🌱 Power Outages + Reading Levels + Club Marcella Updates

Hello again, friends! Let's get this Friday started off right, with a quick review of the most important things happening these days in town. Today you'll find these stories and more:

• This ice storm
• Updates on the Club Marcella shooting
• This weekend's events!

But first, today's weather:

Flurries in the morning. High: 28. Low: 17.

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Here are the top five stories today in Buffalo:

1. As ice covers the region, Erie County sees thousands of residents impacted by power outages. 16,244 county residents lost power with NYSEG, and an additional 727 lost power with National Grid. (WKBW 7)
2. Out of the Buffalo Public School district's 43 elementary schools, reading levels are proficient at only four of them. Grade-level reading percentages drastically differ depending on race, signifying deeper systemic issues at play. (Investigative Post)
3. As the investigation of the recent Club Marcella shooting continues, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia comments that they are working with the State Liquor Authority and the District Attorney's Office to address the issues of the arraigned person being just 17 years old. The family of the deceased has created a petition for the club to be shut down entirely. The club has announced that when it reopens, it will be strictly 21-plus and close at 2:00 AM. (WGRZ 2)
4. The Arena Football League, which went bankrupt in 2019, is hoping to start-up again with 16 teams. For these 16 teams, the league is considering only cities that previously had an Arena Football team. This includes Buffalo, which was home to the team The Destroyers for five seasons over 20 years ago. That said, there is no potential ownership interest in the city, despite it being, as businessman Bob Bartosiewicz puts it, "a good market when it comes to having fun." (The Buffalo News)
5. About 50 flights were delayed at Buffalo Niagara International Airport between Wednesday and Thursday due to the weather. Despite the airport having roughly 48,000 gallons of potassium acetate for de-icing purposes, an ice storm of this magnitude will still have effects on travel. (WGRZ 2)

Today in Buffalo:

• Theme Nights! Ice at Canalside, 6:00 PM
• Knitting for Beginners! The Foundary, 6:30 PM
• Go For The Gold! Stamps, 7:00 PM
• Niagara University vs. Fairfield Stags! Niagara University, 7:00 PM
• Canisius Golden Griffins vs. Saint Peter’s! Koessler Athletic Center , 7:00 PM
• Clue on Stage! Lancaster Opera House, 7:30 PM
• Shakespeare’s The Tempest! Kleinhans Music Hall, 7:30 PM
• That Comedy Show! 9th Ward, 8:00 PM
• Drag Show: “Heartbreak Haven!" Alchemy Wine & Beer, 9:00 PM

Saturday in Buffalo:

• Communities in Bloom Spring Gardening Classes! Roycroft Powerhouse, 8:30 AM
• Teddy-Bear Hibernation! Explore & More, 9:00 AM
• Penguin Paddle! Holiday Valley, 9:00 AM
• “My First and Only Love” Book Discussion! Sunshine Vegan Eats, 10:00 AM
• An Introduction to Beekeeping! Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 1:00 PM
• K-POP Party! Town Ballroom, 7:00 PM
• Clue on Stage! Lancaster Opera House, 7:30 PM
• Shakespeare’s The Tempest! Kleinhans Music Hall, 7:30 PM

Sunday in Buffalo:

• Winter Nature Sundays! Genesee Country Village & Museum, 10:00 AM
• Buffalo’s Original Drag Brunch! Tappo Pizza @ Thin Man Brewery (Chandler), 12:00 PM
• Buffalo Sabres vs. Washington Capitals! KeyBank Center, 1:00 PM
• Painting and Composition Exploration Insects, Birds and Sounds in the Landscape! Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1:00 PM
• Clue on Stage! Lancaster Opera House, 2:30 PM
• Shakespeare’s The Tempest! Kleinhans Music Hall, 2:30 PM

From my notebook:

• The Buffalo Zoo Delayed Opening: "Our top priority will always be the safety of our animals, guests, and team members." (The Buffalo Zoo via Instagram)
• Dogs on the Ice: "❄️ICE, ICE BABY❄️ ⛸️ We have some “ice experts” AKA Buffalo Sabres, and a few PAWesome pups wanting everyone to be safe out there today. 🐶 " (Dogs Of Buffalo via Instagram)
• Best Local Sushi?: "DAY 22: Chopsticks up! 🥢👇️⁠ ⁠ Tag your favorite spot(s), save this post for future reference 💾, and stay tuned to see who makes the best sushi in town!" (Step Out Buffalo via Instagram)
• GObike Buffalo: "Design can save lives. Hoping drivers behave better cannot." (GObike Buffalo via Facebook)
• Colored Musicians Club at The Buffalo History Museum: "Buffalo's oldest musical tradition returns to our museum Sunday! Join the Colored Musicians Club for its legendary Sunday jam session, a staple of Buffalo’s music scene since 1935. The sessions have moved our auditorium while the hi..." (The Buffalo History Museum via Instagram)

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!

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