Good Morning, Buffalo: Like a modern-day Paul Revere, local astronomer wants people to prepare for the eclipse (2024)

Feb. 29, 2024

Like a modern-day Paul Revere, local astronomer wants people to prepare for the eclipse

Tim Collins wants you to think of the total eclipse of the sun on April 8 as though it is a major lake-effect snowstorm.

But in this case, we know exactly when and where it will take place, and there is more time to prepare for its impact.

Those most familiar with similar eclipses estimate that as many as 1 million visitors could descend on the Buffalo Niagara region because the path of totality slices through through part of its territory, including the most hallowed centerline.

"If we even get half of that, we're in trouble, right?" Collins said.

Buffalo and its eastern suburbs lie along the centerline, where the totality of the eclipse lasts the longest, at about 3 minutes, 45 seconds. It is the sweet spot of an event that will partially block the sun for about two and a half hours.

Those along the centerline can be in for traffic backups, people parking wherever they can and walking around in neighborhoods and businesses gazing skyward for unusually long stretches.

"We know there's going to be traffic tie-ups," Collins said. "You know when the so-called storm is coming –it's when the moon blocks the sun, and we can predict it–so do your precautions ahead of time."

– Barbara O'Brien

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

Informant says DEA never asked him to help collar drug trafficker living in Amherst mansion:Prosecutors allege Joseph Bongiovanni's handling of the informant helped shield Ronald Serio and others in his drug-trafficking organization from investigation.Read more

Neighbors win landmark fight, but Amherst project proceeds:The Amherst Town Board has voted – at the recommendation of the town Historic Preservation Commission – to make a century-old home on Chateau Terrace in Snyder a historic landmark. Benderson Development Co. had strenuously objected and argued the move would set a bad precedent. But the neighbors contended 22 Chateau was worth preserving, and Benderson, after tearing down the property's garage without permission, can't be trusted to do this on its own.Read more

Federal judge aims to kick-start negotiations between SUNY Fredonia and banned professor:Stephen Kershnar's comments about pedophilia on a podcast on Jan. 30, 2022, led to a social media firestorm and vile emails directed at him, and he was barred from the SUNY Fredonia campus until further notice. Kershnar has since filed a lawsuitin U.S. District Court in Buffalo asking the court to declare that Fredonia’s administrators violated his First Amendment rights by removing him from the classroom and barring him from campus. U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo on Tuesday appointed Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to handle scheduling, hearings, evidence supervision and other procedural matters.Read more

D’Youville plans to open osteopathic medical school:D’Youville University plans to open a new $175 million College of Osteopathic Medicine on its West Side campus, expanding its focus on the health professions with a program that it hopes to grow to 720 students to help address the local and national shortage of health care workers.Read more

Erik Brady: The memory of his 70-point game still lingers for Hinsdale's Don Hurlburt. So does the pain:Fifty-five years ago, Don Hurlburt scored 70 points for Hinsdale Central School. Those 70 points should bring him joy. Instead, they bring him back to the night his best friend, Tommy Oakley, died.Read more

WEATHER

Sky clears, but cold stays:A cloudy sky in the morning will give way to a partly cloudy sky in the afternoon with a high of 30 degrees.Read more

GUSTO

Things to Do: Avenged Sevenfold, Healthy Restaurant Week, Green Beer Sunday:Here are highlights of some of the events taking place in the Buffalo area this week.Read more

Live Irish music is plentiful in Buffalo through St. Patrick's Day weekend:In a city with a rich Irish history and a lot of Irish bars, there are, unsurprisingly, many talented local musicians performing Celtic folk favorites and Irish punk songs all March long (especially St. Patrick’s Day weekend, March 15-17).Read more

BUFFALO NEXT

Buffalo startup Verivend raises $1 million in investment round:Verivend, which offers a payments solution in the private capital space, has raised $1 million as part of a seed extension round. That includes $125,000 from Launch NY’s Investor Network.Read more

Silver Creek apartment project gets $1.5 million in tax breaks:A $20.2 million plan by a Rochester developer and a Southern Tier nonprofit to build a senior apartment building in place of the former Silver Creek High School will get more than $1.5 million in tax breaks from Chautauqua County. The 50,574-square-foot Silver Creek Apartments will include 51 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments, with 15 of the total units set aside as supportive housing for the frail and elderly. Services will be provided by People Inc.Read more

BUDC gets new $3M grant to advance Ralph Wilson Park:The Buffalo Urban Development Corp. has received an additional $3.26 million grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, allowing it to advance work on the second phase of creating the Ralph Wilson Park on Buffalo's lower West Side.Read more

BILLS

Combine notebook: Giants GM Joe Schoen believes he knows Bills GM Brandon Beane's tells:It is fair to say Joe Schoen has a pretty good scouting report on Brandon Beane. Schoen, the New York Giants’ third-year general manager, served as the Buffalo Bills’ assistant general manager under Beane from 2017-2021. Read more

Defensive tackle a clear need for the Buffalo Bills as NFL scouting combine continues:When Bills GM Brandon Beane makes his plans to tend to the defensive line, he’ll start with the team’s current free agents.From there, Beane wants to strike the right mix of bringing in potential draft picks to play alongside veteran talent. Read more

PlayAction podcast: Brandon Beane has salary cap and draft decisions to make:Mark Gaughan and Katherine Fitzgerald are in Indianapolis for the NFL combine. While speaking with members of the upcoming draft class, they also spoke to Bills GM Brandon Beane about the roster decisions he must make this offseason.Listen here

NFLPA survey: Bills mostly rank well, but players cite three concerns:According to the NFLPA’s report, the Bills’ players reported three issues “where they significantly lag behind other teams” – team travel, lack of training staff and dietitian/nutrition.Read more

SABRES

Sabres notebook: Tage Thompson hopeful that the goals will start to come:Thompson has 34 points while averaging 18:14 ice time across 49 games, a steep decline from the 94 points he produced last season. Injury has factored into the drop. Thompson took a shot to the hand in November that forced him to miss nine games and impacted his work with the puck long after he returned to the lineup. His shooting percentage this season is 9.6, compared to 15.9 and 15 in 2022-23 and 2021-22, respectively.Read more

PHOTOS

Photos: Buffalo Fashion Runway's Inaugural Black Carpet:Buffalo Fashion Runway's inaugural Black Carpet opened for a sold-out crowd at Northland Workforce Training Center on Saturday. Eleven local designers were featured, along with several area musicians, ballroom experts and a pair of poets. See more of Libby March's photos here.

#EveryDayAPhoto:Check out our photo series each morning to see our favoriteimage of the day.

View more photo gallerieshere.

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