🌱 ❄️ Pre-Trial Hearing for Teen + Code Blue 32 Opens Warming Shelters + BPS Literacy Hubs

Hello and happy Monday! I'm back in your inbox this chilly morning to walk you through all the most important things happening in town. Today we have...

• Updates on the October car crash that killed four teenagers where the 33 meets the 198
• Details on the start of a literacy hub project in the public schools
• Feel good holiday event ideas

☁️ But first, today's weather: Mostly cloudy. High: 40. Low: 33.

🧗‍♀️ Are you a local business looking to gain an edge over the competition? Our newsletter sponsorships can help elevate your brand and boost awareness in Buffalo. Click here to learn more about how we can help you stand out from the crowd.

Here are the top stories today in Buffalo:

1. The sixteen-year-old who was allegedly driving the stolen car when it crashed and killed four of his friends last month has been indicted for manslaughter. Julian Armstead is appearing in court today for a pre-trial hearing. It remains undetermined if Armstead will be tried in family court, in adult court with youthful offender status, or in adult court without youthful offender status. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn says he will spend today fighting for the last option, which would mean Armstead is tried as an adult in court. Read more at WGRZ 2.
2. With temperatures reaching below freezing, Buffalo and Southern Erie County issued a Code Blue 32 that opened warming shelters yesterday and today. The Code Blue locations today are the Holy Cross on Niagara St., the former women's shelter on Genesee St., and the Rural Outreach Center in Holland, NY. If you or someone you know could benefit from exact addresses and information on reaching them, please visit WIVB 4.
3. Funded by the Sabres Foundation, Buffalo schools are implementing "literacy hubs" in the school libraries throughout the district. Hubs are being added to one or two schools at a time and are being developed in collaboration between the national Teach My Kids to Read group of educators, the Western New York Literacy Initiative, and the WNY Education Alliance. Anne Botticelli, the Buffalo Public Schools' chief academic officer, says "The literacy hubs will provide our students with opportunities to practice their phonics skills using decodable text, or text that uses a combination of high frequency words and words they can read because they've learned particular phonics skills." You can learn more through The Buffalo News.
4. Two days ago, Western New York celebrated the tenth annual year of Small Business Saturday, a local shopping alternative to Black Friday discounts. For the past decade, this initiative has shown the way Buffalonians show up for one another. To hear what local people have to say and to read more about the holiday tradition, visit WGRZ 2.
5. With December closely upon us, Buffalo's holiday festivities are loading into full gear. To name a few highlights, the Tree Lighting at Rotary Rink is this Friday, the Buffalo Zoo holiday lights open this weekend, and the Buffalo Holiday Market is open through December 23rd. For more details (and more events) read The Buffalo News.

From our sponsor:

Today's Buffalo Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by Vint, a first-of-its-kind investment platform that makes it possible for investors of all sizes to invest in fine wine and rare spirits.

Why wine? Low correlation with traditional markets, average returns of 8.5% annually over a 121 year study.* There’s a reason the rich have been turning to it for centuries.

Diversify your portfolio — start investing with Vint today.

*The Price of Wine. Journal of Financial Economics.

Today in Buffalo:

• Premier Antique Center Holiday Sale! Antique World Flea and Marketplace. November 28th, 11:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Details!
• Buffalo/Niagara Holiday Light Show! Niagara County Fairgrounds! November 28th, 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. (reoccuring event). Details!
• University at Buffalo's Department of Art Visiting Speakers Series: xtine Burrough! Virtual. November 28th, 6:30 P.M. Details!
• Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning! KeyBank Center. November 28th, 7:00 P.M. Details!

Buffalo Chatter:

• Happy Birthday Luna!: "Another big polar bear day here at the Buffalo Zoo! Today we'd like to wish our very own Luna a happy birthday. Just like Sakari, our male who, celebrated last week, Luna turns 10 years old today! Luna is such an amazing ambassador for p..." (The Buffalo Zoo via Instagram)
• Silver Gracie Wins the Gold!: "SILVER PAWS SUNDAY 🐶 Today’s Silver Paws Sunday Star is Gracie. Gracie is a 10 year old terrier poodle mix. She was rescued from a puppy mill when she was about four. She loves walks, treats, toys, and running in the backyard, but her..." (Dogs Of Buffalo via Instagram)
• Thanksgiving Adoption Event: "We had such a great time at yesterdays “Thankful Fur Pets” adoption event and had several adoptions but sadly no interest in our sweet, quiet senior Cookie 🍪. Cookie did great meeting children and adults, was calm and content amid the ..." (City Of Buffalo Animal Shelter via Instagram)
• Tom & Jerrys at The Place: "‘Tis the season for a Tom & Jerry! ❄️ #InTheBUF / Photo taken at @theplacebuffalo" (Visit Buffalo Niagara via Instagram)
• Pumpkin in Snow Joke: "New tradition: The great porch pumpkin emerged from four feet of snow and did not see its shadow today. Therefore two more weeks of Autumn in Buffalo…………. . . #greatporchpumpkin #newtraditions #buffalo #buffalony #billsmafia #buffalobil..." (Kevin Rybczyński via Instagram)

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update.