under 100, with 96 patients isolated at home and three in hospitals. Read more

How to count thousands of paper ballots? Schools will find out: From the surge in voter participation to the logistics of counting ballots and livestreaming, this year will be like no other. Read more

As restaurants reopen, area diners are hesitant to head inside: The first day restaurants were allowed to let diners eat inside apparently went smoothly with cautious customers asking for indoor seating in smaller-than-normal numbers, according to most reports. Read more

Sandal-wearers rejoice as nail salons reopen: Nail salons bustled Tuesday as the region entered phase three of reopening under the state's Covid-19 guidelines, allowing personal care businesses to reopen at 50% capacity. Read more

Buffalo resumes bulk trash collection next month: The city had postponed the spring collection due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Restaurant reopenings are here. The key to success is as plain as the mask on your face: "For everyone's benefit, dear restaurateurs, please do what many already are doing and post your rules. 'No mask, no service. Masks must stay on except while seated.' It's a start," writes Andrew Galarneau. "Eaters: You have to be responsible, too, or this isn't going to work." Read more

How Bills are planning for potentially reduced seating capacity at New Era Field: Medical experts anticipate a spike in the fall, prompting the Bills to consider scenarios for the upcoming season, including models for 15%, 33% and 50% seating capacity at New Era Field, The Buffalo News has learned. Read more

June 15

State eases public gathering limits for areas in phase three of Covid reopening: A day before Western New York enters a new Covid-19 economic reopening stage, New York State is relaxing public gathering rules for regions to permit up to 25 people to congregate in any one place. Read more

Erie County prepares for strict enforcement of restaurant regulations: Restaurants and bars in Western New York are reopening for indoor dining, but they will be watched. As state restrictions loosen, local and state officials hope to quell the temptation to disregard social distancing measures by warning of fines and suspended liquor licenses for wayward establishments. Read more

'This is therapy': HomeGoods reopens to a line of hundreds: TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods department stores in the Buffalo Niagara market reopened Monday and the stores' passionate customers lined up by the hundreds to welcome them back. Read more

UB to reopen in fall under 'modified in-person' format: The announcement from UB, the largest university in the State University of New York system, comes as higher education institutions have been grappling with the difficult decision on how to proceed amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Out for summer, schools turn to a question: How to reopen? How many students can be in a classroom? Will they be required to wear masks all day? What happens in the likelihood someone tests positive for the new coronavirus? The search for those answers – and many, many more – begins in earnest Monday for the state Education Department. Read more

UB to allow select football players to return to campus this week: UB will begin a three-phase plan to return its athletes to campus, first allowing a group of about 15 on campus this week. When athletes return to campus, they will undergo baseline testing for Covid-19. Read more

June 14

Bars can lose licenses if they ignore Covid-19 precautions, Cuomo warns: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo warned Sunday that bars and restaurants ignoring social distancing requirements can lose their liquor licenses. Read more

Tonawanda, Amherst to reopen pools, but Buffalo not ready due to virus: Buffalo’s city pools normally don’t open until July 1, but the city is still evaluating how coronavirus social distancing guidelines might affect its pool operations. Read more

Analysis: 10 days before the election, politicians tentatively start to campaign (in public): it is clear that after almost three months of politicians constrained from all the hand-shaking and baby-kissing requirements of successful campaigning, New York’s Democrats and Republicans are returning – ever so cautiously – to the public arena, writes Bob McCarthy. Read more

Covid-19 makes its way into negotiations of college sports contracts: The pandemic has compelled more college and university athletic departments to add language to contracts that provides legal and financial protection from potential losses if an event is postponed or canceled because of Covid-19. Read more

Azar's visit reinforces Roswell, region's role in combating Covid-19: Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar sat with The Buffalo News for a one-on-one interview that overviewed the Trump administration’s efforts to fight Covid-19 and, in turn, reopen the economy. Read more

June 13

Cuomo: Phase three in WNY starts Tuesday: The move to phase three has been widely anticipated as the region follows the statewide trend in lowering or flattening the numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospitals and in the number of deaths from the virus. Read more

No mask, no service, but enforcing the rule at restaurants will be a challenge: How will wait staff enforce the rule? How will they do it without making patrons feel uncomfortable? And what will happen if they encounter a confrontational customer? Read more

They came here as refugees. They leave high school as valedictorian and salutatorian: Natives of Syria, Sara Kattan, 18, and her brother Bashar, 19, graduated this week as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. The achievement marks a milestone for them, their family and the teachers who have become like their family. Read more

June 12

Friday was another positive day on the Covid-19 front: The Covid-19 numbers stayed favorable Friday, putting Western New York on the brink of qualifying for phase three of the state's economic reopening sequence. Read more

Higgins, Stefanik join forces to press for reopening of Canada-U.S. border: Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, Friday teamed up with Rep. Elise Stefanik, a prominent Republican congresswoman from the North Country, to pressure both the U.S. and Canadian governments to develop a plan to reopen the border between the two countries. Read more

In a school year like no other, the last day comes as a relief: Parents are anxious about students falling behind this year, what the summer has in store and what administrators come up with to ensure it is safe for students to return to school in the fall. Read more

Fitness centers and studios ready for their call back to action: The new normal for other indoor gathering experiences will hold true in fitness because the goal remains the same – limit the spread of Covid-19. Disinfecting, physical distancing and mask-wearing will color the atmosphere. Read more

Take a safe approach when fitness centers reopen: Here are things to assure that your fitness studio or gym is doing all it can to protect members and staff from Covid-19 when it gets approval to reopen. Read more

It's time for Juneteenth 2020 and this year, it's a virtual celebration: All of the events and activities for the festival will be held on various online and social media platforms for the public to view, including the organization's website juneteenthofbuffalo.com and its Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube accounts. Read more

'Awesome numbers': Only 1 Niagara County resident still hospitalized with Covid-19: The county still has 163 active cases, all but one of them isolated at home. Read more

June 11

Hospitals look to federal relief to soften pandemic's financial blow: The costs of treating Covid-19 patients while losing revenues from not treating other patients are becoming clearer to the region's hospital systems. They're steep. Read more

Cuomo urges caution as many other states see coronavirus spikes: The governor cited news reports that 21 states are seeing increases in coronavirus cases after reopening. Read more

About 1% of Erie County Covid-19 tests are now positive, Poloncarz says: As testing for Covid-19 increases in Erie County, the percentage of positive tests has fallen to about 1%, and the number of hospitalized patients has fallen sharply. Read more

Poloncarz gets tested for Covid-19 because he was at a protest: Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz posted a video of himself being tested Thursday for Covid-19. Read more

Niagara County records 78th death from Covid-19: An 87-year-old woman with previous health conditions was announced Thursday as Niagara County's 78th death from the Covid-19 virus. Read more

Column: Small shops need you now more than ever. Here's how to support them.: It could take years to recoup the loss of nearly three months of business, and that's for those who are fortunate enough to reopen at all, writes Samantha Christmann. Read more

When restaurants reopen, will patrons be ready to dine inside?: Restaurateurs are hoping all of their customers will be as eager to return to dining rooms once they reopen. But it's not clear how many of them will feel comfortable venturing back to indoor dining amid uncertainty surrounding the novel coronavirus. Read more

Virus-blocking pillows to be provided in Niagara University dorms: The pillows are made by Spry Therapeutics, a White Plains company owned by two Niagara alumni, Bill and Bob Purdy. Read more

He survived the Holocaust, but Covid-19 took Buffalo man's life: Philip Beckman, 95, survived the Holocaust, forced at age 18 from the Krakow ghetto to the Nazi concentration camp featured in the movie "Schindler's List," but he could not survive Covid-19. Read more

Local owners: CrossFit CEO's resignation over racist remarks doesn't change company culture: “His ‘retirement’ is one small step,” Dennis Lesniak, the owner of Quarter Deck Athletics in downtown Buffalo, wrote in an email to The News. “Glassman still owns CrossFit and will continue to profit from it.” Read more

Report: NCAA football committee recommends plan to reopen for 2020 season: The NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee passed a recommendation that coaches can begin formally working with their teams July 13, Yahoo Sports reported Thursday. Read more

June 10

Canadian border closure to be extended into July: U.S. and Canadian officials are finalizing a plan to extend the closure of the border between the two countries, which was scheduled to end June 22, sources said Wednesday. Read more

