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7 things to know: Wednesday, 1/24

7 things to know: Wednesday, 1/24
Posted at 6:37 AM, Jan 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-24 06:37:46-05

Today is Wednesday, January 24th. Here are seven things you need to know today.

1. Power has been restored after a massive outage affected 11,000 customers in WNY. A NYSEG spokesperson says the outage happened when high winds damaged two substations in the area. 

2. New FBI data shows crime is down in Buffalo but up in Amherst. The report reviews 2017 data in comparison to 2016 data on violent crime. You can read the full report here.

3. The Great Lakes will see higher water levels for a fifth straight year. A new report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers showswater levels continue to bounce back from their record lows in 2013. This can be a good thing for boaters because it makes waterways more accessible, but it can lead to soil erosion.

4. Toys "R" Us is closing one fifth of its stores nationwide. As part of its recent bankruptcy filing, the company will close 182 stores by April. According to USA Today, the location on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst is on the list.

5. A conversation between President Trump and acting FBI director Andrew McCabe has peaked special prosecutor Robert Mueller's interest. Mueller is heading up the Russia investigation. He wants to ask President Trump about the firings of former FBI director James Comey and former national security advisor Michael Flynn as well.

6. The Buffalo VA is rescheduling surgeries. The VA is taking precautions after finding some of the white trays in its sterile packaging were discolored. The discovery has not been linked to any patient illness. Emergency procedures will be sent to other facilities until the issue is resolved.

7. The Sabres are on a win streak. The Sabres continued their winning ways on their west coast tour Tuesday night, defeating the Oilers 5-0. Jack Eichel had a four-point game, just one day after scoring the game-winner in OT against Calgary. They'll look to extend the streak tomorrow night in Vancouver.