Dec 5
2019
Jim Heaney discusses Buffalo’s timid Control Board with David Lombardo, the new host of The Capitol Pressroom. The discussion follows a story by Investigative Post’s Geoff Kelly that documented the board’s inaction in the face of bad budgeting practices by Mayor Byron Brown and the Common Council.
Oct 23
2019
Susan Arbetter and Jim Heaney discuss two Investigative Post stories that published this week regarding a proposal to build state-subsidized data centers in western and central New York. The interview aired on The Capitol Pressroom.
Oct 23
2019
An alliance of environmental, community organizations and local governments support a plan to build massive data centers in two upstate towns, including Somerset in Niagara County. Project backers contend the data centers would help the environment, provide jobs to displaced workers and replenish the tax coffers of local governments. “It really is a win-win-win for the community, the environment and for workers,” Lisa Dix, senior New York campaign manager for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, told Investigative Post. There is reason to question those assumptions, however. The project calls for new steel structures to be built on the near-defunct coal[...]
Jul 10
2019
Geoff Kelly reported Tuesday that Buffalo has fiscal problems. Jim Heaney on Wednesday discussed the story with Susan Arbetter on The Capitol Pressroom.
May 2
2019
Investigative Post reported last week that the FBI is investigating the Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp. Editor Jim Heaney discussed the investigation, and related issues, Thursday with Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom. Heaney also discussed a recent Investigative Post story on Buffalo’s failure to enact recommendations made more than a year ago to address the city’s serious lead poisoning problem.
Feb 28
2019
Jim Heaney walks Susan Arbetter through his recent story on the Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp. OTB officials, he said on The Capitol Pressroom, are resisting calls to stop providing health insurance to board members and to disclose who is using tickets purchased to attend concerts and sporting events.
Dec 11
2018
Hold up a gas station and you’re looking at a minimum of five years in prison. Get napped with an ounce of crack and the mandatory minimum is five to ten years. Engage in bid rigging, and in the process violate the public’s trust and cost taxpayers potentially million of dollars? If you’re Louis Ciminelli, the sentence is 2 years and 4 months. For Alain Kaloyeros, 3½ years. Minus time off for good behavior, of course. And don’t worry about starting your sentence anytime soon. You’re a free man until you and your high-priced lawyers have exhausted the appeals process.[...]
Nov 9
2018
What to make President Donald Trump’s banishment of CNN reporter Jim Acosta? Jim Heaney tells Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom that Trump’s continued assault on journalists is part of a “big lie” strategy intended in part to destabilize democratic institutions. Heaney also discusses a recent Investigative Post story on two economic development programs in Western New York that go begging for takers. Arbetter will discuss state and national politics this coming Tuesday at an Investigative Post event at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Details and tickets can be found here.