Phase three is coming. Can restaurants get by under the state's new rules?: While restaurateurs understand why it's necessary, they say the restriction will make it harder for them to break even in an already challenging financial climate, and some restaurants might not be able to reopen at all. Read more

Waxing salons, tattoo shops, spas poised to open on June 16: Suggested guidelines for many providers of aesthetic services include the use of face masks and hand sanitizer. Maintaining social distance and wiping down high-traffic surfaces with antiseptic solution are also suggested to ensure the safety of patrons. Read more

UB medical school residents graduate at a historic time in health care: “This is the most interesting and most challenging time to do what we do,” said Dr. Jason Edwards, a Niagara Falls native who attended UB as an undergraduate before attending medical school and doing his residency at his alma mater. Read more

With tourism devastated, struggling Falls hotels can seek IDA loans: The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has all but ruined the Niagara Falls tourism season, with travel and tourism far below normal and hotels in the city largely empty. Read more

Two more die, 30 more recover from Covid-19 in Niagara County: The latest victims were 62 and 95 years old. Read more

June 9

The numbers tell a positive story as NY continues to reopen: For the first time since late March, fewer than 100 people are hospitalized with the Covid-19 virus in Erie County, County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz announced Tuesday. Read more

1% of WNY's 5,000-plus coronavirus tests Monday were positive: As New York State continues its phased reopening from the coronavirus shutdown order, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said there is a new metric to watch every day: the percentage of positive Covid-19 tests per day. Read more

Restaurant patrons in for changes under phase three reopening: Ketchup packets rather than ketchup bottles on tables. Paper menus. Tables at least six feet apart. Those are among the changes once restaurants reopen for "dine-in" patrons. Read more

Buffalo expected to allow expanded outdoor seating at restaurants: The City of Buffalo will consider three types of proposals for outdoor space use plans, including the use of private property, such as restaurant-owned parking lots that are adjacent to the restaurant or business; the use of city sidewalks; and street closures. Read more

Niagara County shows sharp increase in Covid-19 testing – but not cases: The number of Covid-19 tests carried out on county residents is 18,767. The rate of positive tests in the county has fallen to about 6%. Read more

State releases phase three reopening guidelines for restaurants, nail salons: The state has provided phase three guidelines for businesses in categories such as physical distancing, workplace activity; protective equipment; hygiene, cleaning and disinfection; communication; and screening. Read more

Niagara County offers goggles for barbers, beauticians: The Niagara County Department of Emergency Services announced Tuesday it has about 1,000 pairs of safety goggles available for hair salons and barbershops to help them meet state reopening guidelines. Read more

Buffalo area CrossFit gyms rebranding, denounce racist comments by CEO: Those gyms dropping their affiliation told The News the change would not significantly impact the workouts or services they offered. Read more

News Editorial Board: Cuomo should announce metrics for return to normal governance: New York Republicans – and probably some Democrats – are asking an important question as New York puts the worst of the winter-spring onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic behind: When should the state of emergency end and the normal processes of democracy resume? Read more

June 8

Western New York on track for phase three reopening of bars, restaurants next week: “I think very soon we’ll have the vast majority of businesses open and we will, if not be back to normal, it will feel much more normal than it has, at least since early March. And I think we are all ready for that,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said at a news briefing in the Edward A. Rath Building. Read more

Canada to allow close family members to cross border, with caveats: The largely closed U.S.-Canadian border will creak open slightly Tuesday morning as Canada begins allowing some close family members to reunite north of the border — as long as they plan to stay for at least two weeks. Read more

As New York City reopens, Cuomo says Western New York's coronavirus rate continues to decline: On the day that New York City entered the first phase of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo pointed to continued dramatic reductions in positive Covid-19 cases throughout the state, including Western New York. Read more

Niagara, Canisius athletes not allowed on campus for workouts in June or July: Canisius College and Niagara University are members of the MAAC, which is made up of 11 colleges in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Read more

Senecas will reopen casinos, resorts later this month: The Seneca Nation will reopen its three major casinos in Western New York later this month, starting June 18, as it begins to bring 4,000 employees back to jobs in three counties. Read more

Cuomo order gives more time to mail in school ballots: Under an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, voters now have until June 16 to cast their ballots on budgets, school board members and spending propositions. Read more

Libertarian Party, gun rights advocates seek injunction against Covid-19 restrictions: The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Buffalo, claims Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature violated the Constitution by limiting people's civil liberties, including the right to assemble. Read more

Covid-19 kills hundreds in group homes for developmentally disabled in N.Y.: Since March, 2,160 group home residents and 2,599 group home employees in New York have been infected with Covid-19, according to the State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, which regulates the homes. Read more

With Covid-19 receding, some wonder: When will state of emergency end?: Republicans who are out of political control in Albany say Democratic lawmakers ceded too much authority to Cuomo and that now it’s time for the Legislature to start acting again like a separate branch of government. Read more

Looking for Covid-19 relief, restaurants sue insurers who refuse to pay: Some restaurants are now learning their insurers don't always cover virus-related losses, often because of pandemic exclusions in their policies or a lack of physical damage to the business. Read more

As economy reopens, wave of bankruptcy filings likely on the way: Lawyers say the typical pace of filings was probably slowed by disruptions in the economy over the past two months. Read more

Federal prosecutor playing politics with shutdown, state lawmakers say: Democrats in the state delegation say U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr.'s public comments regarding New York's handling of the pandemic are the latest in a series of forays by the federal prosecutor into state issues. Read more

Reed moves on two fronts on aid to localities reeling from Covid-19: Rep. Tom Reed on Monday launched two separate efforts aimed at helping cash-strapped local governments. Read more

June 7

Cuomo permits limited high school graduation ceremonies: High schools across the state can begin planning socially distant graduation ceremonies for late June, but with no more than 150 people in attendance, under new guidance announced Sunday by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Read more

What's a Bills game without tailgating? We might find out: The Buffalo News spoke with some prominent Bills fans to learn how the pandemic has affected them and their families and to gauge their thoughts on tailgating this season. Read more

As US-Canada border reopening nears, guidelines remain unclear: One encouraging note about a possible reopening of some sort comes from the data, which shows that the number of new Covid-19 infections has been dropping on both sides of the border. Read more

Many Buffalo and Erie County libraries reopen for walk-in traffic Monday: All returned materials will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being placed back on shelves. Read more

Time extended for absentee ballots in primary, school board elections: Under the new law, primary ballots must be postmarked by June 23 to be counted in the primary election. Read more

Waiting – and waiting, the unemployed turn to lawmakers for help: Since Covid-19, constituency services work has sharply accelerated, with a new top task no matter whether a legislator represents a city, suburban or rural district: addressing unemployment insurance benefit problems that have plagued hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. Read more

It's a baby-steps reopening. Expect a baby-steps recovery.: "Western New York is in the middle of reopening. But things are far from normal – and there's no guarantee that we will ever get back to the world we knew before anyone heard of Covid-19," writes David Robinson. Read more

Understanding why Erie County's Covid-19 deaths topped peer counties 'may take a very long time': Western New York, one of every 151 people infected with the virus died. That’s the eighth-highest mortality rate out of the state’s 11 regions and subregions. Read more

Lackawanna expediting permits for outdoor restaurant seating areas: The temporary process will help businesses in Lackawanna quickly get the permits they need to expand outside and serve more customers. Read more

June 6

Filling churches to 25% capacity is now allowed; bishop says Catholic Mass may resume: Church goers have some reason to rejoice. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has agreed to allow houses of worship to reopen at 25% capacity. Read more

School votes may be put off, and results could trickle in: It has been an unanswered question around school districts for weeks: How will we handle voting on school budgets and school board elections, all with mail-in ballots, during this pandemic-affected year? The answer has never been clear. It just got a little murkier. Read more

Closed because of pandemic, Lockport homeless shelter to reopen June 15: Rev. Kevin M. Wing, interim executive director, said Saturday that the shelter, which closed in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the fear that its elderly corps of volunteers were at risk, will open  one of its two houses, with a strictly limited capacity. Read more

Outdoor eateries receive city OK in Lockport: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo relaxed the state's restaurant restrictions Wednesday to allow sit-down dining outdoors in areas that have reached phase two of reopening. But he ordered that all tables must be at least six feet apart. Lockport Mayor Michelle M. Roman announced Friday that the city has waived zoning restrictions that would bar restaurants from offering outdoor service. Read more

