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🌱 Patch AM: Which Hertel Avenue favorite is pouring its last brunch mimosas?

Happening soon: Candlelight: Christmas Classics on the Buffalo Patch calendar

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Greetings Buffalo! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Which Hertel Avenue favorite is pouring its last brunch mimosas?
  • Which huge WWE matches are coming to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center?
  • Why are black squirrels suddenly showing up on Buffalo’s West Side?

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Christmas Classics and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Buffalofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I’m trying to think of a new cloud joke. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Buffalofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Sunday: Occasional rain, with a high of 44 and low of 34 degrees.
  • Monday: Winds becoming strong, temps: high: 42, low: 18. ⛄️ Brr!
  • Tuesday: A snow shower; windy, colder, with a high of 25 and low of 23 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. North Buffalo bar and restaurant to serve final brunch before closing (wgrz.com) — A longtime favorite on Hertel Avenue, The Garage Bar & Restaurant in North Buffalo is serving its final brunch this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The owners say they’re retiring from the restaurant business and thanking neighbors for years of celebrations, from Italian festivals to game days, while expressing confidence a new business will thrive in the same spot.
   

2. WWE SmackDown Returns to 3-Hour Format with Stacked Card (sescoops.com) — Buffalo wrestling fans are getting a major WWE SmackDown when the show returns to a three-hour format live from KeyBank Center on January 2, 2026. The card features a brutal Ambulance Match, a stacked 8-woman tag, and a high-stakes singles bout with possible title implications.
   

3. Black squirrel sightings in Buffalo (buffalorising.com) — Black squirrels are suddenly popping up on walks through Buffalo’s West Side, prompting a closer look at how these darker “shade tails” fit into local squirrel evolution. The writer explores why black-coated Eastern gray squirrels might be gaining an edge in Buffalo’s winters, and how citizen scientists are tracking these rare sightings across New York.
   

4. New York man sentenced after smuggling reptiles to Hong Kong (wgrz.com) — A Brooklyn man was sentenced in Buffalo to two years in federal prison for illegally shipping hundreds of reptiles overseas by mislabeling them as toys. Seized rare turtles were transferred to the Buffalo Zoo, which created a first-ever assurance colony to help protect the species and potentially restore wild populations in the future.
   

5. Buffalo, New York earns chicken wing world record (nypost.com) — Buffalo just claimed a Guinness World Record after 499 people packed the Buffalo Convention Center for the largest chicken wing eating competition. The Revelas Family Foundation fundraiser, hosted by “Wing King” Drew Cerza, spotlighted the city’s signature food while raising money and awareness for mental health, with competitive eater George Chiger downing 36 wings in five minutes.
   

📸 Around Buffalo

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I want to thank everyone who decorated this holiday season.
    I've seen different holidays, births, and weddings being celebrated, and I love it all. It's absolutely gorgeous. (Nextdoor Olmsted Parkways)
  • State officials are calling it a record week for flu cases across New York. The State Department of Health reports there were a little more than 71... (X: news4buffalo)
  • Family and friends gathered Friday night to remember 16-year-old Pablo Alvarez. The teen was killed in West Seneca when he was hit by a pickup truck... (X: WKBW)
  • PriceRite Marketplace posted a job opening for Price Rite - Stocking Clerk - Part Time (PRRC NY) Salary Range $15.50 - $19.00/hr in Buffalo. Apply here.
  • ServiceMaster Clean posted a job opening for Commercial Cleaner Floater in Buffalo. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Buffalo here.

Ok Buffalo! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I haven’t the foggiest.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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