Latest news with #News4
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Buffalo splash pads to open Friday
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Nine splash pads across the region are now open in Buffalo. The Ralph Wilson Park, Allison Park, Lanigan Park, Lincoln Park, Cazenovia Park, MLK Park, Houghton Park, Schiller Park, and the Roosevelt Park splash pads are all open Friday until 7 p.m. following a brief weather-related delay. Splash pads will be open daily from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. until the end of the school year. Once summer begins, the hours will be 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day through Labor Day. The Masten Park splash pad will be closed this year due to ongoing construction. Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC News
4 days ago
- NBC News
'Crypto king' has court hearing in NYC kidnapping case
A 37-year-old man known by some as the 'crypto king of Kentucky' is on the docket for a court hearing in New York City Wednesday regarding charges he and a business partner kidnapped and tortured an Italian man, holding him captive inside a posh townhouse in Nolita for weeks in a bid to get the man's Bitcoin password. John Woeltz also faces charges including unlawful imprisonment and assault. He was arrested in his bathrobe outside the Prince Street home where he allegedly held the victim captive. Woeltz was held without bond after his weekend arraignment, after which his attorney did not speak to the media. He did not appear at Wednesday's hearing. A lawyer for Woeltz accused prosecutors of 'playing games with discovery' by providing redacted material not agreed on by the court. Court was adjourned until Thursday. The victim, an Italian citizen, was another business partner of Woeltz and William Duplessie, who surrendered a day ago to face charges in the case, officials say. Investigators believe the relationship among the three men had been tumultuous in the past, but came to a head when the Italian arrived early in the month. After arriving in New York City on May 6, Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly took the victim's passport and electronic devices, then demanded he give them his Bitcoin password. Police say the torture started when the 28-year-old refused to comply. He was bound by his wrists, pistol-whipped, had a gun held to his head, a chainsaw used on his leg and was urinated on. His captors also dangled him over a staircase and threatened to kill his family, among other coercive measures. Prosecutors said the victim eventually did give in, only escaping when the men went to find his computer. After 17 days of alleged torture at the hands of the 'crypto king,' the victim managed to get out last Friday. Police said they found him covered in cuts and bruises, with ligature marks on his wrists from being bound. Video obtained exclusively by NBC New York showed the victim, disheveled and shoeless, running down Spring Street after breaking free, begging a traffic cop for help at the corner of Mulberry Street. Who is John Woeltz? Authorities believe Woeltz is a big-name cryptocurrency trader from Kentucky with an estimated worth around $100 million; sources said the victim is worth an estimated $30 million. Woeltz had reportedly been renting out the Nolita residence at a monthly rate of at least $30,000. The luxury six-story pad has an elevator and was described by sources as a 'high-end frat house' with bottles of liquor strewn about and stripper poles in the basement. Neighbors said they could hear loud partying at all hours of the night, but they had no idea of the alleged torture going on within its walls. Sources told News 4 that Woeltz and Duplessie roughed up the victim in the past, but not to the same extent. He would get picked on by the other two, but their treatment of him was never nearly as violent. Sources described the relationship among the three as complex, with a 'Wolf of Wall Street/frat guys gone wild' element to it.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Public school parent-led group provides social studies curriculum opt-out form
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma public school parent-led group is providing easy access to forms that other parents can fill out with the intent of opting their children out of new controversial social studies standards curriculum. News 4 has covered the revised standards extensively, which were given the go-ahead by the Oklahoma State Board of Education in February, with a majority vote. The standards feature an increased use of the Bible in the classroom, and also tell students to examine 'discrepancies in the 2020 election,' which has seen a mix of praise and criticism. Some lawmakers questioned the contents of the social studies standards. They have said the proposed curriculum was factually inaccurate on several topics, including the 2020 election and the COVID pandemic. Legislators have also said the standards contain subjects that were not age-appropriate for each grade level. Legislative leaders allowed the standards to take effect regardless of those complaints. Lawmakers will not consider resolution to stop proposed controversial social studies standards 'It leaves a lot of room for teaching what a person's personal beliefs are for the teachers versus actual fact-based curriculum,' said Saralynn Boren, with 'We're Oklahoma Education.' Boren describes the group as being primarily led by Oklahoma parents, but says it has educators, grandparents, and other public education stakeholders involved across Oklahoma as well. She described the group as non-partisan, and said they come together from both sides of the aisle to advocate for inclusive public education. Boren said the group first started creating opt-out letters to address content from conservative media group, PragerU. The letters have now been modified to address the new social studies standards. 