The Editorial Board: New York needs a better plan to safeguard nursing home residents: The question for government policymakers and operators of the homes is how can they learn from the tragic consequences of the past three months and prepare to handle future waves of Covid-19, as well as other threats, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

June 5

Erie County Covid-19 hospitalizations continue to fall, but ICU cases rise: The county reported 33 ICU patients as of Wednesday, marking a two-day increase in serious hospitalizations. Read more

Cuomo may change the date of school elections: The elections in public school districts are scheduled Tuesday by mail-only ballots because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Covid-19 changes treatments for some autoimmune diseases: “It is a balancing act because you want to treat the disease but at the same time you want the patient to be able to build some immune response should they become Co-V2 infected,” said Dr. Gil Wolfe, professor and Irvin and Rosemary Smith Chair of the Department of Neurology in the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Read more

Five deaths, 3 in nursing homes, push Niagara County Covid-19 toll to 75: Also Friday, the county reported that 25 more people have recovered from the virus, bringing that total to 845. Read more

J.C. Penney is closing one of its WNY stores: The J.C. Penney store at the Batavia City Centre in Batavia will close, according to bankruptcy documents the retailer filed as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring. Read more

Face masks in every style, right here in Buffalo: With cloth face masks and face coverings now a part of daily life outside the home, it’s no wonder such a wide range of styles are showing up everywhere. Read more

June 4

Cuomo: Dramatic reduction in Covid-19 positive tests in WNY, state: Western New York currently has 2% of Covid-19 tests resulting in positive cases, while six weeks ago the number was 15%. Read more

Recoveries equal diagnoses in latest Niagara County Covid-19 update: The county's latest totals are 1,104 confirmed cases, 820 recoveries and 70 deaths. Read more

Watch now: Buffalo restaurant patios open up for service: On a 70-degree, sunny Thursday, restaurant patios reopened for eating and drinking. See more

Mall stores aren't allowed to reopen yet. They're not happy about it: Shopping malls were ordered to remain closed in phase two, but stores that have their own exterior entrances were allowed to reopen individually. Read more

Summer day camps: Get ready for the kids: That big sigh of relief you heard around the state this week came from parents, kids and day camp providers. Gov. Cuomo said day camps can open June 29. Read more

Ryan urges state to let Buffalo Zoo reopen: Assemblyman Sean Ryan is urging Cuomo to treat the Buffalo Zoo as the state has treated the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, an Onondaga County-owned facility in Syracuse, which reopened on May 23. Read more

Dine in the sun: Here are the Buffalo-area restaurant patios reopening: Here are the Buffalo-area restaurants, bars and breweries that have quickly pivoted to open on June 5 and 6. Read more

Salvatore's sues over denied insurance payments: Salvatore's Italian Gardens and two affiliated hotel operations have taken a hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, but Salvatore's insurance company said the policy does not cover economic damage stemming from the pandemic. Read more

For Bills, challenge of team-building just got tougher: This year, there's only one message about the Bills or any other NFL team holding camp somewhere besides their own facility: Don't! Read more

KeyBank Center game-day workers to be paid Friday for canceled Sabres games: Game-day employees at KeyBank Center will be compensated for the Buffalo Sabres games canceled as the result of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

June 3

Outdoor restaurant dining is now OK, but can owners swing it?: The governor approved outdoor restaurant dining as part of phase two of reopening from the coronavirus shutdown order. But that doesn't mean all restaurants will be able to take advantage. Read more

Stores have the green light. So which are open and which are closed?: Despite getting state approval to reopen early this week, many nonessential stores remained closed Wednesday throughout Western New York, even the national chains that have already reopened stores elsewhere in the country. Read more

Outdoor areas of restaurants get OK to reopen, elective surgeries can restart: Western New York diners, starved for an in-person restaurant meal, can start patronizing their favorite eateries Thursday. Read more

Cuomo zings Trump: 'Here in New York, we actually read the Bible': Gov. Cuomo opened his daily press conference Wednesday by referencing President Trump's visit to the boarded-up St. John's Episcopal Church across the street from the White House Monday evening. Read more

Active Covid-19 cases fall in Niagara County while recoveries jump: The number of active cases fell by 30, from 244 to 214, as of Tuesday. The number of recovered patients since the pandemic began rose from 759 to 806 during the 24-hour period. Read more

Independent Health, Univera, BlueCross BlueShield extend waiving members' Covid-19 costs: The three major health insurers had previously waived those costs through May 31, but have announced extensions. Read more

As stores reopen, are WNYers ready to shop again?: After being cooped up for more than two months, many shoppers are eager to get out. That's especially the case for those who have been able to work from home during the crisis and save money on workday expenses such as gas and lunch. Read more

Column: Project takes art to the community to help teens cope with pandemic: Thanks to more than 70 donors, BCAT is distributing 100 art kits to students to create works that will then be given to the donors. Read more

DMV offices are not yet open, Niagara County clerk says: “New York State DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder informed Niagara County and all counties across the state that the soonest DMVs can reopen is when their respective region reaches phase three," Niagara County Clerk Joseph A. Jastrzemski said. Read more

School elections: Ballots are in the mail, but questions and concerns loom: No more strolling through the student art show, enjoying the chorus concert or picking up the chicken barbecue at school elections next week. This year, every vote will be cast with a mail-in ballot. Read more

Ballots are in the mail to Niagara County school district residents: The six Niagara County school districts whose absentee ballots had not been mailed to residents last week heard from the vendor that they were mailed by Monday. Read more

Thruway cash toll collection resumes late tonight: The Thruway Authority announced Wednesday morning that drivers will again be able to receive a toll ticket upon entry to the ticketed portion of the Thruway, and they will be able to pay tolls with cash at a staffed lane when exiting the Thruway. Read more

Another Voice: Testing in nursing homes is a public health responsibility:  While broad-based testing is critical to protecting the health of all New Yorkers and a key component to reopening the state, ultimately it is a public health responsibility, writes Eric Linzer. Read more

June 2

Phase two reopening overshadowed by curfews, clashes with police: "We all thought this would be a good day," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. Read more

Phase two begins in Western New York today, amid growing unrest: The Western New York region today moves into phase two of reopening from the state's coronavirus shutdown order, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said at his morning press briefing. That means most shops, professional offices, car dealerships, hair salons and barbershops can reopen for business. Read more

Burstein decries state delay in full reopening of elective surgery facilities: While the Cuomo administration has permitted elective surgeries at some hospitals in the region, such as Erie County Medical Center, other many other facilities – including Buffalo General Hospital and all freestanding ambulatory surgery centers and endoscopy facilities – have not been granted a waiver by state officials to resume procedures. Read more

Five more elderly Niagara County residents fall victim to Covid-19: According to State Health Department figures, 42 of Niagara County's deaths have occurred in nursing homes, but that doesn't include people who died after being moved from nursing homes to hospitals or other facilities. Only four of the county's Covid-19 victims have been under age 60. Read more

Watch now: Retail stores on Williamsville's Main Street reopen – but slowly: Retail shops along Main Street in the Village of Williamsville were still largely locked and dark Tuesday, even after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo gave the go-ahead to reopen just before noon. But a handful of the advance guard jumped on the opportunity as soon as they learned they had clearance. Read more

Hair today, gone tomorrow as the cutting and coloring commences: Tuesday was the day hair salons and barber shops had been expected to be able to welcome back clients for haircuts and color under the phase two reopening of Western New York – under certain guidelines. Read more

Hair salons, car dealers and dentists could soon reopen. Will they? And when?: Will businesses – and their customers – rush to embrace the changes that come with the second phase? Read more

Batavia's stores could be back open, but many still aren't: Stores in Batavia and elsewhere in the Finger Lakes region were given the go-ahead to reopen Friday after closing in March due to the coronavirus. Still, many of them had not done so by Monday afternoon. Read more

Bills will not have training camp at St. John Fisher: The Bills will not hold training camp at St. John Fisher in Pittsford under the terms of an NFL directive that requires teams to remain at their facilities, a league source confirmed. Read more

Bills' facility reopens to 'very limited' number of employees: Coaches are not included. They are barred from NFL facilities under league policy during the pandemic. The NFL also only allows entry to players who are rehabilitating from injuries. Read more

Wilson foundation sponsors webinar for restaurants on reopening requirements: A free webinar for restaurateurs looking for the latest guidance on how to reopen while complying with state orders will be offered Wednesday, sponsored by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. Read more

