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Apr 27

2016

Buffalo snubs county on lead poisoning

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Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s lead prevention proposal is stuck in the County Legislature’s Finance and Management Committee after city officials twice declined invitations to appear to answer questions. The absence of city officials at these committee meetings is a continuation of a pattern on the part of City Hall officials, which Poloncarz administration officials fear is playing into the hands of suburban Republican legislators who appear reluctant to support the county executive’s initiative. Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo said during an April 7 committee meeting that he had invited Louis Petrucci, the city’s assistant director of permit and inspection services,[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Apr 20

2016

Quick Hit: Who’ll get the lead out?

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One word sums up the exchange between Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick and Health Commissioner Gale Burstein about lead poisoning prevention funding: awkward. Hardwick cited Investigative Post’s lead poisoning reporting during an April 7 Finance and Management Committee meeting when he asked if Burstein or anyone else with the county had inquired with city officials about what additional role, if any, the city might be willing to commit to. The Erie County Health Department has primary responsibility for inspecting homes for lead hazards and employs 12 health sanitarians who inspect about 2,500 housing units a year. Burstein has said they[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Apr 18

2016

iPost, WGRZ win prestigious Murrow award

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A team project by Investigative Post and WGRZ broadcast last year about Buffalo’s failure to solve most of its murder cases has won the Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. The project was selected as the best investigative work broadcast in small television markets in the New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey region by the Radio-Television Digital News Association. The stories were reported by Jim Heaney, Investigative Post’s editor, and Steve Brown, investigative reporter with WGRZ. Video was shot and edited by Andy DeSantis and Bob Mancuso. Their work is under consideration for the Murrow national award, which will be announced in June. The[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Apr 13

2016

Council ignores warning on lead test kits

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The Common Council’s chief response to the city’s lead poisoning problem involves a commitment to distribute lead test kits to residents that one expert has termed a “very dangerous idea” with the potential for “extremely hazardous” results. No fewer than three experts challenged the wisdom of the Council’s plan in interviews with Investigative Post, including one who shared her concerns in writing last month with the office of Masten Council Member Ulysees Wingo. Those warnings have not been shared with other members, even when the test kits were discussed during Tuesday’s Council meeting. “Overall, I think there is a strong national[...]

Posted 9 years ago
Investigative Post