Jim Heaney

Jim Heaney is editor and executive director of Investigative Post. He was an investigative reporter with The Buffalo News from 1986 to 2011 and a reporter and editor with The Orlando Sentinel from 1980-86. His coverage over the years has focused on economic development, local and state government, politics, education, housing and transportation, and he was an early practitioner of computer-assisted reporting. Heaney has won more than 20 journalism awards and was a finalist for the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting.

Jul 4

2012

Feds find aiding city is risky business

Federal housing officials are tightening the screws on City Hall over its chronic mismanagement of anti-poverty funds. A series of critical reports and audits have documented problems dating back to the Griffin-era, but meaningful sanctions to this point have been few and far between. But the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is now moving on three fronts to force compliance from City Hall in how it spends about $18 million a year – three-quarters of it block grant aid that is the primary pool of money used to combat poverty in one of the nation’s poorest cities. HUD,[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Jul 1

2012

Complete Jim Allen interview

Amherst IDA director explains why his agency does what it does, often to the chagrin of its critics; discusses what we’re doing right and wrong to improve the regional economy; and recommends more of an emphasis on promoting entrepreneurs and making the area attractive to the “creative class.”

Posted 12 years ago

Jul 1

2012

Interview: IDA chief Jim Allen

Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney interviewed Jim Allen, Executive Director of the Amherst Industrial Development Agency, on the state of the regional economy and some of the controversial projects that have been subsidized of late by local IDA’s. Allen, in the interview that aired on WGRZ’s Daybreak Sunday, said: The state is much better off focusing $1 billion in aid pledged by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to promote entrepreneurship and nurture a creative class in Western New York than on trying to lure manufacturers and other large companies to the region. The regional economy is more diversified and otherwise in better[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Jun 27

2012

Introducing DataBank

Haves and have nots: Median household income in Orchard Park is more than 10 times greater than in city’s poorest Census tract on Lower West Side. A look at wealth and poverty in Erie and Niagara counties.

Posted 12 years ago

Jun 26

2012

DataBank: WNY’s richest, poorest communities

Think the city’s East Side is the most impoverished section of Buffalo? Think again. Poverty is even worse on the West Side. And Niagara Falls has its share, too. iPost unveils DataBank, a new weekly feature that tracks key issues by the numbers.

Posted 12 years ago

Jun 24

2012

Complete Lenihan interview

Erie County Democratic Party chairman discusses his plans, upcoming elections and how long it’s been since he and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have spoken.

Posted 12 years ago

Jun 24

2012

Interview: Len Lenihan

Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney interviewed Len Lenihan, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Committee, on a range of issues, including his plans to seek another term. Lenihan, in the interview, which aired on WGRZ’s Daybreak Sunday, said: He and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is seeking Lenihan’s removal at the behest of Mayor Byron Brown, have not spoken directly in about a year. He is unwilling to declare, one way or the other, his intentions to seek another two-year term as head of the county party. The enrollment edge enjoyed by Democrats in the Senate district represented by Republican Mark Grisanti[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Jun 21

2012

Democracy and demagoguery

Kevin Gaughan is challenging Sean Ryan for the 149th Assembly seat. Good. I mean this as no disrespect towards Ryan. Rather, he was essentially handed the seat last year when Sam Hoyt stepped down to head up Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s economic development and political operations for Western New York. There were no party primaries for the vacant seat and Ryan cruised over a weak Republican opponent in the September special election. Sorry, but that’s not the way it’s supposed to work. Folks other than a handful of Democratic Party insiders ought to have a say in who holds elected office,[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Jim Heaney

Get our newsletters delivered to your inbox * indicates required