June 1

Cuomo: 'Western New York is expected to move to phase two tomorrow': "We have the data that we have been tabulating in phase one in Western New York. All the data looks very good," Cuomo said. "We will have the global experts look through it today to make sure we are not missing anything." Read more

Covid-19 positive results at nursing homes to be available later this week: If you want to find out how many residents and staff members in a particular nursing home have tested positive for Covid-19, the information will be available later this week. Read more

Harold Meacham: 'He loved his country, city and family': The longtime Kensington-Bailey resident, World War II veteran and mason was 98. Read more

Cuomo administration won't say when nursing home visits will resume: According to the guidance issued May 18 by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, several circumstances should be met before nursing homes reopen to visitors. Read more

Working at home could continue even after City Hall reopens: The off-site work model was based on necessity, but now Mayor Byron W. Brown is preparing a long-term plan to provide flexible scheduling or remote working options for City Hall employees. The goal is to reduce City Hall's carbon footprint by 40%. Read more

As manufacturers ramp up, the markets for their products have shifted: Puzzle maker Buffalo Games and other manufacturers deemed "nonessential" have been back in action for about a week and a half. And while some of them are scrambling to fill orders, many others are are facing a dismal sales climate. Read more

WPA-inspired effort helps keep art alive amid pandemic: The mini-grant program has been one way for the Arts Collaboratory, a program of UB's College of Arts and Sciences, to continue its mission of supporting artists and the arts. Read more

With election near, no ballots yet in some Niagara County school districts: At least six districts, among the largest in the county, contracted with a Niagara Falls company to print the ballots, stuff the envelopes and mail them to residents. But on Friday, they learned the company had not yet mailed them. Read more

Two longstanding Buffalo used book shops forced to close by pandemic: They were spots for hidden treasures and literary gems, previously used for learning, relaxing and escaping. By the end of June, these places for mental refuge will be no more. Read more

May 31

Online learning during pandemic leaves 40,000 WNY kids behind: From the rural Southern Tier to the shores of Lake Ontario, nearly 40,000 children across Western New York live in a household without either a computer or high-speed internet. Read more

Sean Kirst: If state says 'OK,' barber who shows up every day set to roll: Casey Wojtaszczyk, at 70, has two qualities that build deep connections as a barber: He loves to listen as much as he loves to talk. He figures he has not provided a haircut at his business for about 70 days, a time frame that swallowed most of the spring. Read more

Open wide: Dentists can reopen practices Monday: Cuomo gave the green light for dentists to resume their practices “as long as they follow health and safety guidelines that the state is laying out.” Read more

May 30

New rules limit regional control of Western New York's reopening: The governor’s surprise announcement Thursday that each of the state's 10 regions would have to clear an extra hurdle before entering the plan’s second phase exposed a reality some observers had already suspected: Local and regional leaders have only nominal influence in reopening the state. Read more

'They didn't die in vain:' Cuomo signs death benefits bill for front-line workers: "They are the ones who charged up the hill when they knew the enemy was firing," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "They did it because it was the right thing to do. They did it out of love, that’s what they did. They didn’t die in vain." Read more

In Fredonia, grads lament absence of symbolic walk across the stage: "They understand their diplomas become a celebration in themselves, but they will never forget the strange and quiet days in which they became graduates, and then looked out to the world," Sean Kirst writes. Read more

Woman who 'breathed life' into Derby Fair dead of Covid-19: “She remembered the old fairs and what they were like and she brought some of that elegance, some of that sense that this was really something, back to the fair,” said the Rev. Stephen E. Ridge of Shirley Pfalzgraf, who died May 9 in Buffalo General Hospital after contracting Covid-19. Read more

Coaching continuity should help Bills during pandemic: For a change, the Buffalo Bills have a coaching continuity advantage in the NFL, and rarely has there been a better year to have it than 2020. Read more

Another Voice: Pandemic is no reason to neglect seeking emergency care: Covid-19 is a very serious health threat, but perhaps not as serious as the potential risks associated with delaying or forgoing treatment altogether, writes Dr. Joshua Lynch. Read more

May 29

Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming counties move to phase two; 'nothing has changed' for Erie, Niagara: "The five regions that have been in phase one can now move to phase two," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a briefing in Westchester County, "because their data has been reviewed and the experts say to us it's safe to move forward, because people have been smart and you haven’t seen the spike." Read more

It's official: This is how stores will be different when they reopen: New phase two rules and guidelines were posted to the state's website overnight Friday, and they promise that your in-store shopping experience at every nongrocery retailer will be drastically different than it was before precautions against the coronavirus pandemic began dictating consumers' everyday lives. Read more

Offices receive guidelines for phase two changes: When many offices in the region get the green light to reopen, some of the changes required by the state will likely come as no surprise – while others might seem less than obvious. Read more

Get used to that facial hair: Here's what salons and barbers can and can't do: If you're looking for an upper lip wax or beard trim, you'll have to wait longer – even when hair salons and barber shops in Western New York are given the go-ahead to open in phase two. Read more

As limits on homebuyers and sellers ease, what will the market be like?: Real estate open houses and in-person showings will be allowed once again in Western New York under the phase two reopening that could begin as early as Tuesday. But it will be different than before the pandemic. Read more

Chris Collins receives another delay in prison surrender: Former Rep. Chris Collins was granted a reprieve Friday in his federal prison sentence. As he has in the past, Collins pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic in asking for a two-month delay to the start of his 26-month sentence for insider trading. Read more

The state's phase two reopening guidelines have been released. Here's a quick look: The reopening rules aimed at retailers expand on those rolled out in phase one for retail delivery, as well as curbside and in-store pickup. Read more

State loosens rules on home showings: Here's what's changing: Restrictions include requiring the use of masks and sanitizer, social distancing and limits on the number of people that can be present in a home. Read more

Church was everything to Tonawanda centenarian who died of Covid-19: “She wasn’t showy. She wasn’t a person who drew attention to herself. She was kind of a servant who would do anything you asked her to do. She didn’t have to be in charge,” said the Rev. Gail Lewis, a former associate pastor at Kenmore United Methodist Church. Read more

It’s not just toilet paper: Four other things in high demand during quarantine: The virus has had an effect on the supply of other products in recent days – some of which you might not expect, the Discount Diva says. Read more

Heart disease remains a top killer despite Covid-19: “The message we've been trying to send for at least the last two weeks is that if you have a medical condition that needs attention, or you're not sure you should get attention, don't wait because you have a perception that hospitals are unsafe,” said Dr. Vijay Iyer, a cardiologist at Gates Vascular Institute and Buffalo General Medical Center. Read more

Summer festival season is slowly slipping away: Buffalo’s beloved summer festival season is all but gone as event cancellations continue to mount in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Some libraries to open for pickup services June 1: Several libraries in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library system will offer pickup services including curbside, walk-up or drive-through beginning June 1, said Mary Jean Jakubowski, library director. Read more

Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts canceled for 2020: The 21st Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts has been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, organizers announced Friday. Read more

Buffalo pride parade, festival canceled: Two highlights of Buffalo Pride Week – the parade and festival – have been canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, event organizers announced Friday on Facebook. Read more

Another Voice: Pandemic demands paying extra attention to mental health: May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and that is a good time to protect something equally as valuable and lifesaving – caring for our mental health. The traumatic impact of Covid-19, stress, anxiety and even depression has increased, writes Celia Spacone, Jessica C. Pirro and Missy Stolfi. Read more

May 28

For several New York regions, the timing of next phase of reopening is unclear: Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said there would generally be 14 days between the start of each phase. He also said the time between the beginning of each phase may be shorter or longer than two weeks, depending on what the data showed about the Covid-19 infection rate. Read more

Cuomo: Executive order will allow businesses to deny entry to maskless: "You don’t have a right to expose the store owner to a virus," Cuomo said during a briefing in Brooklyn. "You don’t have that Constitutional right. You don’t have the right to expose the other patrons in the store to the virus." Read more

Two more Niagara County deaths as WNY coronavirus case total passes 7,500: The Niagara County Department of Health said the two people who died were an 87-year-old woman and a 67-year-old man, both of whom had underlying health conditions. Read more

New York lawmakers pass array of Covid-19-fueled bills: State lawmakers were heading to wrap up two days of session on Thursday, giving final passage to a few dozen measures intended as responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

Pandemic food aid available for children eligible for free and reduced school lunches: Families with children who receive free and reduced meals at school will automatically receive benefits for the period schools were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more

