Ava Martinez

Reporter · Buffalo, NY

Ava Martinez has spent over 3 years covering community issues in Buffalo, particularly focusing on social justice initiatives and grassroots movements. With a degree in Sociology from the University at Buffalo, she has a deep understanding of the societal factors impacting local neighborhoods. Ava previously worked as a community organizer before transitioning to journalism.

6 stories from Ava Martinez in Bedford

NewCommunity

Seneca Nation elects first female president

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The Seneca Nation elected its first female president on Tuesday. With her election, Tina Abrams, who has been a voice of leadership for the nation for decades, makes history as the first woman to be elected to the Nation’s highest office since it adopted a democratic form of...

Read story →

NewCommunity

Depew threat case part of broader rise in risk orders across WNY

Police use extreme risk protection orders to confiscate firearms in cases involving threats of self-harm of vuiolence against others.

Read story →

Community

Weather in Western New York shows no sign of voter interference for Election Day

Balmy weather greeted voters in Western New York on Election Day this year. But that hasn’t always been the case.

Read story →

Voters casting ballots on Election Day in Buffalo, NY.

Community

Erie and Niagara County voters highlight affordability, energy costs and governor’s race on Election Day

On a crisp November morning, the air buzzed with anticipation as voters lined up outside polling stations across Erie and Niagara counties. Among them was Maria Gonzalez, a single mother of two, who expressed that casting her vote was not just a right, but a responsibility. "I want my children to...

Read story →

Community

Sun sets behind the Botanical Gardens

The sun sets behind the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Read story →

Community

Sun sets behind the Botanical Gardens

The sun sets behind the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Read story →