'They're pushing ideologies that all parents aren't going to agree with, all students aren't going to agree with. And that's what we want to give parents the option to opt out of,' said Boren. State Superintendent Ryan Walters addressed efforts to opt out of the standards during a May 22 news conference, calling the effort 'concerning' when it comes to teaching students American History. 'What we're trying to do is give your kid an understanding of history in America, where America came from, what beliefs influenced those individuals so that then they can understand American history,' said Walters. Boren pointed out that Oklahoma already allows parents, by law, the opportunity to opt out of instruction that may violate their moral or religious beliefs. 'It's something that the conservatives pushed for saying this parent bill of rights, that parents should have the right to have a say in their students education, and it's the same for all parents,' said Boren. Walters said Tuesday that while the effort was something he wished parents wouldn't do, he would continue to protect their ability to do what they thought was best for their kids. 'If he wants to talk about championing parents' rights, that he needs to understand that there are other parents that don't always agree with his right-wing ideologies,' said Boren. It's an effort that may or may not prove to be necessary, with an Oklahoma County District judge set to consider Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. whether to grant an injunction on the social studies standards, which could block them entirely or allow them to move forward. News 4 reached out to an OSDE spokesperson Tuesday for clarification on whether the opt-out forms are enforceable, but didn't hear back. The forms can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WIVB News 4 wins Murrow Award for ‘Excellence in Video'
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — WIVB News 4 recently won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for 'Excellence in Video' for our December story on the historic Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo. The Edward R. Murrow Awards are announced every year by the Radio Television Digital News Association. They cast the spotlight on local and national stories that uphold the association's ethics while showcasing the importance and impact of journalism on the community. A behind-the-scenes look into the 270-acre cemetery and how it has grown over the past 176 years was brought to local TV screens by the work of anchor and reporter Marlee Tuskes, photojournalist Allison Staebell and senior executive producer Natasha Yurek. The 10-minute piece takes a deep dive into what it takes to run and maintain the cemetery — which is home to 13th President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, famous singer Rick James and the first Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm — by hearing from the people who do it every day. Forest Lawn is described as a place for people to come home to and a place where stories can live on. News 4 is now being considered in the national Murrow Awards competition. The winners will be announced in August. Watch '700 Seasons: The Story of Forest Lawn' in the video player above. Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Multiple rotting trees at local mobile home park concern residents
ALBION, N.Y. (WIVB) — Residents of a local mobile home park are calling for action over complaints at the property, including numerous rotting trees that residents are concerned could fall on their homes. WIVB News 4 spoke to residents of Oak Orchard Estates in Albion, Orleans County. A number of rotting trees are located throughout the property, standing close to people's homes. Residents said they have been given no information on when the trees will be removed. They're concerned that a wind storm could cause any of them to fall. Potholes are another concern voiced by the residents. News 4 found a number of them recently filled with cold patch, which is a temporary fix. Residents here are also not happy with a recent rent increase. They said with inflation, the cost of living is becoming more expensive and they wonder what they're paying for. 'Myself and my neighbor, we each have a tree less than 10 feet from our home that is completely dead and if we do have a wind storm like that, it would fall on our houses,' said one resident who did not want to be identified. Residents at Oak Orchard Estates said communication is also a problem and they've had a hard time getting in touch with the office manager. When News 4 visited the property last week, the office was locked and there was no one to contact. News 4 was able to get in touch with the owners of the property, Horizon Land Management said workers are inspecting trees and several have been removed and that road work should be done in the next few weeks. The property owner went on to say that it is committed to providing a well-maintained and affordable community for their residents. The property's full statement can be read below: Oak Orchard Estates is committed to providing a well-maintained and affordable community for our residents. Our goal is to offer a thriving and vibrant community and to keep our residents in-place. At Oak Orchard, rents are set according to New York State Real Property Law which caps rent increases for mobile and manufactured home residents at 3% and allows up to an additional 3% to cover property taxes and capital expenses. Residents receive a detailed explanation of the increase. Oak Orchard's beautiful setting is graced with many trees and we are vigilant about tree inspections and maintenance. Several trees were removed in the fall and additional trees were removed following an inspection in April. Road maintenance is an on-going process and efforts were increased this week to fill in pot holes created by the harsh winter weather. The work is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. All residents receive a copy of the Rules & Regulations which are designed to maintain a respectful atmosphere, to help ensure the safety of residents, and to address property upkeep and appearance for the benefit of all residents. Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