One of Grand Island's great volunteers lost to Covid-19: Raised during the Great Depression, Luigi D'Orazio learned how to do things for himself. After growing up on a farm, he became so adept at plumbing, electrical work and carpentry that he built the home on Grand Island in which he raised his family. Read more

Retailers could open as early as Tuesday. Will they?: Retailers in Western New York may get the go-ahead to reopen as soon as Tuesday. But that doesn't mean all of them will be ready to go on day one. Read more

Partnership releases reopening guide for businesses: The guide includes the state's reopening guidelines and requirements by industry, general guidance about Covid-19 for employers, and best-practice advice from leading employers in the region. Read more

'Any moment now': Businesses await guidance on phase two of reopening: While there will be rules and restrictions, state officials as of Wednesday had yet to provide specifics about what phase two will look like. Businesses, in the meantime, have started to prepare as they wait for the rules. Read more

Analysis: As reopening gains speed, Buffalo Niagara's recovery will be slow: For the Buffalo Niagara region, regaining the jobs lost during a recession has always been a big problem, David Robinson says. Read more

Is the future of concerts a crowdless house, a night at the drive-in, a livestream at home?: Irish American punk band Dropkick Murphys, along with Bruce Springsteen, plan to perform live at Boston’s historic Fenway Park on May 29. Tens of thousands will likely be watching. However, none of them will be inside Fenway Park. Read more

State to waive physical exams for returning fall sports student-athletes: The New York State Department of Education announced that student-athletes for the coming fall sports season will be allowed to participate without taking an updated physical, provided they had a health examination for school attendance in 2018 or 2019 and submit a completed health history update to their respective district. Read more

May 27

Erie County surpasses 500 coronavirus deaths: The total of Erie County lives lost from Covid-19 reached 504 after Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced 24 additional deaths via Twitter Tuesday evening. It was the county's first update to the death toll since last Thursday. Read more

WNY ramps up testing in bid to keep Covid-19 spread in check: Diagnostic Covid-19 tests that were in limited supply weeks ago have become much more readily available throughout Western New York, and state data on testing shows it. Read more

2020 Erie County Fair canceled due to pandemic: The fair, which had been scheduled for August, will not be held because of the pandemic, organizers announced Wednesday. Read more

Buffalo's dwindling summer concert season: Cancellations, postponements: The most recent information regarding summer concerts at outdoor venues and KeyBank Center. Read more

Initiative aims to boost small businesses, nonprofits: About $6 million has been committed to the effort so far, from KeyBank and the First Niagara Foundation, M&T Bank, the John R. Oishei Foundation, Pegula Sports & Entertainment and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. Read more

100-year-old Covid-19 victim had brushes with history and great stories to tell: William L. Burch died May 11. He was 100 years old. Read more

Nursing homes in Erie, Niagara get emergency federal funding: Nursing homes in Erie and Niagara counties will receive a total of $19.6 million in emergency federal funding to help with increased expenses related to Covid-19. Read more

Orleans County nursing home hit by Covid-19 under investigation: A nursing home where all but three of the Covid-19 deaths in Orleans County have occurred is under investigation by the state attorney general, as well as the county sheriff and district attorney. Read more

Cuomo promotes New York City infrastructure projects at Trump meeting: None of the projects the governor has in mind, however, are in upstate or other areas of the state. Read more

May 26

Western New York on track to reopen hair salons, stores and offices on June 2: Hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions both declined over the past week, falling to their lowest levels since April 1, according to state Health Department data. Read more

Covid-19 brutal on long-term care facilities, but nationwide it's worse: In New York, roughly one of every five confirmed or presumed Covid-19 deaths, or 20%, occurred in a nursing home or an adult care facility, according to a recent analysis. In Massachusetts, it's 61%, North Carolina, 63%, New Hampshire, 77%, and in Minnesota, 81%. Read more

Long-term future after coronavirus presents challenges, opportunities: Experts in various fields – from health care and education to restaurants and professional sports – say long-term, societal changes are coming, no matter how much normalcy returns across the country when the virus outbreak is contained. Read more

Sean McDermott on possibility of playing NFL games without fans: The Covid-19 pandemic has forced all professional sports leagues to consider the possibility of playing games without fans. If that happens, the Bills coach said "it'll be a challenge, it’ll be different, but I also know this: I know that we’ll adjust.” Read more

Cuomo to New Yorkers: "Wearing a mask is now cool": Gov. Cuomo has a message for people who went to a park or beach over the beautiful Memorial Day weekend without donning a protective face covering: "Wearing a mask is now cool," he said at Tuesday's coronavirus news briefing. Read more

Watch now: 70 pastors at Hamburg rally urge reopening churches: Churches – part of the fourth and final phase of the state's reopening process – are not expected to reopen in Western New York until late June at the earliest. Read more

Covid-19 hospitalizations in WNY at lowest level since early April: The number of patients seeking treatment in Western New York hospitals for Covid-19 has fallen to its lowest level since April 1, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Tuesday morning. Read more

U.S. attorney says feds are monitoring pandemic restrictions, "powers aren't limitless": "There's no pandemic exceptions to the Constitution, and I think the public needs to know we're paying attention to this," said U.S. Attorney William P. Kennedy Jr.  Read more

New York State lawmakers to reconvene to consider Covid-19 bills: Many lawmakers will be voting remotely, from their offices or homes, as social distancing rules are enforced among a body of legislators who have seen the virus within their own ranks over the past couple months. Read more

Niagara County surpasses 1,000 mark in Covid-19 cases: The Niagara County Department of Health announced Tuesday morning four new positive cases from Monday and Tuesday, giving the county a total of 1,004 Covid-19 cases. Read more

Buffalo Common Council waits to vote on 2020-21 budget: Council members want more certainty about federal Covid-19 pandemic assistance and to hear more about the Brown administration's contingency plans if the money doesn't come. Read more

Buffalo, Amherst launch proposals to help restaurants reopen: A Buffalo Common Council resolution would allow restaurants to expand so they can include more outdoor seating – like in parking lots – once they are allowed to reopen. Read more

Column: With bizarre playoff near-miss, Sabres' season finally goes on permanent pause: After a disappointing finish, the Sabres head into an uncertain world as one of the longest offseasons in franchise history awaits, writes Mike Harrington. Read more

May 25

Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in Erie County trending down: Hospitals in the county were treating 150 Covid-19 patients as of Saturday, down from 182 on May 18, County Executive Mark Poloncarz wrote in a Twitter post Monday afternoon. Read more

U.S. attorney: Feds monitoring pandemic restrictions, "powers aren't limitless": "There's no pandemic exceptions to the Constitution, and I think the public needs to know we're paying attention to this," said U.S. Attorney William P. Kennedy Jr. Read more

Long-term future after coronavirus presents challenges, opportunities: Experts in fields from health care to professional sports say long-term, societal changes are coming, no matter how much normalcy returns across the country when the virus outbreak is contained.

State lawmakers reconvene to consider Covid-19 bills: Many lawmakers were to vote remotely, from their offices or homes, as social distancing rules are enforced among a body of legislators who have seen the virus within their own ranks over the past couple months. Read more

Cuomo: Families of 'front-line' workers who died of Covid-19 will get death benefits: Families of public employees required to work on the front line and who died during the pandemic, including public health care workers, police, firefighters and EMS workers, are among those who will be eligible for death benefits, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Read more

What do personal injury lawsuits have to do with the pandemic? Maybe a lot: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, insists that Congress focus on liability reform in hopes of avoiding “a lawsuit pandemic." Democrats disagree. Read more

If Bisons' season is canceled, you can kiss the summer goodbye: As incredible as it is to ponder, it's hard to imagine a scenario where there's any baseball in Sahlen Field in 2020. Can it really be summer in these parts with no Bisons games? The feeling here is we're about to find out. Read more

36 residents have died of Covid-19 at East Aurora nursing home: Erie County's second biggest nursing home has had 36 Covid-19 deaths, which appears to be the most of any individual nursing home in Western New York. Read more

Banks evaluate when to lift branch restrictions: Starting Tuesday, Bank on Buffalo customers will be able to walk into branch lobbies without an appointment, something they haven't been able to do since late March. Read more

The Editorial Board: Schools must find ways to address learning gaps widened by virus shutdown: Unlike the sudden wave of school closings in March, districts have time to prepare for the possibility of more remote learning in the fall. That option is no one’s first choice, but educators at all levels will have to use the summer to figure out how to make it work. Read more

