🌱 👮BPD Officer Crashed Car + Curtain Up! + Out of the Darkness Walk

Hello, Buffalo! Happy Monday! Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's happening around town…

• 👮 Off-duty Buffalo police officer not issued a ticket for violation
• 🎭 Curtain Up! celebration
• 🚶‍♀️Out of the Darkness Walk

🌬️ First, today's weather: Windy with rainstorms. High: 78 Low: 68.

Here are the top stories today in Buffalo:

1.) Buffalo police officer walked away from his crashed car while off-duty, denied he was driving, and was not issued a ticket. Christopher Bridgett, the off-duty Buffalo officer, asked reporting officer, Mark Shell of the Tonawanda Police Department, if he was “on,” referring to his body camera, before having any conversation with him about the vehicle or the accident. Despite causing $8,000 of damage to a cemetery fence, as well as leaving the scene of property damage, Bridgett has seen no disciplinary action for the Tonawanda crash.

Read more and watch the body camera footage at The Buffalo News.

2.) Curtain Up!, the celebration of the start of Buffalo’s theater season, happened for the first time since 2019 this past weekend. Carol Beckley, the Chair of the Buffalo State Theater Department, comments on the return of live theater since the onset of the pandemic, saying “"Live theater requires an audience for it to happen.”

Read more about Curtain Up! via WKBW 7.

3.) At least 1,700 people showed up to Canalside this weekend to participate in The Out of the Darkness Walk, a suicide prevention fundraiser that occurs in more than 400 cities nationwide each year. The event focuses on awareness and education, offering resources and activities for people of ages. This is the 12th year Buffalo has participated in the walk.

Get more information at Spectrum News.

4.) Cedarland Development has construction plans at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Best Street. The building, which is just north of the medical campus, will be three-stories and have thirty-five apartments. Each apartment will have access to high-speed internet, in-unit laundry, a fitness center, on-site parking, and an outdoor seating area with a fireplace.

See the plans at Buffalo Rising.

5.) Crime Stoppers WNY is currently offering up to $7,500 to anyone with information to the September 2020 murders of John Gorzynski and Detrick Celements at 111 Ashley Street. Information can be given to Crime Stoppers WNY at 716-867-6161 or submit a tip through the Buffalo Tips app.

Learn more at WIVB 4.

Today in Buffalo:

• Fitness in the Parks: Cardio Kickboxing! Larkin Park. September 19th, 6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Details!
• Department of Arts Visiting Speaker Series: Aviva Rahmani! Virtual. September 19th, 6:30 P.M. Details!
• Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans! Highmark Stadium. September 19th, 7:15 P.M.
• The Magnolia Ballet! Alleyway Theatre. September 19th, 7:30 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. Details!
• Best of Buffalo Double Decker Tour! Buffalo Naval Park. September 19th, 4:00 P.M. - 600 P.M. (Reoccurring). Details!

Buffalo Chatter:

• VP Harris visit: "A historic visit to #UBuffalo 🇺🇸 @VP Kamala Harris visited campus yesterday to provide remarks on the Inflation Reduction Act, #ClimateChange and #sustainability. For more, visit the link in our bio! 🔗" (University at Buffalo via Instagram)
• Buffalo State Homecoming: "Homecoming week starts TOMORROW and we couldn't be more excited! Click the 🔗 in our bio for a full schedule of Homecoming events" (SUNY Buffalo State College via Instagram)
• Restaurant Gift Card Giveaway: "🎉 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🎉 We're giving away (3) $100 Gift Cards to Awesome WNY Restaurants in honor of the launch of the newest addition to the Step Out Buffalo family, @stepoutbuffalo.eatanddrink Each winner can choose whichever restaurant..." (Step Out Buffalo via Instagram)
• Lion Birthdays: "Happy Friday and happy 12th birthday to our two female lions, Lelie and Lusaka! 🎉🎊🥳 Lelie had her birthday earlier this year on August 31st, and Lusaka turns 12 next week on September 22nd, so today we celebrated with a joint party." (The Buffalo Zoo via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around this week!