Good morning, Buffalo.

Buffalo lost disability advocate Gwen Squire last week; the longtime leader, born with spina bifida and known for advancing self-advocacy and rehabilitation, died at age 60 and her family will hold a celebration of life later.

AAA of Western and Central New York held its annual 'School’s Open, Drive Carefully' press conference to remind families and drivers of school safety measures before the new term.

Officials offered guidance on safe driving practices—helping the community stay alert.

Palmer Food Services—a Western New York distributor—is supplying fresh ingredients for the new menu at Highmark Stadium.

The supplier’s role boosts local business ties as the season unfolds.

Ford agreed to pay $2.3 million to Buffalo Stamping Plant employees after a 2021 claim found they faced discrimination based on race and national origin — the settlement requires the company to post anti-graffiti protocols, hold regular training, and report complaints to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for three years.

Invest Buffalo Niagara plans to choose a new CEO soon + local officials are reviewing candidates to lead investment efforts in the region.

Additional details will be shared as the decision nears.

Ken-Ton Schools Superintendent Sabatino Cimato confirmed the district will keep Ken-Ton elementary open for one more year (streamlining district operations) even as the plan includes closing Holmes Elementary School—a move that many families oppose.

Buffalo students moving off campus face new challenges like rent, transportation and meal planning — local advisors recommend planning for Buffalo winters and carefully choosing roommates to build community connections.

Parent advocate Sam Radford (known for his work with local schools) described Buffalo Public Schools' turbulent summer and stressed that educators must address these challenges as the new school year begins today.

Students at Thomas Edison Elementary returned to class Wednesday for the new school year, as families and teachers captured moments with first-day photos and celebrated in new classrooms (reflecting their excitement for learning).

Buffalo's Allentown Association and Council Member Mitch Nowakowski announced a cigarette butt recycling program along Allen Street today, installing 48 receptacles from Main to Wadsworth funded by a $10,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful.

The receptacles (each with a sealed pouch) will be collected for recycling by TerraCycle when full.

A weeklong baseball and softball fundraiser will start on Aug.

14 at Frontier High School in Hamburg where youth and adult teams will play to support local mental health programs. The event will end on Aug. 21 at Sahlen Field (home to the Buffalo Bisons) with a Home Run Derby.

UBs women's volleyball team finished 2-1 at the Billiken Invitational in St. Louis over the weekend — with setter Maddie Mitchell nearing 1,000 assists and outside hitter Manoela Forlin posting strong stats.

The Bulls now compete in the Buffalo/Canisius Invitational, which runs until Saturday, Sept. 5.

Former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick helped announce that OneRepublic will perform at halftime — the NFL on Prime broadcast will air on Sept.

17 at Highmark Stadium, where the Bills will host the Detroit Lions.

Recent studies show that Buffalo Bills home games, once affordable, now carry higher ticket prices (according to expense analyses) that challenge longtime fans and could change game day routines.