May 24

Cuomo says government must 'think big' in rebuilding, reshaping economy: Gov. Cuomo on Sunday said economic activity nationwide is unlikely to “just bounce back” from the novel coronavirus pandemic shutdown, and government will need to “think big” in efforts to rebuild the economy because so many small businesses have closed and so many workers have been displaced. Read more 

Governor urges state's pro teams to get training camps under way: Gov. Cuomo on Sunday encouraged pro sports leagues to return to their training facilities as soon as possible, with an eye toward resuming games without any fans in attendance. “I believe that sports that can come back without having people in the stadium, without having people in the arena, do it,” Cuomo said.  Read more 

Local wineries struggle to survive Covid-19 pandemic: Optimism is a requirement for winery owners, who must wait years after starting a vineyard to harvest grapes and make wine. But the Covid-19 pandemic has strained even the most optimistic of them. Read more

Reserved seating? No choir? A mass of changes await churchgoers: Religious services are about to receive a makeover as spiritual leaders scramble to find safe ways to worship while preventing the spread of Covid-19. Read more

Even before Covid-19, infection control was an issue at area nursing homes: More than half of the 46 nursing homes in Erie and Niagara counties were cited by the state for violating infection control standards over the past four years, a Buffalo News review of federal inspection records found. Read more

How one man beat the virus more 'scary' than cancer – at home: Like hundreds of others, his is a story of a Covid-19 victim whose struggle with the virus unfolded at home, away from the care of doctors and nurses. Read more

Covid-19 survivor unsure if experimental treatments helped recovery: Kaleida Health is taking part in a nationwide clinical trial of convalescent plasma under the direction of the Mayo Clinic. Read more

Why this Amherst company returned its Payroll Protection loan: When the William S. Hein Co. finally its Payroll Protection Program money last week, company officials decided to return it. They feared that the company wasn't an appropriate borrower, wouldn't have enough time to properly use the funds, and might not qualify for the loan to be forgiven. Read more

100-car parade in Amherst marks end of Ramadan: Rather than walking from North Presbyterian Church to the Islamic Center on Heim Road in Amherst to mark the end of a month-long fast in observance of Ramadan, Muslims held a colorful parade of 120 vehicles along the same route to observe social distancing rules. Read more

Watch now: Drive-by wedding shower is "short, sweet – and less expensive": You've probably seen birthday parties featuring honking vehicles driving by the house. On Sunday Stacey Jackson held a drive-by wedding shower for daughter Sierra Rosenthal who is getting married in July. Read more

'Ring for remembrance' to salute Memorial Day: With Memorial Day observances all but canceled, a 10-minute salute to honor those killed in service to their country will be observed by at least 20 municipalities beginning at 9 a.m. on Memorial Day, said Dawn Gaczewski, events coordinator for the Village of Lancaster. Read more

News Editorial Board: Hitting "play" on sports: As with any other business planning to reopen, sports leagues will need to be cautious and proceed in baby steps, The News Editorial Board writes. Read more

May 23

With masks and distance, Buffalo Niagara ventures out: 'It feels good': With the region in the first phase of the state's slow reopening process, Memorial Day weekend has provided residents with a little extra reason to get outside and resume their lives. Residents took to yard work, beaches, parks, nurseries and neighborhood strolls. Read more

Lawmaker Ortt calls for state to intervene at Newfane Rehab: State Sen. Robert Ortt on Friday sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo requesting the state intervene at Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Center, where 17 residents have died from Covid-19 and seven other deaths are presumed to be related to the disease, according to state Department of Health figures as of Friday. Read more

Covid-19 deaths continue to drop across New York: There were days in early April when more than 700 people a day died of Covid-19 in the state. On April 22, 438 people died. Just a week ago, on May 15, the number who died totaled 157. On Friday, the total was 84. Read more

Hospitals offer therapy to front-line employees at risk for 'PTSD-type scenario': “We have a lot of front-line workers as well as 10,000 employees who are managing through this pandemic," said Karen Swartz, Kaleida vice president of human resources. "We are focused on trying to give them every opportunity that comes our way to help them through anything that they may be struggling with.” Read more

State launches $100 million loan fund for small businesses: The focus will be on businesses with 20 or fewer employees and less than $3 million in gross revenues, Gov. Cuomo said. Read more

For Memorial Day, Covid-19 survivor keeps faith with sister lost to Spanish flu: At 88, Frank Billittier was born 14 years after his sister's death. Yet he has been thinking a lot about Christina, even dreaming of her, reflections tied almost certainly to what he just endured, Sean Kirst writes. Read more

Mayor launches online campaign to promote wearing masks in public: The aim of the campaign is to emphasize the importance of wearing protective face coverings to prevent community spread of the coronavirus, Mayor Byron W. Brown said. Read more

Another Voice: Civil legal services are essential to Covid-19 recovery: New York’s civil legal services providers are on the front lines right now, helping our state meet the crisis head on. We will continue to be an essential piece of New York’s recovery efforts, writes Center for Elder Law & Justice, Buffalo CEO Karen Nicolson. Read more

May 22

Buffalo bishop believes he had bout with Covid-19: Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger believes he had the Covid-19 virus – or an illness very close to it – after visiting Rome, Italy, in November, he told The Buffalo News on Friday. Read more

Most adult age groups similarly at risk for contracting Covid-19: Of the Erie County residents who have been tested for Covid-19, the percentage of those infected with the new coronavirus has been roughly the same for almost every adult age group, between 12% and 15%, according to figures released Friday. Read more

New York will allow for all gatherings up to 10: A new executive order signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo Friday will allow for non-essential gatherings of up to 10 people, including gatherings that are not religious in nature or for the purpose of observing Memorial Day, according to a tweet by the governor's senior advisor. Read more

Buffalo Niagara's jobs plunged 23%, but not every industry hit as hard: The Buffalo Niagara region's private-sector job count plunged 23% in April from a year ago, as the devastation caused by Covid-19 struck the local economy with full force. Read more

'Ready to roll': Malls slowly reopen and hope shoppers will return: Malls remain closed to shoppers, but stores and restaurants are offering takeout and curbside pickup as they try to draw back their customers. Read more

Watch now: Memorial Day weekend at the beach will be anything but normal: Woodlawn Beach State Park was anything but normal as lifeguards and park police patrolled in masks. A couple dozen beachgoers kept their social distance from one another, while news crews circled, trying to capture the surreal moment. Read more

Thousands of mislabeled KN-95 masks, test kits seized from Lockport CBD oil tester: More than 22,000 mislabeled and substandard KN-95 masks and 1,000 unauthorized Covid-19 test kits were seized Friday from SunBeam Laboratories in Lockport, federal officials announced. Read more

Pressure mounts to ease U.S.-Canadian border restrictions:  Pressure to reopen the U.S.-Canadian border increased late this week, as Rep. Brian Higgins suggested loosening current restrictions slightly and a group of cross-border business interests laid out detailed principals for how the reopening should proceed. Read more

Trump calls houses of worship 'essential services,' urges their reopening: “Today I am identifying houses of worship — churches, synagogue and mosques — as essential places that provide essential services,” Trump said at a briefing at the White House on Friday. Read more

Higgins pushes back on ending Guard deployments a day before benefits would kick in: National Guard troops based in Western New York and elsewhere around the country rushed to the nation's aid when the Covid-19 pandemic struck – but now the federal government wants to cut short their deployments one day before many of them qualify for valuable federal benefits. Read more

Slow and steady: Office leaders in no hurry to rush back to work: From the region's banking and financial services companies to law firms, architects and other professionals, office leaders say they want to proceed cautiously to give them more time to implement changes. Read more

It's time to give yourself and your health care provider a lift: A dearth of patients caused financial hardships for hospitals and specialists, punishing many primary care providers most. Read more

Covid-19 is damaging the health care system, but it's devastating primary care: The dynamics of primary care are so novel, change so fluid, that the future remains unclear. Read more

'Suspended animation' – and maybe a ghost – as Vidler's ponders what's next: Partners Don Vidler and Cliff DeFlyer are studying the state's rules on reopening for phase two, when customers are allowed to return to stores within certain limits. Read more

Erik Brady: In a lost summer, being a good neighbour is more than a cottage industry: Many Canadians are watching out for the summer homes of their American neighbors across the border. Read more

