Free Republic

Meet CJ, he’s a two year old with a new lease on life, that’s because on Thursday he was adopted. He was born two months early and was found in a house all alone. He was rushed to a hospital where he recovered — and that’s when Michelle Lavett took him in. “He was addicted to drugs when he was born. He had a really, really rough beginning, but he’s come such a long way,” said Lavett. Michelle and her husband adopted CJ’s three older siblings. And, the timing of CJ’s adoption is bittersweet for the family. “It’s very symbolic,...

Police in New York say they’ve pulled the body of an assistant U.S. attorney from a river. For nearly three decades, George Burgasser worked as a federal prosecutor in Buffalo and Washington. Police found his body in the Niagara River Sunday night. North Tonawanda Detective Capt. Thomas Krantz says the 62-year-old Burgasser was last seen on his son’s boat showing it to a group of friends. Some news reports listed Burgasser as retired from the Justice Department but his Linkedin page noted he still worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Burgasser was part of the DOJ’s original team to fight...

A North Tonawanda firefighter targeted by racist threats has lost his home to a fire. Kenneth Walker recently received a piece of paper in his mailbox containing a racist message and a threat. On Wednesday afternoon, Walker’s Oliver St. home caught fire. As authorities investigate the message and the fire, U.S. Attorney William Hochul said the threat is being reviewed. …