-
Over the past decade, a local activist has fought for New York State to expand its paratransit system beyond the federal minimum distance it can go. Stephanie Speaker's own experiences with paratransit, the point-to-point public transportation system for people with disabilities, not being able to reach where she needs to go has galvanized her to secure funding and potential legislation that could expand the system. This week, WBFO's Emyle Watkins shares an interview with Speaker from 2023 about her work and why she wants to see paratransit go farther.
-
Amherst has passed a new local law to improve transparency, but concerns remain over the level of oversight.
-
Family of Jason Arno along with the men and women of the Buffalo Fire Department gathered at 745 Main St to honor the life of Arno, who died in the line of duty during last year's 4-alarm fire in Buffalo.
-
Solar eclipse preparation is kicking into overdrive, and some local experts, from eye doctors to EMS, are taking safety measures.
-
Jasmine Harris, a law professor and disability rights legal scholar from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, explains in a conversation with WBFO’s Disability Reporter Emyle Watkins how local laws like the recently vetoed Erie County Language Access Act can interact with federal disability laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
-
A Buffalo developer will have to find alternatives to demolition after one Amherst home has been declared a historic landmark.
-
On this episode of the Disabilities Beat, Emyle Watkins speaks with Erie County’s newest Family Court Judge, the honorable Shannon Filbert, about her perspective as a judge with a disability on what people with disabilities should know about family court. We break down some misconceptions about family court, the role disability can play in custody hearings and where the family court system could improve.
-
On this episode of the Disabilities Beat, Emyle Watkins speaks with Kevin Smith, the director of Mental Health Peer Connection, about how peer-led services are helping to bridge a treatment gap. We also learn about their Renewal Center, which offers a peer-led alternative to a psychiatric emergency room.
-
A public meeting on the Kensington Expressway project packed the library's auditorium full of supporters and opposition voices of NYSDOT's plan.
-
Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger announced the establishment of Town of Tonawanda Alerts, a new mass notification system designed to send emergency alerts and other notifications to subscribers.
-
Domestic violence is often cited as a "women's issue," but one advocate and retired football player addressed high school students during a local summit about changing their mentalities.
-
This episode kicks off WBFO’s new weekly Disabilities Beat segment. But as we create a new space for stories from the disability community to be shared, how can you, the listener, interact with this segment? What can you expect to learn? Disabilities Beat Reporter Emyle Watkins asked some of our sources what you can expect and we break down what ableism is.