UB, Canisius, Niagara, St. Bonaventure will not reopen campuses to athletes on June 1: "We encourage each school to use its discretion to make the best decisions possible for football and basketball student-athletes within the appropriate resocialization framework," said NCAA Division I Council chairperson M. Grace Calhoun. Read more

Commentary: Surrounded by people without masks on Niagara River gorge trail: "I thought Western New Yorkers were smarter, more caring and more considerate of others," Buffalo News Watchdog Team editor Mike McAndrew says. Read more

After he died, test confirms Buffalo man had Covid-19: A nurse told Cyril Alessi's family that he had displayed the hallmarks of Covid-19. When test results were known the next day, the hospital confirmed he had contracted the virus. Read more

Niagara County Covid-19 testing shows positives dip under 10%: Erie County, where more than 42,000 people have been tested, was at 12.5% positives as of Wednesday, the state said. Read more

Senecas plan phased reopening of casinos in June: The Seneca Nation of Indians is preparing to reopen its casino and gaming operations next month throughout Western New York, using a phased restart process over multiple weeks. Read more

Lewiston Council on the Arts cancels summer events: "We will miss our audiences, welcoming artists from across the country and seeing Center Street filled with thousands of visitors," the council's statement said. Read more

The Editorial Board: Washington must act quickly so that Americans don't go hungry: Things can always get worse but for millions – many of them children – going hungry means things have gotten just about as bad as they can get., writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

The Editorial Board: Courts' insistence on presidential primary creates needless risk: Canceling the presidential primary was a sensible response to a set of conditions that makes the event both unnecessary and risky, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

May 21

Summer school across New York will be distance learning only: It remains too early to determine whether school buildings and college campuses will be able to open in the fall, the governor said. Read more

Cuomo wants twice-weekly tests at Covid hot-spot nursing homes – but who pays?: The mandated statewide tests, coming after the high number of Covid-related deaths at state-regulated nursing homes across the state, are estimated to cost more than $40 million per week. Read more

Buffalo Diocese to require masks, suspend choirs when liturgies resume: Other changes include the removal of hymn books from pews and entryways and the emptying of holy water fonts and stoops of any water. Read more

Watch now: Protesters at Niagara Square say they want everything open now: Three days into Western New York's gradual reopening from the state's coronavirus shutdown order, between 100 and 200 people gathered Thursday afternoon in downtown Buffalo to say they want everything to reopen now. Read more

Niagara County's Covid-19 death toll rises to 59: The victims were two 83-year-old men, both with underlying health conditions in addition to the virus. Read more

No opening date in site for revival of Northtown Plaza: The transformation of the Northtown Plaza site in Amherst won't restart anytime soon, but the developer said it remains committed to the ambitious project mixing dining and shopping with community space. Read more

No outdoor fitness classes, bike ferry at Canalside this summer: New signage will remind visitors of social distancing, and hand-sanitizing stations will be available. Read more

From anxiety to 'yumminess,' Western New York takes a step to reopen: News reporters and photographers chronicle scenes from the region's first phase of reopening. Read more

Pandemic closures could hurt these 16 stores the worst: Which stores do we have to worry about? Discount Diva Samantha Christmann breaks it down. Read more

Want a Covid-19 antibody test? You might get one – in June: Erie County received 100,000 Covid-19 antibody tests but was inundated by requests for appointments to be tested. Read more

Watch now: Fans line up at crack of dawn for Paula's Donuts reopening: The drought for fans of Paula's peanut sticks, giant Texas doughnuts and other treats ended at 7 a.m. Thursday, when its stores in Tonawanda, Clarence and West Seneca reopened for takeout. Read more

'German Shephard lady' was active Riverside volunteer: The owner of three German Shepherd dogs over roughly 40 years, Caroline M. "Carol" Fields was affectionately called "the German Shepherd lady" by her Riverside neighbors. She was 83 when she succumbed to Covid-19 on April 26 at St. Joseph Post-Acute Center in Orchard Park. Read more

Niagara County calls public defenders back to work: The only proceedings in recent weeks had been criminal arraignments and occasional motion arguments, all done by video. That format will continue for now. Read more

The Editorial Board: If churches and restaurants can prove safety, state has shown wise flexibility: Perhaps the churches and restaurants will be able to demonstrate an ability to proceed safely. If so, New York, has shown a willingness to reconsider its protocols when the evidence is persuasive, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

Another Voice: New York should use the opportunity to fix a broken system: As we prepare for the governor, state budget director and Legislature to make recommendations on how to balance the budget, I would implore them to first look at state mandates, writes Erie County Legislator Ed Rath. Read more

My View: Sheltering provides a new sense of place: The current crisis can teach us a great deal about how we have lived and how we may  choose to live going forward, writes Howard R. Wolf. Read more

May 20

Erie County's Covid-19 hospitalizations rise again: Erie County Covid-19 hospitalizations are again on the rise, having increased for three straight days between Saturday and Monday. County Executive Mark Poloncarz released the latest numbers Wednesday morning. Read more

As manufacturers restart operations, questions go unanswered about Tesla's big Buffalo factory: Desperate to get production back up and running after a Covid-forced shutdown, Elon Musk recently openly defied health officials’ warnings not to reopen his California auto plant. "If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,'' Musk tweeted last week. Three thousand miles away in Buffalo? It’s unclear what Musk’s company – Tesla Inc. – has in store for his signature solar panel factory. Read more

Lancaster nursing home becomes area's second Covid-19 only facility: The McGuire Group confirmed Wednesday that it has converted its Harris Hill Nursing Facility in Lancaster into a residence for patients who have Covid-19. Read more

Five more seniors die of Covid-19 in Niagara County as death toll reaches 57: The victims, all of whom died during the past several days, were women aged 71, 75 and 89, and men aged 70 and 75. All five had pre-existing health conditions. Read more

Increasing demand leads to calls for expanding food stamp program: Covid-19 appears to be hitting Buffalo, New York State and the nation at large with hunger pangs. Read more

Small religious gatherings allowed starting Thursday, Cuomo says: Religious gatherings of up to 10 participants will be allowed to resume statewide Thursday, as long as strict social distancing guidelines are followed, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Wednesday. Read more

Lockport hospital sues feds over refusal of payroll aid: Eastern Niagara Hospital, which was denied nearly $5.74 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program aid, announced Wednesday it has sued the U.S. Small Business Administration over the refusal. Read more

Thrift stores waiting beyond phase one to reopen: Nicholas Calandra is preparing to reopen the Hearts for the Homeless thrift store in Buffalo. But it's not going to happen for at least a couple of weeks. Read more

Paula's Donuts restarts its fryers for Thursday reopening: Paula's closed its Town of Tonawanda, Clarence and West Seneca stores March 20 over safety concerns. It's bringing back nearly all its roughly 150 workers, including new employees hired in recent days. Read more

Watch now: Social-distanced swing polishing at Tonawanda's golf range: The first thing golfers stopping by the Town of Tonawanda's Brighton Driving Range will notice is only half the stalls are in use. The rest are taped off. Read more

Contractors must submit safety plan, affirmation to restart work, Amherst says: The Town of Amherst issued a reminder Wednesday to local construction contractors that they must submit a "workplace safety plan" and a state "business affirmation" to the town Building Department if they want to continue or restart work in the town. Read more

Niagara County offers 10,000 free face masks to businesses: “These masks are also available to businesses that cannot yet open, but should already be putting their safety plans together,” said County Legislator Will Collins, who owns a construction company. Read more

Hot weather may help with Covid-19, Don Paul says: "Earlier in the course of the pandemic, I wrote about the lack of solid evidence linking warm weather along with more ultraviolet exposure to reduced exposure to the COVID-19 virus. As of early April, most epidemiologists and virologists expressed skepticism due to the lack of peer-reviewed evidence, especially outside of the laboratory." Read more

Restaurateurs, desperate to recover from Covid closings, press to reopen sooner: Restaurateurs who have missed out on the sustaining revenue from St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day and Easter — three of the year's biggest hauls — are looking to reinvent their cash flow model. Read more

A pub crawl, Old Fort Niagara, theater and music: Here's a quick look at the some of the latest virtual experiences from Buffalo-area bars, theater groups and attractions. Read more

The Editorial Board: Federal Detention Center’s leaders have lost the right to the benefit of the doubt: As a recent article by News staff writer Phil Fairbanks reported, advocates believe proper safety measures are being ignored, for the most part. When safety protocols are being adhered to, it is only in an ad hoc fashion, they say, with prisoners at greatest risk left to flounder. Read more

