News briefs

Campus

High honors to be awarded at UB commencement

UB will award L. Nelson Hopkins, State University of New York Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery, with the Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal, during the 2019 commencement ceremonies, according to UBNow.

UB is granting Hopkins with the highest honor for his work on changing the perspective of cerebrovascular disorders within the medical field.

UB will award Amit Goyal, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor, and Amanda Nickerson, professor in the Graduate School of Education, with UB President’s Medals in recognition of extraordinary service to the university.

UB will also award four alumni with SUNY honorary doctorates.

UB’s 2019 commencement ceremonies will take place May 3-19. 

UB ranked No. 3 by THE for climate action

UB is ranked No. 3 in climate action out of 250 institutions globally in the first-ever Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, revealed April 3, according to UBNow.

The rankings used 11 of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to measure the social and economic impact of universities across the world.

UB was placed third after being ranked on five SDGS, scoring best on SDG 13, Climate Action. UB placed behind the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of British Columbia.

UB ranked in four other SDGs: Good Health and Well-being, No. 54; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, No. 61; Sustainable Cities and Communities, No. 66; and Partnerships for the Goals, 201-300.

Local

Woodlawn Beach at crossroads

Woodlawn Beach’s future is uncertain as the beach transfers from Town of Hamburg management back to New York State, according to The Buffalo News.

The state has plans to invest roughly $2 million into the park over the next six years to renovate the beach area and improve its infrastructure.

Leases for businesses located on the beach will expire at the end of the year and discussion of subsequent leases has not been started.

Hamburg could not maintain the cost of managing the beach as every year the beach’s expenses exceeded its revenues, according to the town.

Case closes on Fredonia officer who killed assailant

The Chautauqua County District Attorney’s office said Fredonia Police Officer Nathaniel Scriven’s shooting of Gueorgui Penev in December was lawful, according to The Buffalo News.

Scriven fatally shot Penev four times after repeatedly telling Penev to drop his knife.

Later analysis of Penev’s body indicated he was under the influence of cocaine and LSD at the time of the attack.

Officials at the police department also said Penev sustained a number of self-inflicted injuries prior to the shooting that could have been fatal.

Fredonia Police charged a SUNY Fredonia student with supplying the drugs to Penev.

National

Texas Tech Final Four victory turns into city-wide chaos

Texas Tech University basketball fans took to the streets after the defeat of Michigan State on Saturday, according to USA Today.

The demonstration started as a celebration before turning into vandalism as fans set fire to couches and flipped over cars.

Police arrived to the scene in riot gear and gave several warnings before throwing tear gas into the crowd and ending the incident. 

The city of Lubbock issued a statement condemning the fan’s actions and calling them “dangerous and disappointing.”

Man charged with shooting of 10-year-old girl in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix Police arrested a man on Friday for shooting a 10-year-old girl, according to CNN.

Authorities said the family was driving home on Wednesday when they allegedly cut off a truck.

Joshua Gonzalez, the truck driver, followed them home and opened fire. Gonzalez shot at the car and their home, injuring Dharquintium Brown and killing his daughter.

Police charged Gonzalez with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

Global

Floods in Iran kill dozens while aid efforts continue

Nationwide floods left dozens dead in Iran, according to The New York Times.

The province of Golestan had 70 percent of its average rainfall in one day, with rain still in the forecast.

Aid groups said if the rain continues, the severity of the situation will only increase. Sayed Hashem, regional director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, said Iran is “under water.”

The flood killed at least 70 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent’s most recent update.

Palestinian prisoners protest against diminishing conditions

Roughly 30 Palestinian prisoners started a mass hunger strike on Sunday over diminishing conditions in prisons, according to Al Jazeera.

Over 1,500 other prisoners are expected to join them next week. 

Prisoners plan to deny food and water to protest against the recent establishment of cell phone blocking equipment in the Ramon prison. 

The prisoners called the installation a “health hazard” and stated they are unable to contact family members who can’t visit the prison.

Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said it was required to block “terror” activity.

Prisoners are also protesting the ban on family visits, expanding television service and stocking additional goods in canteens.