May 19

As region reopens, 'patience is the word of the day,' local leaders say: The phase one of reopening that began Tuesday, a much-needed glimmer of hope across Western New York, was also a reminder of the long road ahead. Read more

Pastors, worshipers riled as drive-ins open, but not churches: Buffalo Common Council President Darius G. Pridgen is criticizing state officials for putting retail outlets, drive-in theaters and other activities ahead of houses of worship in their phased plan to reopen the state. Read more

Roswell Park part of a pilot project to return visitors to hospitals: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will participate in a statewide pilot program over the next two weeks to look at how visitors may be brought back to hospitals, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. Read more

'Very high call volume' overwhelms Erie County's hotline for antibody testing: So many people are trying to call Erie County's hotline to schedule an appointment for free antibody testing that it's overwhelmed the phone system and many calls aren't getting through, Erie County Health Department officials said. Read more

Construction activity starts back up – slowly: With the surprise decision by New York State allowing construction to resume Tuesday in Western New York, construction businesses were assembling their workforces and proceeding with caution, caught off-guard after days of hearing local officials predict another two weeks or more of the state's coronavirus shutdown order. Read more

Manufacturing returns to a landscape altered by Covid-19: As manufacturers get back into full swing, they are doing so in a changed setting. They are revamping their workplaces to keep workers separated, and using other safety precautions. They are also taking stock of customer demand in an economy ravaged by Covid-19. Read more

Retailers battered by Covid-19 offer 'takeout' as reopening begins: On a typical Saturday, as many as 100 customers would come through the doors of the TreeHouse toy store in the Elmwood Village. Last Saturday, the store took in just eight orders by phone and online, said Gaetana Schueckler, who owns the shop with her husband, David. Read more

Watch now: Expect some changes during your next trip to the barbershop or salon: With barbershops and hair salons included in phase two of the reopening from the state's coronavirus shutdown order, the people who cut and color, clip and shave and make us look all nice and sharp are getting their shops ready to reopen. Read more

No Canada: Border shutdown extended to June 21: The border had been scheduled to reopen on Thursday, but under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's latest decision, it will remain largely shut into the summer season – and for at least three months in total. Read more

Masks and social distancing will remain the new normal in courts: As the region prepares to reopen, Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. faces the equally difficult decision of how to resume trials and in-person court proceedings while again keeping the people who use and work at the courthouse safe. Read more

Covid-19 claims devoted dad who loved sports, cards: William J. Pujolas thought nothing of getting up at 5 a.m. to chauffeur his daughter and her friends to the local ice rink for figure skating practice. He loved sports and was willing to go the extra mile, Liz Pujolas said of her father. Read more

Niagara County adds 2 deaths to Covid-19 total as caseload nears 900: Niagara County officials Tuesday reported two more deaths from Covid-19, bringing the county's total to 52. The state Health Department, which often receives notifications of deaths before the county, lists Niagara's toll as 54, with 34 of them in nursing homes. Read more

Watch now: 9 ideas for new skills to learn while social distancing: Whether it's learning a new skill you've always wanted to try, or saving money by teaching yourself a service you would normally pay for, this is the perfect time to try something new. Read more

Bennett and Wendt beaches won't open until June 1: Meanwhile, state beaches, including the ones at Woodlawn Beach State Park in Hamburg and at Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island, are set to open Friday with restrictions. Read more

Williamsville's summer street fairs to go virtual: Some popular summer street fairs in Williamsville have been canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic but are slated to be revived as online events, according to organizers. Read more

Bisons donate $20,000 to Evergreen Health for pantry and Covid-19 testing: The Buffalo Bisons Foundation announced a $20,000 donation Tuesday to Evergreen Health for its food pantry and Covid-19 testing in the 14215 zip code of the city, one of Erie County's areas most impacted by the coronavirus. Read more

The Editorial Board: Bipartisan group, including Reed, offers hope that Washington may aid states, municipalities: The lesson here is that in the midst of crisis, it doesn’t pay to cling to a dogma that can’t meet the need. Americans need help, writes The News' Editorial Board. Read more

May 18

How the region went from reopening no time soon to reopening right now: On Friday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said it might be June 1 – or even later – before Western New York could begin to reopen from the state's coronavirus shutdown order. Read more

The reopening can begin Tuesday in WNY. Now what?: Precisely what the state's four-phase approach to a gradual reopening will mean for Western New Yorkers is still not clear. Read more

Western New York to begin gradual reopening process Tuesday: "It's been a long painful period, but we start to reopen tomorrow," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said during a visit to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more

I went to Ohio for a haircut and saw the good and bad of reopening: Ohio began reopening on Friday, and News reporter Tim O'Shei and photographer Sharon Cantillon were there to observe. Read more and view a photo gallery here.

Free antibody testing begins Tuesday throughout Erie County: The clinics will be set up in areas including Amherst, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Depew, Hamburg, Lackawanna, Orchard Park, Springville and Williamsville, the Health Department said. Read more

ECMC approved for elective surgeries; Catholic Health returns to full caseloads: Erie County Medical Center, granted a waiver from the state Health Department Monday, can resume elective surgeries. The hospital joins the Catholic Health System and two Kaleida Health hospitals with approvals for elective surgeries. Read more

Watch now: West Seneca man on ventilator for five weeks leaves hospital: Doctors warned Ted Siwy’s family in mid-April that he probably wouldn’t survive his battle with Covid-19. Despite being on a ventilator, he wasn’t getting enough oxygen, and his organs were shutting down. Read more

102-year-old who survived Spanish flu pandemic dies from Covid-19: Doris M. Mathias was born on Buffalo’s East Side on March 17, 1918, when the Spanish Flu was beginning its deadly march to claiming 50 million lives worldwide. She survived that pandemic, but the 102-year-old woman is now among the lives lost to Covid-19. Read more

Houses of worship can't open until reopening phase four, Cuomo says: In Western New York, that's likely to take place in roughly six weeks, if there are no spikes in new cases of Covid-19 in the region and the phased re-opening goes as scheduled. Read more

Reopening starts Tuesday, but businesses must create safety plans: Even as the region has gotten the green light for the first phase of reopening, businesses will need to keep on file a plan explaining how they will operate safely amid Covid-19. Read more

Niagara County adds 48 new Covid-19 cases since Friday: The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Niagara County has risen by 48 since Friday, bringing the county's total to 844 since the pandemic began, the Niagara County Health Department announced Monday. Read more

Reed, allies introduce bipartisan aid proposal for states, localities: To hear Reed tell it, the bill he and his colleagues introduced Monday is the kind of bipartisan building block that could be part of the next congressional effort to respond to the Covid-19 crisis. Read more

State suspects fraud in some unemployment claims as backlog continues: New York State has distributed more than $9.2 billion in unemployment dollars to 2 million New Yorkers, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said Monday. But, she acknowledged, the state Labor Department is still struggling with an overwhelming backlog of at least three weeks. Read more

Workers returning in phase one eligible to get tested for Covid-19: With Western New York apparently ready to start the gradual reopening process sometime this week, those who work in several industries can be tested, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. Read more

Immigration detainees at Batavia still at risk of Covid-19, lawyers claim: Their court action, the latest development in an existing lawsuit, seeks to turn their complaint into a class action suit on behalf of at least 100 detainees held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Read more

Are your eyes telling you something about Covid-19?: Vision is among the many systems in the body that can be affected by Covid-19. Read more

Drive-thru testing for glaucoma available in Orchard Park: “With glaucoma, a big component of the care and management of the disease is checking and monitoring the patient’s eye pressure,” said Dr. Sandra Sieminski. Read more

What happens when the highways empty out? Higher speeds: On some Buffalo-area roads, the average speed has jumped 30% during some rush-hour periods from pre-Covid. Same, too, downstate. And Miami. And Texas. And England. And Germany. Read more

Hunger-fighting fundraiser goes online at time of great need: In an ordinary year, FeedMore WNY’s main annual fundraiser would have packed a brewery with supporters, but this is no ordinary year. Read more

Tuscarora Nation cancels 175th annual picnic because of virus fears: Chairman Neil Patterson Sr. said Monday that the 175th annual event, scheduled for July 10-11, is off because of worries about spreading the Covid-19 virus. Read more

Cuomo urges major sports teams to play without fans in stands: Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday he has "encouraged major sports teams" in the state to plan to play games without fans in attendance once schedules for hockey, basketball and baseball resume and the NFL season begins. Read more